This Herb and Garlic Rice is made with fresh garlic and fresh herbs for maximum flavor. It's easy to make, only calls for 5 simple ingredients, and takes less than 15 minutes to make! This rice is a great side for any meal and it stores well so it's perfect for meal prep!
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Why You'll Love This Rice
Better than plain rice - Once you try this rice with garlic and herbs, you'll never want to go back to just plain rice! It's just as easy as regular rice but it packs so much more flavor! There are so many ways you can add flavor to plain rice but garlic and fresh herbs are some of my favorite flavor add-ons and I know you're gonna love them too!
Easy and simple - You only need 5 ingredients to make this rice and it can be ready in less than 15 minutes. There are no hard-to-find ingredients, just rice, butter, water, salt, garlic, and fresh herbs. It's totally fail-proof and easy to double or triple!
Lots of uses - Rice is one of the most versatile side dishes you can make and this one is no different! Serve it with meat, chicken, fish, seafood, tofu, veggies, salads, or add it to burrito wraps!
Ingredients
- Rice - My favorite is usually basmati or jasmine rice but you can use any rice you prefer. White rice, brown rice, or even red or black rice! Keep in mind the cooking time will vary based on the type of rice you use and you may also need to add more water.
- Butter - Unsalted butter gives the rice extra flavor but you can also cook the garlic with avocado oil or any other cooking oil you prefer. Vegan butter also works.
- Garlic - The smaller you chop your garlic, the more potent the flavor will be. I like using a garlic press here because it's the easiest and fastest. You can also mince the garlic or grate it using a microplane.
- Fresh herbs - I like adding parsley and chives because that's what I have on hand most often but cilantro, thyme, rosemary, or oregano are also great options. If you like cilantro, try my Cilantro Lime Rice! I like buying a big bunch of fresh parsley and chives, chopping them up, and storing them in the freezer to use for meals like this to avoid food waste.
- Water - The amount of water will depend on the type of rice you're using but for regular white basmati rice, you'll need twice as much water as you have dry rice.
Variations and Substitutions
- Dried herbs - If you don't have fresh herbs, you can use any dried herbs instead. The ratio is usually 3:1. If you use 3 tablespoon fresh herbs, add 1 tablespoon dried herbs. You'll need 2 teaspoon dried herbs for this recipe. You can use a mix of herbs or single dried herbs like parsley, oregano, or thyme.
- Garlic powder - If you don't have fresh garlic cloves, you can use garlic powder (also called granulated garlic, not the extra fine powder). Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder while the rice is cooking. You can still add the butter first to toast the rice before adding water.
- Broth instead of water - You can cook the rice in veggie, chicken, or beef broth instead of water to give it even more flavor.e
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Rinse the rice well under running water until the water runs clear. Set aside to drain.
- Set a medium pot over medium-high heat and add butter or cooking oil.
- Add minced garlic and stir with the butter or oil.
- Cook the garlic for a minute until fragrant.
- Add the rinsed rice and stir. Cook for another minute to toast the rice.
- Cover the rice with 2 cups of water or broth and season with sea salt.
- Briefly stir to mix and bring to a boil covered.
- Lower the heat and simmer the rice partially covered for 8-10 minutes or until almost all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft.
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- Take the rice off the heat, add finely chopped parsley and chives, and fluff the rice with a fork.
- Cover the rice and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge.
Expert Tips
- Veggie broth, not water - Cook your rice in vegetable broth instead of water to add more flavor to the rice!
- Substituting fresh herbs for dried - The rule of thumb is to use 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs for every 1 teaspoon of dried herbs. Dried herbs are much more concentrated than fresh so you need less of them. Keep in mind dry herbs lose their flavor if you store them for too long.
- Don't stir it - You can gently stir the rice once or twice as it cooks if you're afraid it's going to stick to the bottom but don't do it too much. When you stir rice too much, it releases starch and will end up sticky instead of light and fluffy.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this rice with practically anything and everything you'd serve plain rice with! Here are a few ideas to get you started.
- Chicken and meat - Whether it's sauteed, roasted, or grilled, you can serve this rice with practically any chicken or meat dish and any flavor.
- Fish and seafood - This rice would be an amazing addition to any fish or seafood dinner along with a light refreshing salad like this Greek Salad.
- Bowls and salads - Aside from just serving it as a side, it can be an ingredient in any salad or rice bowl! Try it in this Salmon Kale Salad or this Kale Crunch Salad topped with your favorite protein and some extra veggies. It also goes amazing in this Veggie Burrito Bowl!
- Wraps - Add it to burrito wraps or any other wraps like these Mediterranean Veggie Wraps.
Storing and Reheating
You can store the rice in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Always cool down your rice as quickly as possible to avoid it going bad. I've never had any issues but rice should only stay at room temperature for around 30 minutes after cooking and then it should be placed in the fridge.
Always allow the rice to cool down at room temperature first before placing it in the fridge though. You don't want to put something hot in the fridge because it raises the overall temperature for everything else in it.
You can reheat the rice in a non-stick pan or in a small pot on the stove with a splash of water to make sure it doesn't stick.
FAQs
I've never frozen it myself but yes, many people freeze rice so if you made too much, you can freeze it in an airtight freezer-safe container once it's completely cool. Defrost the rice in the fridge and reheat in a pan or a small pot. Keep in mind it may not have the same texture once defrosted.
No, there's no need to stir the rice. I stir it once gently when it starts to simmer to make sure it's not sticking to the bottom of the pot and then cook it undisturbed partially covered until it soaks up all the water. If you stir rice too much, it will release too much starch and become sticky.
Similar Recipes
If you're looking for more rice dishes, give the two below a try! I also added two quinoa dishes because they're packed with herbs and make delicious sides, just like this rice. Head over to Sides to see all the latest ones.
📖 Recipe
Herb and Garlic Rice
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Garlic and Herb Rice is made with fresh garlic and fresh herbs for maximum flavor. It's a great side for any meal and it stores well so it's perfect for meal prep!
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 tbsp butter or avocado oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups water or broth
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives (or more parsley, cilantro, thyme, rosemary, or oregano)
Instructions
- Rinse the rice well under running water until the water runs clear. Set aside to drain.
- Set a medium pot over medium-high heat and add butter or avocado oil.
- Add minced garlic and stir with the butter or oil.
- Cook the garlic for a minute until fragrant.
- Add the rinsed rice and stir. Cook for another minute to toast the rice.
- Cover the rice with 2 cups of water or broth and season with sea salt.
- Briefly stir to mix and bring to a boil covered.
- Lower the heat and simmer the rice partially covered for 8-10 minutes or until almost all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft.
- Take the rice off the heat, add finely chopped parsley and chives, and fluff the rice with a fork.
- Cover the rice and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge.
Notes
Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in a pan or small saucepan on the stove with a splash of water to prevent the rice from sticking.
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Veronika Sykorova says
This rice is one of the easiest sides for when you want something a little more flavorful than just plain white rice. It's delicious with chicken or salmon!