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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Hi Suzy
Do you need to adjust the liquid if you skip the orzo?
Thanks, Jill
I would not think so, Jill. Cooking time will vary slightly.
great recipe, made it last week, my hubby asked for it again. tastes so good!
Yay! Thanks, Janet!
Can I substitute bottled lemon juice for fresh lemon juice? If so, how much? How much does juice of 2 lemon s equal?
Thx
Sure! One lemon juice typically has about 2 tbsp or lemon juice.
On the lemon juice bottle it should say the equivalent of on lemon, usually 3Tbsp. is one lemon
Hi Suzy, so far I have tried two of your recipes greek lemon rice and your greek meatballs and they were absolutely delish. I’ve made this rice twice and is a keeper. I did had to add more liquid but other than that the flavors are out of this world!! I’m going to keep trying all your other recipes as well.
That’s awesome to hear! Thanks, Monica!
I have made this twice . Followed the recipe exact . I used jasmine rice and it was still sticky . Had to add abit more liquid as the ri e was crunchy. I may stick to my 1 .5 cup jasmine rice and 2 1/4 liquid . Whether it’s a combo of lemon juice and broth . This never fails and it’s not sticky . That’s a lot of rice for 2 people otherwise .
Thanks for the recipe
So glad, Christine! Thanks for sharing.
Made this rice dish for a dinner guest last weekend with chicken souvlaki, tzatziki, and Greek salad, all from your web site. The meal was a huge hit and the rice was actually the biggest hit! . I am an experienced cook and your recipe instructions are spot on. The only thing I did differently was to make my own recipe for Greek Salad dressing which is similar to yours. I am making the meal again tonight for another dinner guest. If these dishes aren’t amazing when you make them it was the cook not the recipe. I am planning n trying more of your recipes in the future.
That sounds like such a wonderful meal, Deb! I’m so glad it was such a hit!
This was very good. I did have to add more chicken broth while cooking. Also with the leftovers I made a Greek lemon chicken rice soup. It was fabulous. Just add cooked chicken, shredded (boiled breast or rotisserie), chicken broth, Greek seasoning and some lemon juice. Thanks for posting!
That sounds delish, Ashley! Thanks for sharing!
Amazing Taste. Wanted something to go with Spanakopita & Greek lemon Chicken at the last mintue-found this-didn’t have orzo so I made it without. It was YUMMY Thanks for the recipe
My pleasure! So glad you enjoyed it!
Wasted time and a dish. Proportion of liquid to rice is not correct. Uneven cooked rice despite soaking it and by the time I added more liquid it’s just turned into mess. Major disappointment. Dumped it in the trash.
use a rice cooker at work. i have fresh entrees everyday. this is tomorrow
Awesome! Enjoy!
This recipe is SO good, an all time favorite for my family now
Awesome! Thank you for sharing
I am Armenian and I usually make rice pilaf. This will be a new go to recipe. It has so much flavor, and the tips were perfect. I even did the rice test after soaking it for 20 minutes and it was exactly how you described it. Thanks Suzy for such a fabulous recipe.
My pleasure, Tracey! Glad you enjoyed it!
Followed the recipe and instructions to a T but my rice had some bites with a little crunch so I would add more liquids next time. The flavour was good.
Thank you for sharing, Maureen!
The science behind the washing and the soaking worked perfectly! Thank you for this delicious rice recipe❤ My family and I loved it! (My first time to cook lemon rice?) Will definitely make this more often.
Awesome! Thanks, Sharon!
hi! i love your food so0o0oo much 🙂 i really want to make this recipe but i am allergic to gluten so i will need to exclude the orzo–any advice on how best to do this? thank you!!!
Hi, Amanda! You can simply omit it and then adjust the liquid so it rests about an inch above the rice before you start boiling. Hope that helps!
Hi! All I have is jasmine rice. Will that work?
Sure!
I’m gonna try to make this tomorrow. I have all the ingredients except for the orzo. Is that okay? Do I need to adjust the amount of rice?
Absolutely! I would just omit the orzo and make sure you adjust the water to about 1″ above the rice.
Incredible! Made this tonight for my husband and I as a side dish for chicken piccata. We both absolutely loved it and also enjoyed how light this rice is without sacrificing great flavors! I will definitely be making this regularly from now on 🙂 Thank you so much for this recipe!
My pleasure, Alexandra! So glad you guys loved it!