Lemon Rice Pilaf

This quick, easy-to-make buttery lemon rice pilaf is flavorful and pairs nicely with chicken, pork, beef, lamb, or seafood. 

I was making pork chops for dinner recently and decided to pair them with roasted asparagus & tomatoes. Instead of our go-to garlic rice, I made this lemon rice pilaf from a recipe I found on Recipe Tin Eats. I adapted the recipe to work with what I had on hand and also changed the liquid amount & cooking time due to the type of Jasmine rice I was using. This delicious lemon rice pilaf was full of lemony goodness and paired nicely with the simple pork chops and roasted veggies.

How to Make Lemon Rice Pilaf

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the rice and cook, stirring often so the rice doesn’t stick to the pan, for 1-2 minutes, until the rice is coated in the butter.

Add the warmed broth & water and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the burner without removing the lid and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Carefully remove the lid and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, & chopped parsley, and season with additional sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, if needed.  Fluff with a fork and serve immediately. Enjoy.

Lemon Rice Pilaf

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Course: Side Dish, Sides

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Author: Adapted by Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original by Recipe Tin Eats

Equipment

• Saucepan

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• ¼ yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup jasmine rice (you can also use basmati or long-grain rice) ***Be sure to check your rice instructions for water to rice ratio and adapt as needed!
• 1 cup chicken broth, warmed ***Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version
• 1 cup water, warmed
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 large lemon, 1 tsp zest, AND 3-4 tbsp juice, to taste
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

• Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add the rice and cook, stirring often so the rice doesn’t stick to the pan, for 1-2 minutes, until the rice is coated in the butter.
• Add the warmed broth & water and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
• Remove the saucepan from the burner without removing the lid and let it sit for 10 minutes.
• Carefully remove the lid and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, & chopped parsley, and season with additional sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, if needed.  Fluff with a fork and serve immediately. Enjoy. 

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