Experience Greece with this Greek Lemon Rice Pilaf

You’ll definitely want to have this Greek Rice Pilaf as a new staple to take your kitchen on a trip to Greece as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge! You can get started on your cooking journey for free by signing up to my newsletter, and all of my new recipes will be sent straight to your inbox!

To get all the details on how to perfect your lemon pilaf that will taste just like Jimmy the Greek’s lemon rice - or lemon rice from any Greek place you like - then check out the video! It would also mean a lot to me if you would please subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already and be sure to press the bell button so you’re notified when all of my new video recipes go live! Let’s get cooking!

What Is Greek Lemon Rice Pilaf?

A pilaf, also referred to as a pilau, is a recipe that involves cooking rice or other grains, such as orzo, quinoa or barley, with broth and spices. Many cuisines in the Mediterranean have their own pilaf variations, and Greek cuisine is one of them! You’ll see that this Greek rice pilaf is very simple, but others can be very intricate with ground and whole spices and they may also include animal proteins such as chicken or beef, or plant-based proteins such as lentils or chickpeas.

Why You’ll Love This Greek Lemon Pilaf!

• One-pan recipe
• Easy to make
• Speedy recipe
• Minimal, staple household ingredients
• Serves a crowd
• Fits plenty of dietary needs
• Versatile and customizable - check out ideas below!

Tools to Make Easy Greek Rice

• Saucepan
• Mixing bowl
• Chef’s knife
• Salt crock
• Spatula
• Cutting board
• Measuring cup
• Measuring spoon

Ingredients for Greek Lemon Rice

You can see the complete ingredient list with their measurements in addition to saving the recipe for later by checking out the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD at the bottom of this post. You can also scale the recipe based on how much rice you want to make - whether you want just two portions or a big batch for the week, all ingredient quantities automatically adjust for you!

• Rice: I’ll be using basmati rice, but any long grain white rice should work.
• Water: Needed to cook the rice.
• Garlic: A couple of chopped garlic cloves.
• Olive oil: To sauté the garlic and rice.
• Broth: To ensure that the recipe is vegetarian and vegan, use vegetable broth. However, if all you have on hand is chicken broth and vegetarians won’t be eating this rice, then that will work too.
• Salt: Always to taste!
• Fresh dill: That’s what I’m using here, but parsley is also an excellent option to add fresh flavors.
• Lemon: Whatever is already on hand. You could use bottled juice if you want, but I wanted to add the whole lemon for garnish.

How to Make Lemon Rice Pilaf

Rinse 1 cup rice with cold water until water runs clear.

Heat a pot or saucepan on medium heat and add the olive oil.

Once hot, add garlic and saute for thirty seconds to one minute.

Add washed rice to the pot and sauté for 1-2 minutes while stirring often.

Add 1 1/2 Cups of broth and the lemon juice and bring to a boil. Then, lower heat to low, cover and simmer until the rice is cooked and fluffy.

Once the rice is cooked, let it sit for at least 10 minutes before stirring or serving. Then, add fresh dill or parsley and fluff the rice with a fork.

Enjoy!

Tips for Perfect Fluffy Greek Lemon Rice

• A pot with a heavy bottom and tight fitting lid will help maintain the heat and steam inside the pot to cook the rice well and quickly. Alternatively, a side plate that fits your pot well can be a nifty solution to keep the steam in. That’s what I use.
• Sautéing the rice with the garlic and oil helps to incorporate more flavor into the grains. Using vegetable and chicken broth adds even more flavour and fragrance to the rice.
• Once the rice has absorbed all of the water, it is key to leave the pot of rice off the heat with a tight lid to ensure the rice can finish cooking and become tender throughout. Once cooked well, rice grains should point upwards and be fluffy and tender.
• Rice usually needs some form of seasoning, a dash of salt and pepper should be enough. Taste and adjust for seasoning after the rice is done steaming.

Variations of Greek Rice Pilaf

Proteins

• Chicken
• Beef
• Pork
• Shrimp
• Tofu

Vegetables

• Peas
• Carrots
• Onions
• Celery
• Bell pepper
• Mushrooms

How to Serve Lemon Rice

The best way to serve your Greek Lemon Rice is as part of a wonderful Greek feast! As you’ve seen in the photos, I’ve paired it with my Grilled Souvlaki Chicken Skewers, Lemon Potatoes, and Authentic Tzatziki Sauce. This combination truly is one of my favorites!

However, there are no rules saying that you have to limit your serving of Greek Lemon Rice to Mediterranean recipes! When I’ve used up my leftovers, I’ve mixed and matched this with several other recipes. Believe it or not, this would go well with many Indian dishes, such as Punjabi Lobia (black eyed peas curry), Mixed Dal (lentils), or even Chicken Tikka Masala. You can use this as a base for an egg fried rice, either Indian-style or a classic Chinese Egg Fried Rice to switch things up! Pretty much any poultry will work well with your Greek Lemon Rice, such as Italian Grilled Chicken or Coq au Vin; beef such as Jamaican Pepper Steak, or with seafood, such as Filipino Ginataang Salmon or Cajun Shrimp.

Storing Lemon Rice Pilaf

You’ll see that this Greek Lemon Rice Recipe ! As you can see, you can enjoy it with pretty much any recipe or add in mixes as your heart desires! As I’ve listed above, this rice dish can really be served with anything! All you need to do is store the rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days due to the garlic in the rice.