Garlic Butter Rice
Fluffy long-grain rice toasted in garlicky butter, simmered in chicken broth, and finished with fresh parsley and a little lemon. A one-pot side that goes with nearly any main.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Makes
- About 6 cups (6 servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Measure the rice and liquid exactly; the 1 : 1¾ ratio of rice to broth is what gives fluffy, not mushy, rice.
- Mince the garlic just before cooking so it doesn't dry out, and keep the heat gentle so it never browns or turns bitter.
- Use a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Once it's covered, don't lift the lid until the simmer time is up.
- If your broth is unsalted, use the full ¾ teaspoon salt; if it is regular salted broth, start with ½ teaspoon.
Rinse the rice
- Place 1½ cups (280 g) rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water for about 1 minute, stirring with your fingers, until the water runs mostly clear.
- Shake well and drain for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Water runs mostly clear instead of milky.
Tip: Rinsing removes surface starch, which prevents gummy, clumped rice.
Prep aromatics
- Mince the garlic finely.
- Chop the parsley.
- Measure the broth into a liquid measuring cup (2⅝ cups / 620 ml) and warm it in the microwave for about 1½ minutes if it is cold.
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Ready when: Garlic is in tiny, even pieces.
Tip: Warm broth keeps the pot from dropping off the simmer when added.
Melt butter, bloom garlic
- Set the saucepan over medium-low heat and melt 3 tablespoons of the butter.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 45 to 60 seconds.
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Ready when: Garlic smells fragrant and looks pale and foamy, not browned.
Tip: If the garlic starts to brown, lift the pan off the heat; burnt garlic turns bitter.
Toast the rice
- Add the drained rice and stir to coat every grain in butter.
- Cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes.
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Ready when: Grains look slightly opaque at the edges and smell nutty.
Add broth and season
- Pour in the broth, then stir in the salt and pepper.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring once or twice, about 3 minutes.
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Ready when: Liquid reaches a full boil with bubbles across the surface.
Cover and simmer
- Give the rice one last stir, then reduce the heat to low and cover tightly.
- Simmer for 16 minutes without lifting the lid.
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Ready when: Liquid is absorbed and small steam holes dot the surface when you look after resting.
Tip: Lifting the lid lets steam escape and leads to uneven, crunchy rice.
Rest off heat
- Remove the pan from the heat, keep the lid on, and let the rice stand for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: No liquid is visible at the bottom when you fluff.
Fluff and finish
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the parsley, and the lemon juice if using.
- Fluff gently with a fork, folding rather than stirring, until the butter melts.
- Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Serve hot.
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Ready when: Grains are separate, glossy, and tender with no hard center.
Tip: Fluff with a fork, not a spoon, to avoid crushing the grains.
Good to know
Tips
- Don't skip rinsing the rice; it is the main difference between separate grains and sticky rice.
- Use a pot that matches the amount: too wide a pan makes the liquid evaporate before the rice cooks.
- For extra flavor, add ¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan with the parsley.
- Resting with the lid on is part of the cooking, so don't shorten it.
Make ahead
"Cook the rice through the resting step up to 3 days ahead, cool it quickly (within 1 hour), and refrigerate. Stir in the parsley and lemon after reheating."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: no more than 1 hour. Fridge: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 2 months in a freezer bag, flattened. Reheat with 1 tablespoon water per cup of rice, covered, in a microwave 1½–2 minutes or in a covered skillet over low heat until steaming hot throughout."
Substitutions
- low-sodium chicken broth → vegetable broth. Makes the dish vegetarian; use the same amount.
- long-grain white rice → basmati or jasmine rice. Rinse well and reduce the broth to 2¼ cups (530 ml) because these rices need less liquid.
- fresh flat-leaf parsley → fresh chives or thinly sliced scallion greens. Use the same amount for a milder, oniony finish.
- unsalted butter → olive oil or vegan butter. Use the same amount; the flavor will be slightly less rich.
