Lemon Garlic Herb Rice Spinach (Printable)
Fragrant herbed rice with lemon and garlic, served alongside tender sautéed spinach for a bright, satisfying Mediterranean-style dish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ For the Rice
01 - 1 cup long-grain white rice (basmati or jasmine)
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - Zest of 1 lemon
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
09 - ½ teaspoon salt
10 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ For the Sautéed Spinach
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
13 - 8 oz fresh baby spinach
14 - Pinch of salt
15 - Pinch of ground black pepper
16 - Lemon wedges, for serving
# How-To Steps:
01 - Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well.
02 - In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add the rinsed rice to the pan and stir to coat the grains in oil and garlic.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth, add salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15–18 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
05 - Remove from heat. Fluff the rice with a fork, then stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, and dill. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
06 - Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
07 - Add baby spinach to the skillet; season with salt and pepper. Toss gently until spinach is wilted, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat.
08 - Serve the herbed lemon rice topped or sided with sautéed spinach. Garnish with extra parsley and lemon wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The bright lemon and herbs transform plain rice into something restaurant worthy
- It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like you spent all afternoon cooking
02 -
- Letting the rice rest off heat for those 5 minutes makes all the difference in texture
- Don't skip rinsing the rice or you'll end up with gummy grains instead of fluffy separate ones
03 -
- Zest your lemon before juicing it, much easier to handle
- Fresh herbs really are nonnegotiable here, dried won't give you that same brightness