Garlic Rice

This simple, family friendly recipe for Garlic Rice elevates plain rice without any extra effort. It is buttery, delicious, and quick to prepare. Garlic Butter Rice is a wonderful pairing to most entrees.

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This recipe for Garlic Rice takes plain rice up a notch or two, but it does not require much extra prep, ingredients, or time. It tastes buttery and garlicky, which means it pairs well with a large variety of main dishes.

Garlic butter rice is a family friendly side dish too. It is versatile and includes flavors most people enjoy. You can easily add extra spices and fresh herbs if you wish to customize it a bit to perfectly pair with the main dish you are serving.

It’s a simple way to elevate the flavor of plain rice. You could even make this recipe for Garlic Cauliflower Rice if you’re looking for a low carb option which tastes just the same as buttery garlic rice. For a simple meal, this Garlic Rice would taste delicious served alongside Easy Garlic Chicken.

Why This Recipe Works

There are only 5 ingredients needed for this recipe, including water and salt. Plus, it is quick and easy to prepare. The simplicity of this dish allows each ingredient to shine.

This recipe is a great alternative to plain rice. It is more flavorful but doesn’t require much extra prep or time.

It’s a versatile dish. You can mix in herbs and spices to add flavor and it pairs well with a ton of different main dishes.

How To Make Garlic Rice

Ingredients

• Rice: long grain rice like jasmine rice works great in this recipe. You can use basmati or brown rice. Just be aware that the rice to water ratio and cook time may be slightly different depending on the type of rice that you use. You can reference the rice packaging for the information on how much water to use per cup of rice.
• Garlic: use fresh garlic, rather than jarred garlic, for the best garlicky flavor.
• Butter: using butter will give you a delicious garlic butter flavor, but you can use olive oil, if preferred.
• Water: vegetable or chicken stock can be used for more flavor.
• Salt

The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.

Prep!

Mincing the garlic is the only prep work needed for this recipe.

Create!

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.

Add the rice and stir to coat in the garlic butter.

Pour in the water and season with salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Present!

Fluff with a fork and serve.

Serve as is, or try some mix-ins to add even more flavor. Lemon zest, lime zest, cilantro and parsley all work well in this rice recipe. You can even mix in vegetables like Roasted Honeynut Squash, nuts, or Parmesan cheese.

Tips and Techniques

• If you use a rice other than jasmine, refer to the packaging for the water to rice ratio. The cook time may be slightly different, as well.
• Try mixing in lemon or lime zest, fresh herbs, nuts or cheese to amplify the flavor even more.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.

FAQ’s

What Do You Serve With Garlic Rice?

Garlic rice can be served in just about any recipe that calls for plain rice. It’s the perfect side dish to an endless number of main dishes.

It’s also delicious as a base for recipes like Chicken Curry and Mongolian Beef or in bowls like Chicken Fajitas Bowls.

More Side Dish Recipes

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