Infused with the bright flavors of fresh lemon, shallot, and dill, this Lemon Dill Rice is an easy one-pot side dish recipe. This Greek-inspired rice is my new favorite! Imagine perfectly fluffy basmati rice made in a skillet in 20 minutes — SO easy and perfect for weeknight dinners!
“This rice was so good the first time we made it, there have been requests to have it again! All the ingredients perfectly compliment each other; there is just the right amount of lemon, and the dill from our garden added just the right amount of flavor. Definitely keeping this in my recipe arsenal.” – Nicole, So Much Food reader
Table of contents
I Love Serving This Rice with My Favorite Mediterranean Dishes!
We are obsessed with Mediterranean food in our household! If we order out, that’s almost always what we’re ordering. The fresh flavors are always to die for. After eating out at so many restaurants, I decided it was time to create my own recipe for perfectly fluffy lemon dill rice. It’s the perfect side dish for any Mediterranean-inspired dinner, especially in the summer!
The great thing is that this recipe requires very little hands-on prep and can be ready to go in a flash. I almost always make it with butter and chicken broth, but I’ve included ingredient alternatives for making it vegan in the recipe card below.
We’re big on bowls in our house and this fluffy rice with lemon and dill makes the perfect base. All you need is a protein like my herb roasted chicken, grilled Greek salmon, or grilled ribeye with chimichurri, plus your favorite grilled or roasted veggies to round out the meal.
Tools Needed
Ingredient Notes
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities, and method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Rice. I prefer making this recipe with basmati rice, which has long, tender grains that don’t clump together. You can also make it with jasmine rice or another long-grain white rice.
- Butter. Adds richness to this otherwise simple recipe.
- Shallot. Has a milder flavor than either yellow or red onion, so it adds flavor without overwhelming the fresh dill and lemon.
- Lemon. To make the rice extra fragrant, we’re using both the zest and juice of the lemon.
- Broth. The secret to well-seasoned, flavorful rice is to cook it in broth instead of water! I prefer using chicken broth, but a quality vegetable broth is a great vegetarian alternative.
- Fresh Dill. Fresh is a must here, don’t sub dried dill. (If you love dill as much as I do, check out all of the fresh dill recipes you can make with whatever’s leftover!)
The 4 Steps to Making Lemon Dill Rice
- Sweat the minced shallots. You want to cook them in the butter over medium heat until they’re softened and translucent. Try not to let them develop much color.
- Toast the rice. This part is important! Toasting the rice for 2-3 minutes removes moisture and ensures that it turns out extra fluffy.
- Add the broth and lemon zest. Pop the lid onto the skillet, bring everything to a gentle simmer, and then cook for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, you can briefly remove the lid to check that the rice is fully cooked and the liquid’s been absorbed, but replace the lid ASAP to prevent any of the steam from escaping as the rice rests.
- After resting for 10 minutes, add the dill and lemon juice. Be gentle when folding in the dill and lemon juice to prevent breaking the rice.
Want to make this in an Instant Pot? Swap the fresh shallot for onion powder and adjust the water/broth according to the instructions on your rice cooker or Instant Pot.
Recipe Variations to Try
This lemon basmati rice doesn’t just have to be a side dish! You can customize it with some of the ideas below:
- Add a protein. Make this an entire one-pot meal by adding and cooking a protein with the rice, such as lamb meatballs, chicken breasts, shrimp, or chickpeas.
- Add some veggies. If you want to bulk up this dish, add veggies like diced bell pepper, zucchini, squash, carrots, frozen peas, or green beans.
- Pile on the toppings. This rice tastes great topped with crumbled feta, fresh herbs like mint or cilantro, and toasted pine nuts or seeds for crunch.
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Rice Side Dishes to Try
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Lemon Dill Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or olive oil)
- 1 large shallot, finely minced
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice (or another long grain white rice)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- 1/3 cup minced fresh dill
Instructions
- Sweat the shallot. Heat the butter or olive oil in a large skillet with a lit. Add the shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Bring to a simmer. Add the rice to the pan and toss to coat in the shallot and butter/olive oil. Cook the rice for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add the broth, lemon zest, salt, and pepper, and bring to a simmer.
- Cook with the lid on, then rest. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and let it stand covered for another 10 minutes.
- Add the lemon and dill. Fluff the rice and fold in the lemon juice and fresh dill. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Storage Instructions
- To store: Let the rice cool to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container, or several small containers for meal prep, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.To freeze: Let the rice cool to room temperature, then spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze for 1 hour. Transfer to a gallon freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. When it’s time to defrost, transfer the bag to the fridge and let it thaw overnight.To reheat: Transfer rice to a nonstick skillet and drizzle in a couple of tablespoons of water or broth and cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rice is warmed through. Alternately, portion some of the rice into a microwave safe bowl or dish and cover with a wet paper towel. Microwave for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.
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Rate & Review This Recipe
This rice was so good the first time we made it, there have been requests to have it again! All the ingredients perfectly compliment each other; there is just the right amount of lemon, and the dill from our garden added just the right amount of flavor. Definitely keeping this in my recipe arsenal.
Nicole, thank you so much for your comment! So happy you loved the recipe.
Im not much of a cook myself but this recipe was so easy and turned out great. My wife Belinda and the kids really enjoyed it aswell.
So happy you enjoyed it, Phil! It’s one of my favorite side dishes.
Hello! Thank you for this recipe, I think it will be perfect with the leg of lamb that I am serving on Easter. What do you think about doubling the recipe, should I make two separate dishes, or would it be okay to double the ingredients? Thank you for your time.
Absolutely! Just make sure your pot is large enough to accommodate double the ingredients. Hope you love the recipe!
I followed this recipe to a T. It’s delicious but sadly the rice was chunky. Any recommendations on how much more to add to get fully cooked rice in the time listed in the recipe? Thanks!
By chunky, do you mean a bit undercooked? Make sure to let the rice finish cooking off the heat, covered, for 10 minutes before lifting the lid. Alternately, the shape of the cooking vessel you use matters–I would use a high sided saucepan in future. Hope that helps!
This one is a keeper. No more bland, boring rice. So good
& very easy to make. Thank you!
So happy you enjoyed it!
Looking for something to go with chicken thighs and a green salad. I wanted rice and had dill on hand, so I searched and found this recipe. Love that it is done all in one dish. VERY TASTY ?!!
Love to hear it, Catherine! It’s one of my favorite quick side dishes and I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it.