You’ll love this bright, flavor-packed Greek lemon rice made with onions, garlic, fresh lemon juice, and herbs! Check out my tips for foolproof results, and grab all the suggestions for what other dishes to serve along! Rice cooker instructions included.
Never Eat Boring Rice Again!
If you think rice is just a dreaded, boring side dish, this Greek lemon rice will prove you wrong. Dare I say, once you give it a try, it might just become your favorite side of all time!
This lemon rice pilaf is a fairly popular side dish; you may have sampled a version of it at your local Greek restaurant.
This easy side dish pairs beautifully with lots of Mediterranean favorites, including Souvlaki, Shrimp, Greek baked cod, and many more!
How to Make Greek Lemon Rice Pilaf
A few familiar flavor makers get the credit for how bright and tantalizing this rice is. They are: onions, garlic, fresh lemon juice, fresh parsley and dried dill.)
But this lemon rice is very simple to make. It starts with a little bit of rich extra virgin olive oil in which our onions and garlic are sautéed. From there, we add a little orzo, rice, and our liquid (lots of fresh lemon juice and broth). As the rice cooks in the lemon juice, it absorbs all the tang and brightness. And at the end, we hit it up with the herbs and a little lemon zest to seal the deal.
That’s all there is to it!
- Rinse and soak the rice. Place the rice in a fine mesh sieve, and rinse well under running water until it runs clear. Then soak rice in fresh water for 15-20 minutes.
- Cook the aromatics and toast the orzo. Set a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and orzo. Stir until the orzo has gained some color, then stir in the rice.
- Add the liquid. Now add lemon juice and broth. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover with a lid and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the rice is done. The liquid should be fully absorbed, and the rice should be tender but not sticky.
- Remove from heat and steam. Remove the rice from the heat, but leave it covered. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Add herbs and serve! Uncover and stir in parsley, dill, and lemon zest. Garnish with a few slices of lemon. Enjoy!
Two Important Tips for Making Greek Rice
To ensure the best results for texture and taste, I apply the same tips I’ve learned when making Lebanese rice and Hashweh rice. Here they are:
- Rinse and soak the rice. The recipe starts with a very important step most other recipes ignore: Wash the rice well and soak it in plenty of water for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not skip this step; it helps remove excess starch, which causes rice to be sticky, and this rice is not meant to be sticky. Soaking it also shortens the cooking time, making sure the interior of the grain actually cooks before the exterior loses its shape and becomes mush.
- Let it rest after cooking. Once the rice is finished, leave it covered and undisturbed in the pot for about 10 minutes before adding the herbs and lemon zest. Again, this helps maintain the texture and integrity of the rice.
Can I Make this in My Rice Cooker?
I know many are fans of the convenient rice cooker. I totally get that, but this recipe is much better when you make it on the stovetop. That being said, yes, you can use a rice cooker with some adjustments:
- Still, rinse the rice well and soak it for 10 minutes (rather than 15 or 20) to remove the starch (not a requirement for rice cookers, but helpful).
- Add the orzo, rice, and liquid to the rice cooker (adjust liquid amount according to your rice cooker)
- Instead of chopped onions and fresh garlic, use 3/4 teaspoon onion powder and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (do not expect the same taste as using fresh, but it will get you close).
- Set the rice cooker to the appropriate setting. Once the rice is finished, stir in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil before adding the parsley, dill, and lemon zest.
Recipe Variations
- You can use brown rice, if needed. It does not yield the same taste and requires some adjustments. See how to cook brown rice for tips.
- For a veggie-boost, try Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice).
- For the gluten-free option, simply omit the orzo and let the liquid boil a while longer to reduce properly.
- Some people add carrots or peas to this rice pilaf (similar to my Middle Eastern chicken and rice recipe) but I prefer to keep it simple, unadulterated, so to speak.
What to Serve with Lemon Rice
If you’re into eating Mediterranean, this lemon rice recipe will come in handy. Here are some of my favorite recipes to serve with Greek rice.
- Greek Lamb (Definitely)
- Chicken Souvlaki and Pork Souvlaki are both a given!
- Beef Kabobs if you like red meat.
- Rice goes really well with all sorts of fish recipes like easy baked salmon or Sheet Pan Salmon with Vegetables.
- Try it with vegetarian dishes like Briam, Greek Roasted Vegetables to make the most of garden produce.
- Heck, I’d turn this awesome lemon rice into a rice bowl; throw in these Keftedes or shrimp skewers and a little Greek Salad. Mmmm, doesn’t that sound wonderful!
More Greek Rice Recipes
Ingredients
- 2 cups Basmati rice
- Early Harvest Greek extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (just over 1 cup chopped onions)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta
- 2 lemons, juiced, plus the zest of 1 lemon
- 2 cups low sodium broth, chicken or vegetable broth will work
- pinch salt
- Large handful chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
Instructions
- Rinse and soak rice. Place the rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse well under running water until it runs clear. Then soak it in fresh water for about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
- Cook aromatics and toast the orzo. Set a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, Once the oil begins to shimmer, add onions and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and orzo pasta. Stir for a bit until the orzo has gained some color, then stir in the rice.
- Add the liquid. Now add lemon juice and broth. Bring liquid to a rolling boil (it should reduce a little), then turn heat to low. Cover with a lid and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is done. The liquid should be fully absorbed, and rice should be tender but not sticky.
- Remove from heat and steam. Remove rice from heat. Leave it covered and do not disturb the rice for 10 minutes to let it steam.
- Add herbs and serve. Uncover and stir in parsley, dill, and lemon zest. If you like, add a few slices of lemon on top for garnish. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cook’s tip #1: Do not skip washing and soaking the rice well; this is important to help get rid of excess starch, which causes rice to be sticky (this rice is not meant to be sticky). Soaking the rice also shortens the cooking time, making sure the interior of the grain actually cooks before the exterior loses its shape.
