Lemon Rice {Mediterranean Recipe}

Name: Lemon Rice
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 cups long grain white rice (such as basmati); 4 tablespoons butter; ½ teaspoon salt; 3 cups water; 1 lemon (zest and juiced); ⅛ teaspoon turmeric (optional); 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (for serving)

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Add some flavor and color to your plate with this easy lemon rice recipe. All cooked in one pot, this yellow seasoned rice is wonderfully fresh and is perfect to serve with grilled meats.

Lemon rice in a large serving bowl with serving spoon resting in bowl, garnished with fresh parsley and lemon slices.

Ingredients & substitutions

Ingredients for recipe: water, lemon, salt, butter, turmeric, and rice.

Rice: Use long grain white rice for this recipe, like basmati or jasmine.
Water: The rice is cooked in water, but you can add extra flavor by using broth right from the beginning. To keep this side dish vegan use a vegetable stock, but chicken stock will also work well.
Lemons: We use both the zest and juice of two lemons for a really bright and zesty flavor.
Turmeric: A little turmeric makes this lemon rice a really bright and vibrant color. It’s earthy sweetness also works great with the lemons. It’s optional, but highly recommended.

How to make lemon rice

Melted butter, rinsed rice, and salt in a pot. — **Step 1:** Melt butter in a pot and then add the rinsed rice and salt.

Rice and butter after tossing together in pot. — **Step 2:** Toss together and toast the rice.

Water and lemon added. — **Step 3:** Add the water, lemon zest, and juice and bring to a boil.

After cooking recipe. — **Step 4:** Cover and cook until tender. Then remove from the heat and let rest.

Turmeric sprinkled over cooked rice. — **Step 5:** Sprinkle in turmeric.

After fluffing rice until turmeric is incorporated. — **Step 6:** Fluff rice with a fork until the turmeric is spread throughout and serve.

Tips for making the rice

Rinse the rice before cooking it. This removes the starch from the rice so that it doesn’t clump together and is light and fluffy. Rinse it under cold running water til it runs clear.
Toast the rice. Before you add the water to the pan, cook the rice for a few minutes to slightly toast it. This helps to bring out its natural nutty flavors.
Use broth rather than water to cook the rice. The seasonings in the broth help to flavor the rice as it cooks resulting in a much bolder flavor. If you don’t have any broth, you can use the same amount of water.
Don’t skip the turmeric. You only need ⅛ of a teaspoon to give it a bright yellow color and sweet flavor that compliments the zingy lemon.

Frequently asked questions

Can you make it ahead of time?

This lemon rice will keep well in the fridge for 4 days. Once cooked, let it cool completely before storing in an air tight container in the fridge. You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave with a coupe of tablespoons of water and cook til piping hot, about 3 minutes in the microwave.

Can you make it with brown rice?

White rice tends to soak up the flavors of the lemon more than brown rice, which has more of a nutty flavor. You can make this with brown or wild rice if you prefer, but be aware that the cooking times will vary.

What goes well with the lemon rice?

This fresh and delicious lemon rice recipe is great to serve with grilled meats like lamb, beef or chicken, and the lemon compliments seafood really well too. Try it with:
Grilled Lamb Kabobs
Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Beef Kafta
Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Lemon rice in pot after fluffing with fresh lemon and parsley around.

Fresh, colorful and so flavorful, this lemon rice is so easy and it adds a great variety to your plate. Simple to make and delicious to eat!

More rice dishes:

If you try this Lemon Rice recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!

This lemon rice recipe was originally published on July 7, 2021. It is recently updated with new photography and a slightly modified recipe to increase the servings and remove the onions and nuts.

Review

Lemon Rice

This Lemon Rice recipe is a fun way to switch up your rice side dish. It's bursting with a lemony flavor and pairs well with many meat dishes!

4.8 from 25 votes

Author Yumna Jawad

Servings servings

Course Side

Calories 223

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Video

Ingredients

▢ 2 cups long grain white rice such as basmati
▢ 4 tablespoons butter
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ 3 cups water
▢ 1 lemon zest and juiced
▢ ⅛ teaspoon turmeric optional
▢ 1 tablespoon chopped parsley for serving

Instructions

Rinse rice in a bowl or fine mesh strainer under cold water until water runs clear, about 1 minute.
Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the rinsed rice and salt and cook until slightly toasted, 3 minutes.
Add water, lemon zest and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5-10 minutes.
Sprinkle the turmeric, fluff with a fork and stir until the turmeric is evenly combined with the rice. Serve immediately.

Notes

Storage: The cooked rice will keep well for up to 3 days in an airtight container. For best results, reheat in the microwave.

Original recipe

1 cup long grain white rice such as basmati
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ small yellow onion finely chopped
½ teaspoon Kosher salt to taste
1 ¾ cups low sodium vegetable broth
2 lemons zested and juiced
⅛ teaspoon turmeric optional
Dill for serving
Roasted cashews for serving
Instructions
Rinse rice in a bowl or fine mesh strainer under cold water until water runs clear, 1 minute.
Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Season with kosher salt. Add rinsed rice and cook until slightly toasted, 3 minutes.
Add vegetable broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, turmeric, and kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Serve with fresh dill and roasted cashews, if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups, Calories: 223kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 198mg, Potassium: 77mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 0.4g, Vitamin A: 220IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Cuisine American

Course: Side

4.84 from 25 votes (20 ratings without comment)

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