Greek Rice

4.56 from 131 votes

Delicious Greek Rice that's so easy to make and pairs beautifully with lots of Mediterranean favorites like my Chicken Gyros or Chicken Souvlaki! This easy side dish is flavor-packed with onions, garlic, lots of fresh herbs and lemon juice!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Resting time10

Total Time40

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean

Keyword: greek lemon rice, greek rice, lemon rice pilaf

Servings:

Calories: 115kcal

Ingredients

2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
1 small onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1½ cups long grain rice washed well
2 cups chicken broth low sodium, or more depending on rice used
⅓ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook onion and garlic: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan with a lid over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent and soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic.
Sauté rice with onion and garlic: Add the rice and cook (without liquid) until the rice turns almost translucent.
Cook the rice: Add the broth, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the saucepan. Cover the pan with lid and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes or until the rice is done, the liquid should be fully absorbed. Remove the rice from heat and leave it covered, undisturbed for 10 minutes.
Finish with fresh herbs: Uncover the saucepan and stir in the parsley and dill. Garnish with lemon slices and serve.

Notes

Always rinse the rice first to clean up any excess dirt or debris. Also rinsing rice, will wash away any powdery starch that can stick to the rice grains while cooking. Rinse the rise under cool running water in a fine-mesh strainer.
The amount of liquid used when cooking rice may vary depending on the rice used. The 2 cups required in the recipe is just a general guideline, but if you find that after the rice has absorbed all the liquid but the rice is still too crunchy, add more broth as required.
If using brown rice, keep in mind that it takes a lot longer to cook and may require more liquid.
Be sure to store this Greek rice as soon as it’s cooled as rice is a breeding ground for bacteria. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. If freezing, store this dish in a freezer bag with the air pressed out. Thaw overnight in the fridge and fluff the rice before reheating. This dish will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

Nutrition