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This bright, zesty Lemon Rice Recipe is the perfect Mediterranean side dish! Easy to make, fluffy, and full of flavor. Pairs beautifully with chicken, pork, or fish.
Easy Lemon Rice Recipe
I absolutely love this lemon rice. It is one of my favorite side dishes because it’s so easy and goes with just about everything. I use it as a base for Mediterranean Bowls or as a side with our Crockpot Chicken Gyros. It also pairs perfectly with our Lemon Salmon or Herb Crusted Salmon recipes.
The subtle lemony tang and savory spices make it the perfect companion for Greek Chicken Gyros, Cajun Butter Shrimp, our Roasted Vegetable Medley, or even Grilled Pork Kabobs. It’s light, fluffy, and aromatic enough to enjoy on its own, yet versatile enough to pair with almost any meal.
🩷 Erica
Key Ingredients
White rice – Long grain white rice works best for this recipe. I like using jasmine or basmati rice.
Fresh lemons – I use the juice and zest of two fresh lemons. If you don’t have lemons on hand you can use bottled lemon juice.
Seasonings – This rice is seasoned with fresh garlic, a touch of ginger, salt, pepper, and cilantro for garnish.
How to Make Lemon Rice Step-By-Step
- Rinse rice until water runs clear. Drain well and prepare the rice in a rice cooker, Instant Pot (our Instant Pot Rice method is foolproof and so easy), or on the stovetop with a lid, following package directions.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients to make the sauce.
- Fluff the rice with a fork while slowly pouring the sauce over it.
- Continue to fluff with a fork until the lemon sauce is evenly incorporated into the rice. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh cilantro and lemon slices.
Pro Tips for Making Lemon Rice
Rinse your rice before cooking to remove extra starch. This helps the grains stay fluffy and separate.
Try cooking the rice in chicken broth to add a little more flavor. For a creamier, richer flavor, try cooking the rice in broth and a splash of milk. The milk gives the grains a soft, fluffy texture.
Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor; bottled lemon juice can taste flat or bitter but it can work in a pinch.
Storing leftovers – Cool rice quickly and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days.
Reheating – Sprinkle a little water over the rice and cover with a damp paper towel before microwaving in 45-second bursts, fluffing in between.
Frequently Asked Questions
Long-grain white rice works best, including basmati or Jasmine rice.
Fresh squeezed lemon juice is best, but you can easily substitute bottled lemon juice too; it still gives off that fragrant lemony flavor and aroma.
Keep leftover rice in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days. You can freeze this rice in a freezer bag for up to a month. Reheat by placing in the microwave until warm.
What to Serve with Lemon Rice
Have you tried this Easy Lemon Rice Recipe? We’d love to hear what you think! Leave a rating and comment below, or snap a photo and tag us on Instagram. We’d love to see what you paired it with! @favoritefamilyrecipes! 📸🍋🍚
Easy Lemon Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups long-grain white rice (Basmati, Jasmine, or similar)
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- juice of 2 lemons (small to medium sized)
- lemon zest to taste
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 pinch ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- salt to taste
- cilantro chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse rice until water runs clear. Drain well and prepare rice in a rice cooker, Instant Pot (see notes above), or in a pan with a lid according to package directions.
- Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
- Pour the sauce slowly over rice while fluffing with a fork.
- Serve and garnish with cilantro and lemon slices.
Hi,
I made this recipe last night, and it turned out great. 2 thumbs up from my two picky eaters, so it’s a definite keeper.
I saw that for the small portion (The 1x) it called for the juice of 2 lemons, as well as for the 2x and the 3x. So I made the 3x. The juice of 2 lemons was perfect for that.
In the recipe above, when switching between the 1x, 2x, and 3x all of the ingredients increase/decrease proportionally, with the exception of the lemon juice. Glitch in the up/down sizing program/widget/doo-hickey (That’s a technical term..honest)
I love lemon rice, and thought I would give this recipe a try. It came out so sour, it was inedible (and I love really lemony things, usually!) I had to make a second batch of rice to mix with it just so we could eat it. I used the juice of 2 lemons, maybe they were too big. And 3 tablespoons of olive oil is way too much as well.
I am so sorry this recipe didn’t turn out for you. A lot of times in lemon recipes, the zest can be the problem. You might be zesting too far down and getting the white part under the skin into the zest. This will make the lemon zest very sour. I hope this helps!
Super delicious!! Made boring rice into something spectacular with so few ingredients!!! I always love lemon on my chicken cutlets and this makes such a great side!! 10000% will make again!! Thank you!!!
I’m loving the lemon in this rice recipe. It’s really flavorful!!
Wow this looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it with my family.
I’ll try the one with curry & milk.
Recipe says it serves 10 but only calls for 1 cup of uncooked rice. Is this correct?
Yes, that is correct. We use it as a side dish. If you are using it as a main dish, you’ll want to make more.
I’ve never tried lemon rice. I am so intrigued and can’t wait to try it. The flavors sound amazing!
One of my favorie rice recipe. I will try your version soon. So yimmy
I would have never thought to put lemon with rice. What a delightful combination of flavors!
This recipe is so timely. My husband was just asking if maybe I could flavor the rice we eat quite a bit. Thanks so much!
This was so simple, yet so delicious! I garnished a few sliced almonds and parsley and served it with baked salmon! Thanks.
This rice looks great……….