Lemon Brown Rice With Parsley

This bright and refreshing lemon brown rice would become your go-to side dish! The steps are simple to follow, and the recipe uses everyday ingredients that you most likely have on hand.

This lemon brown rice recipe is super versatile! You can serve it with different meats, add it into burritos, and toss it into salads – basically, combine it with everything your heart desires! The ingredient list is short, so I recommend using quality ingredients whenever possible.

The star of the dish is the lemon obviously, so I always make sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.

How to make lemon brown rice?

1. In a medium pot add previously washed and drained brown rice along with water. Optionally add one bay leaf. Cover the pot with a lid slightly open. Add the pot to the stove and turn the heat up to medium-high.
2. Once the rice starts boiling, turn the heat down to medium and let the rice simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and soft but not mushy.
3. Strain the water and leave the rice to cool down for 10 minutes.
4. To prepare the lemon and parsley dressing. Add the diced parsley, lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl.
5. Toss the dressing over the brown rice and mix to combine.

Tips and substitutions:

• Don’t overcook the brown rice. At the 20 minute mark, check it to see if it’s done. If not, let it simmer for another 5-10 minutes. The cooking time can vary slightly, so it’s best to check the rice between the 20-30 minute mark. If you feel like the rice is still not cooked after 30 minutes have passed, you can cook it for an additional 10 minutes or turn the heat off, drain the rice well, cover it with a lid, and let it steam for another 10 minutes.
• Use fresh parsley for the best flavor. You can substitute the parsley with cilantro.
• Always try to use freshly squeezed lemon juice and not bottled lemon juice! As a substitute for lemon juice, you can use lime.
• Don’t add all of the parsley and lemon dressing at once. Instead, add half of it, taste then add more as needed.

FAQs

You’ll also love to try:

Greek Lentils and Rice Recipe
Creamy Lemon Rice Soup
Roasted Mediterranean Potatoes

Print Recipe

Lemon Brown Rice With Parsley

This bright and tangy lemon brown rice with parsley is the perfect side dish. The recipe comes together quickly and it uses simple but flavorful ingredients!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Resting Time10 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: 4 bowls

Author: Emilia

Ingredients

• 200 g / 1 cup uncooked medium grain brown rice
• 1000 ml / 4 cups of water
• 1 bay leaf
• handful of parsley
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon
• salt to taste

Instructions

• Add the rice to a fine mesh colander and rinse it under cold water for a minute to remove the excess starch.
• Transfer the rice to a medium pot, add the water and the bay leaf.
• Cover the pot with a lid and place it on the stove. Turn the meat to medium-high.
• Once the rice starts to boil, uncover the pot slightly, turn the heat down to medium and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes.
• Check the rice at the 20-minute mark to see if it's done. If it's not, let it simmer for additional 5-10 minutes.
• Strain the water fully from the rice and leave the rice to cool down for 10 minutes. You can transfer the rice to a fine mesh colander to let it cool down and help the excess water fully disappear.
• In a medium bowl add chopped parsley along with the olive oil, lemon, and salt.
• Mix everything together and add half of the mixture to the rice. Mix the rice with a fork or spoon. Taste the rice and add more of the parsley mixture as needed.

Notes

• To get perfectly cooked rice, check if the rice is cooked once it passes 20 minutes of boiling. If not, let it simmer for additional 5-10 minutes. If the rice is still not cooked after the initial 30 minutes, you can let it simmer for 10 more minutes or drain the water fully – cover the pot with a lid completely and let it steam for 10 minutes. 
• Different types of brown rice have different cooking times: for medium and long grain brown rice, in most cases, it will be ready in 20-30 minutes. Short grain brown rice would take longer – around 1h. And balsamati brown rice15-20 minutes.
• Don’t add all of the dressing at once. Add half of it, taste, and add more as needed. 
• Storage: you can store the brown rice with parsley and lemon added for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or just plain brown rice can be stored for up to 5 days. 
• Toppings: Optionally, you can garnish green onions, parmesan cheese, or garlic. For the best flavor, choose only one of these toppings.
• Add-ins: cooked green beans, peas, corn, chickpeas;