Lemon Rice
Updated Mar 24, 2025
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!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Jump to Section
Try Lemon Rice
If you’re tired of making plain white rice for dinner, try this easy Lemon Rice tonight. It’s just like cooking white rice but I add butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and optional turmeric for pop of 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!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Rice: Use long grain white rice for this recipe, like basmati or jasmine.
- Butter: I use unsalted, but salted butter also works well here. 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: I use both the zest and juice of one lemons.
- Turmeric: A little turmeric makes this lemon rice a really bright and vibrant color. It’s optional, but I highly recommended.
Popular Additions
- Onion: I originally published this recipe with onions but decided to simplify and remove the onion. If you want to add it for more flavor, use a small yellow onion and mince it finely.
- Garlic: Add 2 cloves of garlic for extra flavor. Make sure to mince them finely.
- Herbs: You can sautee herbs like parsley or cilantro with the butter before adding the rice or just add them on the cooked rice before serving.
- Nuts: Toasted almonds, Toasted pine nuts or even cashews are so good with lemon rice. Toast ½ cup of any nuts in the same pan before cooking the rice. Set aside and then scatter them over the cooked rice before serving.
How to Make Lemon Rice
My Best Lemon Rice Tips
- 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 until it runs clear.
- Toast the rice. Before you add the water to the pan, cook the rise for a few minutes to slightly toast it. This helps to bring out it’s 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.
- Don’t peek into the pot. Leave the rice to cook for the full 15 minutes and then to steam for the 5 minutes with the heat turned off without opening the lid. All the trapped moisture helps make the best fluffy lemon rice.
Serving Ideas
Serve lemon rice with grilled meats like lamb, beef or chicken. The lemon compliments seafood really well too.
- Grilled Lamb Kabobs
- Grilled Chicken Kabobs
- Beef Kafta
- Lamb Meatballs
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Grilled Salmon
Recipe Help & FAQs
Cover tightly in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave with a couple tablespoons of water and cook until piping hot, about 2 minutes in the microwave.
Yes, you can freeze rice for up to 6 months. For easy storage and quick defrosting, package thin – easily defrosted portions – in ziplock freezer bags that can be stacked in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or stovetop with a splash of water.
If your rice is too mushy, try spreading it on a baking sheet and letting it cool completely. Then you can transfer it to the pot and cook with a little water to create steam and some olive oil to help separate the grains.
More Rice Dishes:
- Turmeric Rice
- Mexican Chicken and Rice
- Jollof Rice
- Tomato Rice Pilaf
- Lebanese Rice
- Crispy Persian Rice
- Mediterranean Rice Salad
- Saffron Rice
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Creamy Risotto
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!
Lemon Rice
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.
Notes
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
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Comments
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!!
See All Comments