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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I followed the recipe exactly and had no issues with the water/rice ratio. My 2 lemons were room temperature and produced one cup of juice. I also simmered it on 1, the lowest possible. The rice turned out delicious. It reminds me of stuffed grape leaves. Will be making this again.
Thanks for sharing, Missy!
Used long grain rice, and orzo and followed the recipe.
No where enough liquid and has been on the stove for an hour and pasta is not cooked:(
The comments are mixed as they relate to the ratio of liquid to rice. Some say the recipe worked out perfectly, others say they had to add more liquid. Can Altitude have an impact on these results? What altitude was the recipe tested at?
Very good, but I think the rice/water ratio is off. Had to add way more liquid. Rice/water is usually 1:2 ratio. Anyone else have this issue?
I had the same issue. Even after rinsing the rice thoroughly and soaking it for 20 minutes. I almost doubled the amount of broth and lemon juice. My family still liked the dish very much.
I’ve made this twice now and both times the rice was till slightly hard…I think next time I’ll add at least another cup of water…flavor is great though.
I’m sorry, Melissa! Thanks for the feedback.
The first time I made it, I followed the recipe to the letter and ended up with undercooked rice. I made it again last night, and I kept the same broth/rice ratio, just cooked it longer. I kept it on heat for about 35 minutes instead of 18-20, let it sit (covered) off of heat for another 5-10 minutes, and it turned out great.
Thank you for sharing, Tork!
Thank you for the good tips. I’ve made this a couple times and loved the flavour.
Love love love this and your recipe for scallops! Perfect and so darn easy!
Thank you.
Thanks so much, Michael!
The best rice I’ve made! I didn’t have any orzo on hand but I just followed your hints and darn this is delicious. I’ve been looking for a rice recipe like this. I’ve only rinsed rice – never soaked it before – what a difference. Anyway, thank you for this. I’ll have to try your chicken souvlaki.
Thanks, Celeste!
Hands down the best rice recipe I’ve ever cooked..
I have made this about 5 times now and it’s so good every time. I have also used the same style of cooking the rice but mixed up the flavors… Made is Mexican style and switched out the lemons and parsley for lime and cilantro. Made it Cajun and did old bay, lemon, and bayleaf… THE BEST RICE! Haha
Fun! Love it! Thanks, Claire!
I served this with the baked cod with lemon and garlic. It was absolutely amazing. Thank you for this recipe. Greetings !
Great combo! 🙂
From Sydney Australia and cannot find “Orzo” pasta here, what pasta can be used to replace the Orzo? Enjoying making many of your recipes during our Covid lockdown, thank you !
Hi, Jaye. I’ve not tried this one with a substitute for the orzo, so I’m not sure what to recommend. You can just omit it. If you do you’ll need to adjust the water a bit. For the water amount, I usually eyeball about 1 inch above the rice.
We sell it as “risoni” here. You can find it at both Coles and Woolworths 🙂
You can break up angel hair pasta into tiny pieces to use in place of orzo
Tastes and smells like pilaf, like my grandmother made.
I put more lemon in and more garlic and added pine nuts.
I used whole grain brown rice. It was awesome! Just need to make sure that you wash it and then soak it for 20 minutes 🙂 Also found that it was better to salt to taste after it was made. And then if you let it refrigerate overnight, the flavors melded perfectly!!
Thanks so much for sharing that, Tina!
This was delicious! I added chick peas.
thank you!
This rice had good flavor, but it needed more liquid. The broth and lemon juice absorbed within about 10 minutes and the rice was not fully cooked. I added at least another cup of liquid.
I am curious what kind of rice you used. I use jasmine rice with equal amount of liquid and that always turns out perfect.
Haven’t tried the recipe, but I know it will be good. My question before I make it, is can the finished product be frozen? Thx.
Hi, Benni! It can. Just be sure to let it cool completely first.
Hi! Does it work well if you double the recipe? I’m making it
Hi, Kristina. I typically don’t recommend just doubling this one. Better to do it in 2 batches.