This Lemon Dill Rice recipe is so bright and flavorful, and it's gluten-free and vegetarian-friendly! Enjoy it as a side dish or use it as the base of a rice bowl with your favorite mix-ins. Serve with Sumac Chicken.
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This lemon dill rice recipe is loosely inspired by Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, but it's not specific to any culture in particular.
Dill rice is a versatile side dish that can be enjoyed in a wide variety of ways, as the fresh, light flavor compliments many different kinds of proteins, including masgouf (Iraqi grilled fish) and kofta kebab. It can also be served with vegetables, for example, roasted rainbow carrots or a Middle Eastern salad.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This dill rice recipe is quick, easy, and inexpensive to make!
- You can prepare dill lemon rice in advance, which makes it great for meal prepping.
- Dill rice is a great dish for potlucks and get-togethers because it can be enjoyed by nearly everyone as it's gluten-free and vegetarian-friendly.
- You can easily make this dish vegan by using olive oil instead of butter.
- Making lemon dill rice is a great way to use up that plain white rice that's been sitting around in the pantry!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Rice: Long-grain rice like jasmine or basmati rice are both great options.
- Vegetable broth: You can also use chicken broth or water.
- Unsalted butter: You can also use olive oil.
- Garlic: Freshly minced is best, but you can use bottled or even powdered garlic in a pinch.
- Shallot: Yellow or white onion can be substituted.
- Turmeric: This gives it that gorgeous yellow color. Saffron would be even better if you have it on hand. The turmeric doesn't contribute much to the flavor, so if you don't care about the color, you can omit it entirely.
- Dill: Fresh dill is the star of the show, so I would not recommend substituting it with dried dill weed!
- Parsley: Totally optional, but I think it makes for an even better flavor! I used parsley flakes, but you can use fresh if you want it to be even more flavorful.
- Lemon: You'll need fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Optional: Consider crumbling a little feta or goat cheese on top!
*See the recipe card for a full list of lemon dill rice ingredients.
How To Make Lemon Dill Rice
Step 1: Add 2 tablespoon butter and finely diced shallot to a medium saucepan or skillet with a lid. Allow butter to melt and sauté over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes or until shallot is softened and translucent. Add rice and minced garlic, then cook another 2 minutes or until rice is lightly browned, stirring often.
Step 2: Add broth, lemon zest, salt, pepper, turmeric, and parsley flakes, then bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes over low heat.
Step 3: Remove from heat and fluff rice, gently mixing in 2 tablespoon of butter, lemon juice, and chopped fresh dill. Cover and let it sit for 10 more minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many ways you can enjoy this delicious lemon dill rice recipe! Here are some accompaniments I recommend:
Lemon dill rice is the perfect side dish with joojeh kabab, fried red snapper, lamb shish kebab, za'atar chicken, frozen salmon in air fryer, or keftedes (Greek meatballs). Or drizzle it with some dill dressing or chermoula!
You can serve lemon rice with a gyro pita or this Israeli sabich sandwich or enjoy it alongside a Middle Eastern salad or balela (Middle Eastern chickpea salad). Pickled turnips or torshi (Assyrian pickled vegetables) are also wonderful side options!
Recipe FAQs
Because dill is native to the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and North Africa, it is featured in a wide variety of traditional dishes throughout those regions. Of course, it is now accessible and widely used throughout the world, but it is in fact one of the more distinguishable herbs used in Middle Eastern food.
Making rice taste better can be as simple as adding lemon or lime juice and some fresh herbs like dill, parsley, cilantro, etc. Some more simple mix-ins that go great with rice are cheeses, chickpeas, vegetables, meats, spices, and more!
Making sure you're using the correct amount of liquid is key for getting light, fluffy rice. If you add too much liquid, it will become mushy.
Pro Tips
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week, though it will taste best when fresh.
- To reheat, microwave dill rice for 1-2 minutes (for a single portion) or until heated through.
- I like to mix in a tablespoon of butter when reheating the rice to keep it moist, but you can also use water.
More Rice Recipes
If you enjoy this lemon dill rice recipe, check out these other rice dishes!
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add 2 tablespoon butter and finely diced shallot to a medium saucepan or skillet with a lid. Allow butter to melt and sauté over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes or until shallot is softened and translucent. Add rice and minced garlic, then cook another 2 minutes or until rice is lightly browned, stirring often.
- Add broth, lemon zest, salt, pepper, turmeric, and parsley flakes, then bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes over low heat.
- Remove from heat and fluff rice, gently mixing in 2 tablespoon of butter, lemon juice, and chopped fresh dill. Cover and let it sit for 10 more minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
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- Store leftover dill rice in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week, though it will taste best when fresh.
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- To reheat, microwave dill rice 1-2 minutes (for a single portion) or until heated through.
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- I like to mix in a tablespoon of butter when reheating the rice to keep it moist, but you can also use water.
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