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Mediterranean Rice in a black serving bowl.
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4.69 from 51 votes

Mediterranean Rice

This Mediterranean Rice recipe is bursting with bold flavors. It’s vibrant and aromatic, and it’s a one-pot vegetarian rice dish that will transport your taste buds to the Mediterranean with its lemony herb flavor.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Keyword: basmati, mediterranean rice, pilaf, rice
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 221kcal
Author: Chef Jenn

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1/3 cup diced green bell
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons sliced green onion
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest

Instructions

  • Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer under cold running water until the water runs clear. Set it aside to drain.
  • Add the olive oil to a medium-sized pot with a tight-fitting lid and saute the onion over medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until translucent.
  • Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Turn off the heat.
  • Add the rinsed and drained rice to a saucepan along with 1 ¾ cup water, ½ tsp kosher salt, diced red and green bell peppers, lemon juice, thyme sprigs and dried oregano.
  • Bring it to a simmer and place the lid on, and cook for 10 minutes or until the water is mostly absorbed.
  • Turn off the heat and leave the rice over the hot element (with the heat turned off) to finish steaming the rice.
  • Remove the woody thyme stems and discard them. Fluff the rice with a fork, and garnish with green onion and lemon zest.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

CHEF JENN’S TIPS

    • Basmati rice is preferred but any kind of rice will work. Cook the rice according to the package instructions if you use a different kind of rice.
    • You can turn this into a rice cooker dish by sautéing the onion and garlic first and then transferring the ingredients to a rice cooker. Next, add the rice and additional ingredients and cook as per the manufacturer's directions.
    • Fresh is best in this recipe. Fresh lemon, fresh garlic cloves, and fresh herbs will put it over the top!

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cups | Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 297mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 667IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg