This Lemon Rice recipe is so good, you will want to eat it plain, straight out of the pot! It’s a Greek Rice made with sautéed onion and garlic, rice cooked in chicken broth then finished off with lemon and herbs.
Serve this Greek Lemon Rice with your favourite Greek food like Greek Chicken, Gyros Chicken, Greek Meatballs or Souvlaki!
Greek Lemon Rice recipe
I made this Lemon Rice Pilaf as a side for a Greek Feast that I shared in my Chicken Souvlaki recipe. And I promise, it is so good, you honestly will want to eat it straight from the pot.
The reason this is not just “another flavoured rice” is because it’s made as a pilaf.
A pilaf is simply a rice dish that starts like risotto – sautéing garlic and onion in olive oil (or butter), then stirring in the rice grains until they become translucent with the oil, then cooking the rice in a broth.
Cooking rice in this way transforms plain rice into a flavoured dish that is tasty enough to eat plain.
In fact, there are many rice dishes around the world that are made this way, loaded up with even more flavour and with proteins added. From risottos, to Spanish Paella, Indian Biryani and Jambalaya.
This Lemon Rice is a side dish so I’ve kept it quite simple. Pictured above, as a side dish with some juicy Garlic Prawns (Shrimp).
While some Lemon Rice recipes cook the rice with the lemon juice, my preference is to stir the lemon through the rice once it is cooked. I find that the lemon flavour is fresher, and also I stir it through while the rice is hot so it sucks in all that fresh flavour.
YUM!
Greek Lemon Rice is super versatile, but especially perfect for Mediterranean dishes. Think: Greek food, Spanish, Italian. And of course seafood. This goes fabulously with any form of seafood.
Enjoy! – Nagi x
Try this Greek Lemon Rice with…
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Greek mains – Greek Chicken , Gyros Chicken (skip the pita bread, or stuff the rice inside it!), Greek Meatballs, Souvlaki
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Garlic Prawns (pictured)
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Crispy Pan Fried Fish – or try it with this amazing Lemon Butter Sauce
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Super Quick Crispy Garlic Chicken or sticky Honey Garlic Chicken
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Don’t forget greens! Can’t go past a Greek Salad
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Lemon Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin oil (or butter)
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1/2 onion , finely chopped (white, brown, yellow)
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice , uncooked (Note 1)
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 large lemon (1 tsp zest + 3 - 4 tbsp lemon juice)
- 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 3 tbsp finely chopped dill (or sub with parsley, oregano, basil chives, mint)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium heat in large saucepan or small pot.
- Add garlic and onion. Cook for 5 minutes or until translucent and sweet.
- Add rice and stir until rice turns mostly translucent.
- Add broth and water. Place lid on, bring to simmer then turn heat down to low.
- Cook for 12 minutes or until water is evaporated.
- Remove from from stove and rest for 10 minutes (keep the lid on).
- Remove lid. stir through lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
- Lovey served warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Try this Greek Feast!
Complete with Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki, Easy Soft Flatbreads (No Yeast), Greek Salad and this Lemon Rice Pilaf.
Absolutely delicious! Perfect with kabobs.
I’m adding a pint of halved grape tomatoes to the sautéing onion and garlic. When the rice is done, fresh chopped mint, dill, and cilantro will be mixed in with the lemon juice (or maybe lime). BUT I’m washing and soaking the basmati rice first. Also, I’m adding an 8 oz. brick of feta either diced or crumbled, and 1/2 c. sliced green olives at the end.
On the side I’m making a tzatziki sauce with Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, parsley, and chopped scallions mixed in.
I might throw in a minced anchovy to the sautéing onion and garlic, plus 1-2 T. chopped capers mixed through the rice at the end. In which case, less salt.
Serve the pilaf with some extra virgin olive oil drizzled over.
So good! Didn’t have fresh herbs and used a little bit of dried instead. Also instead of 1/4 cup of the chicken broth I used 1/4 cup of white wine. I put it in after the rice turned translucent. Also I used basmati rice. Will be making again!!!
I could literally eat this rice on its own for dinner. That’s how much I love it. 😂 I add a little bit of butter at the end.
Hi Nagi
I want to do this for a family picnic to compliment souvlaki’s… but with little children, my mornings can be hectic… can I make & freeze this, then heat thoroughly just beforehand?
Hi Nagi,
This recipe was delicious! I could not stop eating it!! I used oregano as my spice and only put in 1 1/2 tbsps and it was plenty. The lemon zest and lemon juice really add to the recipe. My husband and I both enjoyed this. Thanks for such a great recipe.
I could seriously just eat a bowl of this rice for dinner. 😂
We love Mediterranean food!
I made this with chicken souvlaki and tsaziki along with a cucumber, avocado, tomato and red onion salad. So good!
Love your recipes!
Second time making this. The rice was soooo good. Thanks for a great recipie.
I’ve made this lemon rice pilaf dish a half dozen times since seeing this recipe posted here, love it. It’s just as tasty as the rice served at my fave Greek restaurant (same with the Greek lemon spuds recipe posted on this site). Fantastic results, so good! This site is my go to site when I’m looking for a good recipe to try. Awesome.
That’s great Dan – I am happy you like it as much as the restaurant version!! N x
I read your comment about using brown rice, how much water should i use
Hi Nagi,
I’d like to serve this at a dinner party for 11. Will it be ok to double this recipe or should it be cooked in two separate pots? Looks delicious!
I always double the recipe when I make this and it works perfect! Single recipe is not enough! 🙂
I don’t like starchy sticky rice. A pilaf is what I like so I ALWAYS rinse the rice quite a few times before proceeding with recipe.
Threw in fresh herbs from my garden (basil, parsley, dill). Delicious and versatile — served it with oven roasted chicken thighs and it went perfectly. Will definitely keep this on standby for any grilled meat entrees.
The BEST
I absolutely love this rice, it is restaurant quality.
You’re the best Nagi, you have the most amazing recipes!!!
This rice was delicious! I used fresh parsley and basil and some dried dill. I had a lemon rice recipe I always used, but branched out to try something new. This will be my new go to!
Can you make this in a rice cooker, After doing the first steps on the stove?
It works great in a rice cooker. Just transfer to rice cooker after step 3. So good.
It’s 5 stars not 4 stars. Definitely 5 stars.
Hi Nagi,
This rice dish was fabulous. I made it to go with your chicken souvlaki and greek salad. My husband always likes grilled onions and bell pepper with his souvlaki. I added the grilled veggies to my rice and it was amazing!! I can’t wait to have it again. Another winner!!!
Can I use orzo?
Hi Mary, it would have a different cook time and liquid ratio – something I’d need to test first! N x
Is orzo an option?
Your lemon rice pilaff was outstanding; seasonings were perfect and it went well with our lamb shish kebabs.
Having another dinner party next week where I will serve the rice with sword fish.
I have been making your recipes for years with success. Thank you.
So I serve this with a slow-cooked beef and pearl onion number. Has become a tradition in our home! Really – exactly like the restaurants, or perhaps better! Nagi – you are so good at getting the flavour balances just right!!
I didn’t have fresh herbs so I used dried lemon peel (a bit less than a third called for), dried dill, and dried parsley. Still SUPER yummy!!! Full of flavor, bright, and zesty! Definitely a keeper!!!