- Cook’s Tip # 2: Once rice is finished, leave it covered and undisturbed in the pot for about 10 minutes before adding the herbs, etc. Again, this helps maintain the texture and integrity of the rice.
- What Dishes Go Well with this Greek Rice? Chicken Souvlaki, Beef Kabobs, Greek Baked Cod; All sorts of Salmon; Briam Roasted Vegetables. Heck, I’d throw it in a bowl with these Keftedes or shrimp skewers and a little Greek Salad. The possibilities are endless!
- Gluten-Free & Vegan Option: Eliminate the orzo to make this rice gluten-free. To make it vegan, opt for vegan vegetable broth.
- Brown Rice Option: It is not my preference, but you can use brown rice in this recipe. Remember that brown rice will require more soaking time and more liquid to cook. Consult the brown rice package to adjust this recipe.
- Rice Cooker Instructions: This rice is best cooked on the stovetop, but you can try a rice cooker. Still, rinse the rice very well and soak it to get rid of starch (not a requirement for rice cookers, but helpful). Add the orzo, rice, and liquid to the rice cooker (adjust liquid amount according to your rice cooker). Instead of chopped onions and fresh garlic, you will use about 3/4 teaspoon onion powder and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Set the rice cooker to the appropriate setting. Once the rice is finished, stir in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil before adding the parsley, dill, and lemon zest.
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
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This rice wasn’t bad, but it was really lacking in flavor. I think more seasonings need to be thrown in there. Maybe more salt, if you’re not on a strict low-sodium diet, or possibly add more garlic. You could also probably spice it up a bit with some turmeric and maybe paprika. But the recipe, as it stands, it’s just really bland, sadly.
This lemon rice recipe is a game changer. I have tried several others and none of them compare with the lemon rice you get in a Greek restaurant. I followed the instructions, including pre-soaking and it turned out perfectly! I think what pushes it over the top is incorporating the lemon juice in with the broth when cooking the rice. The lemon flavor is balanced beautifully with the other herbs. No need to look any further for Greek lemon rice recipes – this will be my “go to” from now on. Thanks!
Thanks for the awesome review!
I loved the ingredients in this recipe, so I was really looking forward to making it. I followed the instructions, including the recommended washing and soaking the rice, but it came out sticky and crunchy. I’d love to give it another go, maybe increasing the stock to 3.5 cups given the 2 cups of rice the recipe calls for. I would love your feedback, as I have made several of your dishes and thoroughly enjoyed them!
Thank you!
Hi, Julie. It’s hard to say exactly what may have gone wrong without being there. Perhaps you are right, you may need to increase the amount of liquid a bit.
This was absolutely amazing! Already added it to my favorites and can’t wait to make it again . All of your recipes are wonderful. I made your grilled shrimp recipe to go with it and it was heavenly. I love The Mediterranean Dish and thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us.
This is great. The reason other people complain of the rice being dry is that it may not take you 20 min to cook this….it took me maybe 5 min for the rice to cook. Soaking the rice saves a lot of cooking time. You have to keep an eye on the rice for doneness. You can’t just a timer for 20 min and expect it to be perfect
Omgosh, this is awesome!
Hi,
Can you make this the day before you need it. Will it still taste as fresh, or best to make it on the day?
Many thanks.
Hi, Lynda. This is probably best made on the day you want to serve it, but you can make it ahead if you need to. To reheat, place on the stovetop over medium-low heat, add a little water if needed to break up the cold rice, and stir occasionally until warmed through.
You should read the comments and then adjust your recipe!!
Everyone knows that for one cup of rice you need two cups of liquid- so for your two cups of rice, we should have four cups of liquid!!!
I have a question if I’m making a large batch 20 people. Can this be made in the oven in a roasting pan? How many cups of rice should I use?
Hi, Bess. If you want to increase the amount of this recipe, we really recommend making it in multiple single batches. Doubling, tripling, etc. a rice recipe to make one huge batch can get a little tricky and doesn’t always turn out.
I followed the directions exactly. I soaked the rice 20 minutes. I cooked as directed. Let set for 10 minutes. Decided to make sure rice was cooked. It was not crunchy raw. Disappointing for sure. I have added water and trying to cook longer. Hoping for the best but unlikely. Btw the flavor was yummy. Next time I will add 2 cups more broth. I knew it was too little liquid but hoped the soaking meant it needed more. 🤷♀️
This is so Amazing! delicious, simple and a crowd pleaser! Thank you
I only had brown rice so I soaked for 30 minutes and used more liquid as stated in the “tip section”
Came out perfect! Delicious and flavorful! Definitely will make again!
This was absolutely delicious! Unfortunately I didn’t have any orzo on hand so made it with just the rice. Look forward to making it with the orzo next time.
The flavor is great, but mine came out quite al dente – even after rinsing for 20 and following the cooking instructions. Is there something I might not be doing correctly?
Hi, Kerri. A couple of quick thoughts: 1) you may need to spend a little extra time rinsing & soaking your rice 2) once the liquid has boiled, be sure it cooks for the rest of the time over very low heat, covered. It may take a couple tries as you discover what works best with your own stove.
I really like this recipe, but did you mean 1 C rice to 2 C water? I did 1 C rice and I still had to keep adding water. I rinsed it and soaked it as directed and it still came out sticky.
Hi, Penny. Suzy has always used the ratio listed here, and it has worked well for her. Thanks for the feedback, though. We’ll take another look and see if it needs adjusting.
Hi there, just wondering if I can use Basmati rice?
Thank you
Hi, Joan. Yes, you can use basmati here, just be sure to give it a good rinse. It will still need to soak, but probably not as long.