Lemon Rice
Updated Jan 29, 2026
This simple lemon rice recipe features fluffy white rice cooked with butter, lemon, and optional turmeric, then finished with fresh herbs.
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Lemon Rice is soo good and fresh tasting!
If you’re tired of making plain white rice for dinner, try this easy Lemon Rice. It’s just like cooking white rice, but I add butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and optional turmeric for more of a yellow color. The lemon gives the rice a slight tang, but I promise it’s not overpowering.
Lemon rice goes so well with Middle Eastern meat dishes like lamb meatballs and beef kafta and we especially love making it in the summer with grilled recipes like beef kabobs and chicken kabobs. Let me know in the comments if you make it and what you pair it with!
Lemon Rice Ingredients
- Rice: I like to use long-grain white rice, like basmati or jasmine.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter for this lemon rice recipe, but salted butter also works. Just reduce the salt in the recipe from ½ teaspoon to ¼ teaspoon.
- Water: I cook my rice in water because the results are consistent every time, but you can also use chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- Lemons: Look for a medium-sized bright yellow lemon (you’ll use both the zest and juice).
- Turmeric: You can leave out the turmeric if you like, but I love the flavor (and color) it adds to this lemon rice.
How to Make Lemon Rice
Lemon Rice Recipe
Video
Ingredients
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.
Equipment
Notes
- My Top Tip: Toast your rice. Before you add the water to your pan, cook the rice for a few minutes to slightly toast it. This helps to bring out its natural nutty flavors.
- Storage: This cooked rice will keep well for up to 3 days in an airtight container. When you’re ready to eat, reheat it in the microwave.
- Freezing: You can freeze this rice for up to 6 months. For easy storage and quick defrosting, package thin portions in ziplock freezer bags that can be stacked in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat, thaw them overnight in the fridge and reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Rinse your rice before cooking it. This removes the starch from the rice so it stays light and fluffy (and clump-free). Rinse it under cold running water until it runs clear.
- Use broth rather than water to cook the rice. The seasonings in the broth help to flavor the rice as it cooks!
- Leave the lid on your rice pot. Resist the urge to lift the lid on your pot! You want your rice to cook for the full 15 minutes and then to steam for 5 minutes with the heat turned off. All the trapped moisture will help make the lemon rice extra fluffy.
Serving Ideas
- Serve with meat. I love eating this lemon rice with heartier meats like my grilled lamb kabobs, my grilled chicken kabobs, my beef kafta, or my lamb meatballs.
- Pair with fish. If you don’t want to go the red meat route, this rice is just as good with my grilled shrimp skewers, my grilled salmon, or even my air fryer tofu.
Comments
Very good rice. I did a 2 Tblsp butter & 2 Tblsp EVOO for the toasting. Then, added 1.5 tsp powdered garlic, 1.5 tsp powdered onion, 1 tsp dried thyme, 0.5 tsp sage, 0.25 tsp tumeric, 1 Tblsp Better Than Veg Broth base. It was delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Love the tweaks you made!! So happy you liked it, Sue. Thanks!!
Made this tonight as a side to sautรฉed shrimp and it turned out delicious with just the right amount of lemony-ness. I usually use a rice cooker but toasted the rice in butter as suggested and then proceeded as per the recipe using chicken bone broth as the liquid and it turned out beautifully. I also used the tumeric as love any opportunity to use it not to mention the lovely golden shade it imparts. Thanks for sharing!
Amazing!! Aww, so happy you liked it! Thank you so much, Janet!!
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