Lemon Pepper Rice is a fresh, easy, less than 30-minute, Greek side dish tossed with garbanzo beans (chickpeas), parsley, bright lemon zest and pairs perfectly with our Mediterranean chicken kabobs.
This lemon rice side dish is going to be your families’ new go to recipe. The best part is that it can be made all in one pot! You’re going to love the texture of the jasmine rice, the savory aromatics and the broth. When the bright lemon and fresh parsley notes hit your tongue, you’ll be hooked. How much do you want to bet you’re going to want seconds?
8 Reasons to Love Lemon Pepper Rice
- Budget friendly
- Easy Pantry meal
- One of our favorites from our 17 Pantry Recipes for Emergency Preparedness
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Vegan option
- One-pan recipe
- Less than 30-minute side dish or vegan main
Ingredients
Jasmine rice – is our favorite; but you can exchange with short grain rice or even brown rice. If you choose to use brown rice, you will need to increase the water and cook time for the recipe.
Fun fact: Did you know that the standard Japanese cup is less than an imperial [US] cup? 1 cup Japanese (cup) = 0.85 cup US (cup). For this recipe you can use either a Japanese cup or an American measurement cup for this recipe. The reason being, is long as you use the same measurement tool for both the rice and the water, the ratio for rice and water will remain the same and the added aromatics do not need to be changed.
Aromatics – of course GARLIC and sauteed onions really make this simple rice dish go to the next level.
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, and lots of it, or to your taste. So simple, but yet quite tasty.
Lemon zest makes this one pan side dish super fresh and delicious. If you prefer, you can add lime zest or even Meyer lemon zest to the lemon garlic rice instead. We always support using what one has on hand.
Fresh Parsley or dried parsley or even mixed Italian dried herbs like basil, oregano and thyme.
Chicken Broth but you can also use vegetable broth or water to keep this recipe vegan.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) coats each grain of rice to keep them separated and gives the rice pilaf a delicious toasted nutty flavor. You can also use butter or vegan butter if desired.
Garbanzo beans also known as chickpeas are a delicious addition and add an extra boost of protein. Have you ever tried our Roasted Crunchy Garbanzo Beans for a healthy snack?
How to Make Stovetop Rice Pilaf?
There are 4 really important rules to make the BEST Lemon Pepper Rice pilaf.
- Rinse the rice under cold water until it's clear. The white powder residue on the rice is starch. This starch can make the rice stick together. A rice colander is great for any kitchen. Place the rice in the colander in the kitchen sink and use your fingers to mix the rice until the water runs clear. Alternatively, you can rinse your rice in any pot or large bowl. Drain the water out carefully with the lid to capture any escaped rice. Be careful! Raw rice and plumbing do not go well together. In addition, don’t put rice in the garbage disposal as this can harm it.
- Coat the rice well in the olive oil before adding the broth. This procedure keeps the rice separated and gives the lemon pepper rice a delicious toasted nutty flavor. We used the same technique on our Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Saffron.
- Make sure you have a tight-fitting lid without any vent holes to steam the rice. Now, don’t you be peeking whilst the rice is steaming. If you open the lid, you let all the steam out.
- Jasmine long grain rice to broth/water ratio is 1 cup of rice to 1.5 cups of broth/water. After you add the broth to the rice, put on the lid, bring to a very light boil and then simmer gently for 12 minutes. Do not peek. Then, remove from heat and let it rest for 10 minutes with the lid on before fluffing with a fork or rice paddle.
What to serve with Mediterranean Greek Rice?
Our deconstructed Greek vegan chickpea lemon rice is absolutely fantastic alongside grilled chicken, Herb Marinated Rack of Lamb or Mediterranean Red Snapper Packets. Give our lemon pepper rice a try in our Parsley Lemon Shrimp Wraps or even as a vegan main dish with an Easy Tabbouleh Lebanese Salad. Be sure to try our Greek Feta Yogurt Snack Bites as a delicious starter.
Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Did you know that you can freeze lemons? If you find yourself a big lemon sale or unable to go through a huge bag before they start to degrade, just freeze your lemons whole in a sealable plastic bag. Really!
Lemons will keep for about a month in the freezer. If you need lemon zest, zest the lemons them while they are frozen. If you need the juice, just put the frozen lemons in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes to soften or microwave for a few seconds.
Frozen lemons are miles better than the liquid that comes in a plastic lemon squeeze container. By the way, the same goes for limes, which one can freeze as well. Lemon zest really brightens up our Lemon Pepper Rice side dish.
Jasmine long grain rice to broth/water ratio is 1 cup of rice to 1.5 cups of broth/water.
A Japanese cup is less than an US cup measurement
1 cup Japanese (cup) = 0.85 cups US (cup)
Delicious Rice Recipes
Hong Kong Fried Rice [Restuarant Style + VIDEO]
Curried Harvest Black Forbidden Rice
Kimchi Pantry Fried Brown Rice
Coconut Rice Pudding with Cardamom Spiced Honey Pears
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Lemon Pepper Rice
Equipment
- rice colander
- medium pot with tight fitting lid
- rice paddle or wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 cups jasmine rice long grain white rice
- 3 cups broth chicken or vegetable (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
peeled and minced (or 1 teaspoon dried ground garlic) - salt and pepper
to taste. We like to use lots of fresh ground pepper to give this recipe a little kick. - 1.5 tablespoon lemon zest
- 15 oz garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
- 2 tablespoon parsley garnish, finely chopped - optional
Instructions
- Place jasmine long grained white rice in a rice colander or a pan and rinse with cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well and set aside.
