Greek lemon-herb rice
Welcome to Fridge Foragers!
This bright, herby rice is a beautiful example of how simple ingredients can transform into something extraordinary.
Foraging for flavor: the neighborhood citrus hunt
Before we dive into the recipe, let's talk about the key ingredient: fresh, bright lemon. If you live in a warm climate, you know the bounty of local citrus is often overflowing. There’s a certain joy in the stealthy, yet neighborly, act of scavenging for fallen, ripe lemons from trees hanging over the sidewalk, or accepting a generous bag from a friend with an abundant backyard orchard. It’s resourcefulness at its best—a true act of 'fridge foraging' that puts perfectly good fruit to delicious use, ensuring the most vibrant, freshly squeezed juice and zest makes it into this quintessential Greek side dish.
Greek lemon-herb rice
This fluffy, fragrant rice is cooked in savory broth and finished with a burst of fresh lemon, garlic, parsley, and dill. It's the perfect side dish for grilled chicken, fish, or any Greek main course—And it’s one of Hank’s favorite. Mine too, it feels like we are elevating our dining experience. Like we’re at a nice restaurant but scored some lemons from the neighbor’s tree two blocks away instead.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Rest time: 10 minutes
Total time: About 45 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons
Yellow Onion: 1/2 cup finely diced
Long-Grain White Rice: 1 cup Basmati or Jasmine, rinsed and drained
Garlic: 2 cloves minced
Chicken or Vegetable Broth: 2 cups low-sodium preferred
Lemon Juice: 1/4 cup (approximately 1 large lemon)
Lemon Zest: 1 teaspoon zest before juicing!
Fresh Parsley: 1/4 cup finely chopped
Fresh Dill: 2 tablespoons finely chopped
Salt: 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
Black Pepper: 1/4 teaspoon or to taste
Instructions
1. Sauté the aromatics
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat.
Add the diced onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
2. Toast the rice
Add the rinsed and drained rice to the saucepan. Stir well to coat the grains with the oil and aromatics. Cook for about 1 minute.
3. Simmer
Pour in the broth and the lemon juice (We’ve use too much lemon before. We thought it couldn’t be too lemony—trust me, not fun!) Add the salt and pepper.
Bring the liquid to a rolling boil, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting.
Cover the pot with the lid and let the rice simmer for 20 minutes. Do not lift the lid while the rice is cooking.
4. Rest and finish
Once the 20 minutes is up, remove the pot from the heat (still covered) and let it rest for a full 10 minutes. This is a crucial step for achieving fluffy rice!
Remove the lid and fluff the rice gently with a fork.
Stir in the chopped fresh parsley, fresh dill, and lemon zest until everything is well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, or a final squeeze of lemon juice if desired.
Serve immediately as a bright, herbaceous side dish.
Fridge foraging swaps
Items that you would find in this dish are typically laying around your kitchen, but you could swap them for other staples and as long as you have the lemon, you might be happily surprised by how yummy it still turns out!
1. Rice —> pasta or potatoes, any other kind of rice, orzo, quinoa, barley, couscous, even cut up cauliflower!
Adjust cooking time and liquid, as whole grains like brown or wild rice take longer to cook and absorb more water.
2. Olive oil —> butter, avocado oil, or be brave and try coconut oil!
Every oil has a different cooking temperature, so be careful, especially if you use butter.
3. Yellow onion —> green onion, white or red, or even something spicy like turnip greens, or shallots, leek. You could even try onion powder!
If using powder, start with about 1 teaspoon for a medium onion, then taste and adjust.
4. Garlic —> garlic powder
Use about 1/4 tsp per clove.
5. Vegetable or chicken broth —> water + concentrate or buillon
An easy swap if you have a base but no liquid stock.
6. Parsley —> this is where it gets interesting!
6a. For similar flavor swaps: Cilantro (stronger, but good in Mediterranean/Middle Eastern dishes), Chervil (milder, if you have it)
6b. For color/garnish swaps: Celery leaves, Carrot greens (chopped very finely)
7. Dill —> this is where it gets interesting!
7a. For similar flavor swaps: Tarragon (has a similar anise/licorice note, but is much stronger, so use half the amount), Fennel Fronds
7b. For color/garnish swaps: Mint (will give a brighter, more distinct flavor)
8. Any fresh herb —> dried herbs
Use about 1/3 the amount of dried herbs as fresh, as dried herbs are much more concentrated. Add dried herbs earlier in the cooking process.
Last words of advice:
Just remember that any substitution will alter the flavor and possibly the texture of the final dish, so it's always a good idea to start with a smaller amount of the substitute and taste as you go!
And as always, happy fridge foraging!
