This lemon pesto rice makes the most amazing side dish to just about any meal. It has a delicious pesto flavor with a kick of lemon.
Lemon Pesto Rice
Rice is a great accompaniment to so many different meals. But sometimes you want to mix up the flavor of regular white rice. Enter this delicious Lemon Pesto Rice.
Secrets to Success
Lemon Pesto Rice is especially good made with our recipe for Fresh Basil Pesto. This rice is far better than anything you can make from a box. I have tried different methods in my rice cooker, but cooking it over the stove is so much better. The secret is the browning of the rice in oil before you add the broth. This is the same method that we use for our yummy Mexican Rice Recipe.
This rice is slightly on the dry side, like in restaurants (which is exactly how I like it). It doesn’t turn out wet, clumpy and sticky like some homemade rice recipes can be. The rice really absorbs the flavors yet has the perfect consistency. Just be sure to always add the pesto last, after the rice has been cooked and fluffed. Cooked pesto turns brown and isn’t nearly as appetizing looking.
Serve It on the Side
Lemon Pesto Rice goes great with all kinds of meals. Check out a few of these great options.
- Herb Crusted Salmon always turns out amazing. Flaky fish, tasty herbs, drizzled in delicious sauce.
- Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breasts work great alongside the flavor of Lemon Pesto Rice — or any other side dish. They’re so easy to make and they turn out tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned.
- Grilled Cilantro Lime Halibut is a wonderful way to add more fish to your diet, without adding too much fishy flavor.
- Baked Cod in Cream Sauce turns out perfectly flaky and delicious, but it is the cream sauce that puts it over the top.
- Baked Salmon with Lemon is a light, refreshing, healthy meal that you will love.
How To Make Lemon Pesto Rice
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 cup long grain rice uncooked
- 1 tsp. fresh minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 c. pesto recipe HERE
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the rice and gently stir until rice begins to lightly brown.
- Add the garlic and salt and stir the rice til it looks golden.
- Add chicken broth and lemon juice and turn the heat up to medium high.
- Bring the mix to a boil then turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid.
- Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove from heat and fluff with a fork then stir in the pesto.
- Serves 4.
Bitty says
What about cauliflower rice? Do u think I could use that for a low carb alternative?
Favorite Family Recipes says
I haven’t tried that, but it sounds yummy! Let us know how it goes if you try it!
Stephanie says
I used this as a base recipe for our meatless main meal. For just my husband and I, I cut this in half and followed all directions (except using a jarred pesto). As a note for myself later, 20 minutes was far too long, the rice was almost mushy. Next time I’ll cut it back. At the end of the recipe, I added in drained petite diced tomatoes, garbanzo beans, capers, and feta. I kept it on low heat long enough to heat up the rest of the ingredients. It was delicious! Next time I may try adding in some chicken sausage!
Toby says
Really confused. It says to add uncooked rice to hot oil and stir until it browns? Dry rice? That just sounds like a bad idea. Maybe it’s because I’m new to cooking. ::shrug::
Favorite Family Recipes says
Browning the rice before you boil it gives it a really great flavor! Trust us, you will love it! We wish you luck on your cooking journey!
Nikki says
The link for the pesto recipe doesn’t work…can you fix that for us?
Favorite Family Recipes says
Done! Thanks for pointing that out!
Renee Goerger says
I love lemon, I love pesto, and I love rice. This recipe is just perfect in my book!
Beth says
This combines three of my favorite things: Rice, lemons and pesto. I’m bumping this to the top of my “Must Try” list!
Kelly says
Can you double this recipe? What would the cooking time be?
Erica says
Yes, you should be able to double this recipe without any problems. The cooking time should remain the same. Hope this helps!
Sara says
Can you make it with instant rice?
Emily says
No, it wouldn’t turn out right.
Liz says
Yum – thank you.