- Place a medium pot on the stove burner and set to medium low heat. Add in olive oil and onions and garlic and sauté just until aromatic.
- Add the rice to the pot and mix well so that each grain of rice is covered in the oil.
- Next, add either chicken or vegetable broth to the pot and stir. Once you see a couple of small bubbles, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and turn burner down to simmer. Steam rice at a simmer for 12 minutes. Do not take the lid off the pot. No peeking as you will let all the steam out. The steam is cooking the rice.At this point the rice should be cooked and no broth should be remaining in the pot. (If you still have broth left in the pot, maybe your heat was not high enough and you need to cook a little bit longer. If your rice is dry but still not cooked, your heat may have been too high. No worries just add a couple of tablespoon of water and cook for a couple of minutes longer.)Remove the pot from the burner and keep the lid on and leave it rest for 10 minutes.
- Add garbanzo beans (chickpeas), lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste and parsley and stir well.
- Serve Lemon Pepper Rice while hot. Garnish with parsley and fresh lemon slices. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Rinse the rice under cold water until it's clear. The white powder residue on the rice is starch. This starch can make the rice stick together. A rice colander is great for any kitchen. Place the rice in the colander in the kitchen sink and use your fingers to mix the rice until the water runs clear. Alternatively, you can rinse your rice in any pot or large bowl. Drain the water out carefully with the lid to capture any escaped rice. Be careful! Raw rice and plumbing do not go well together. In addition, don’t put rice in the garbage disposal as this can harm it.
- Coat the rice well in the olive oil before adding the broth. This procedure keeps the rice separated and gives the lemon pepper rice a delicious toasted nutty flavor. We used the same technique on our Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Saffron.
- Make sure you have a tight-fitting lid without any vent holes to steam the rice. Now, don’t you be peeking whilst the rice is steaming. If you open the lid, you let all the steam out.
- Jasmine long grain rice to broth/water ratio is 1 cup of rice to 1.5 cups of broth/water. After you add the broth to the rice, put on the lid, bring to a very light boil and then simmer gently for 12 minutes. Do not peek. Then, remove from heat and let it rest for 10 minutes with the lid on before fluffing with a fork or rice paddle.
Heidi | The Frugal Girls says
The fresh ground pepper and lemon zest really bring on the flavor... YUM! This is the perfect side dish for a busy weeknight.
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Heidi! We are all about keeping it simple and easy. Hope you give this lemon pepper rice a try soon.
Priya says
Simply delicious rice 🙂 we are a big fan of any kind of rice.
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Priya. We are certain you can cook this recipe in the instant pot too as we know you are a huge fan of this cooking tool.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I often add garbanzo beans to couscous but I really like the idea of adding it to your rice dish. Not only does it add a nice taste but texture as well.
HWC Magazine says
Thanks so much Karen. We love garbanzo beans and must have a least a case of them on the shelves. They are so convenient to add to so many dishes and add that little extra boost of protein. Stay well and take care
Michelle says
Love idea of adding of chickpeas to rice -- I've got to try this! So healthy and delicious!
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Michelle. Little extra boost of protein from the chickpeas is welcome in this easy rice recipe.
Aarthi | Prepbowls says
This looks appetizing, that chickpea is a great idea with lemon rice, and delicious way to include some proteins in your diet, thanks for the recipe!
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Aarthi. Lemon rice is a great side dish but also delicious for meatless Mondays too.
Hannah Kaminsky says
That looks SO satisfying! I would very happily eat this dish hot or cold, straight out of the fridge. In fact, it sounds like the perfect thing to take on a picnic.
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Hannah! I think you are on to something there. Lemon Pepper Rice would be perfect on a picnic with a few pita, hummus and fresh sliced veggies. Stay well and take care
Eha says
Well, I use rice a good 3-4 times a week as a side - must admit to usually preparing it pretty 'plain' as many of the dishes it is asked to marry have complicated flavour profiles themselves. I do like your recipe tho' - especially your addition of the beans . . . shall try it out next time I am grilling plainer steak, chops or chicken which would love a lemony sidekick !
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Eha. Yes, we too eat a fair share of rice with curries and all kinds of Asian fare. However, this lemon pepper rice is more like a pilaf with a good deal of flavor from the aromatics and it is also really delicious with lamb. That little lemony kick adds some nice freshness to the rice. Looks like you are in for some beautiful weather this week. Stay well.
John / Kitchen Riffs says
This looks terrific -- the sort of side dish we like. Heck, we might even make it the entire dinner! 🙂
HWC Magazine says
Thanks John! Actually, this Lemon Pepper Rice was dinner the other day with a really nice tossed salad. It really hit the spot. Sometimes, as you know with recipe testing, you end up with lots leftovers. However, this is one leftover that was super delicious to have on hand. One day it was a side to our Super Crispy Falafel Bites and the next day a side to grilled chicken. Stay well and take care
mjskitchen says
This would be a great dish as a side to the sun-dried tomato baked chicken. I'd probably leave out the beans, but it this was all I was cooked, the bean make a great protein as well as added texture. Another wonderful dish!
HWC Magazine says
Thank you MJ, Lemon Pepper rice is a simple side dish that goes pretty well with just about everything.