Description
This garlic rice recipe is a simple yet flavorful side dish that elevates plain rice with buttery, aromatic garlic infused to perfection. Perfect for pairing with grilled meats, vegetables, or as a standalone vegetarian option, it’s quick to prepare and delivers a comforting, fluffy texture every time.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Butter
- 50 – 75g/ 4 – 5 tbsp unsalted butter, divided (Note 1)
Garlic
- 5 garlic cloves, finely minced (Note 2)
Rice
- 2 cups white rice (uncooked), long grain, medium grain, short grain (sushi rice), or basmati (Note 3)
Stock and Seasoning
- 3 cups chicken stock/broth, low sodium (or water with stock powder)
- 3/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp table salt)
Herbs
- 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the rice. No need to rinse; the rice will be fluffy due to the proper liquid-to-rice ratio of 1.5 cups liquid for every 1 cup rice.
- Sauté garlic. Melt half the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Once foamy, add minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until light golden, releasing its aroma.
- Coat the rice. Add the rice to the saucepan and stir for 30 seconds until the grains turn translucent, coating them well with the garlic butter.
- Simmer. Pour in the stock, add salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once bubbling, cover immediately and turn the heat down to low or medium low.
- Cook the rice. Let it simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes. Do not stir or lift the lid during cooking.
- Rest the rice. Remove from heat, tilt the saucepan to peek if water is absorbed, then keep the lid on and let rest for 10 minutes to absorb remaining moisture.
- Finish and serve. Fluff the rice with a fork, then stir in remaining butter until melted. Toss with chopped parsley, transfer to serving dish, garnish with extra parsley, and serve hot.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of butter for taste; more butter for richer flavor.
- Minced garlic can be prepared with a knife or garlic press, the finer the better for sautéing.
- This recipe suits various types of white rice; do not use brown, wild, black rice, or cauliflower rice as they require different cooking methods.
- Using stock broth enhances flavor, but water with dissolved stock powder also works—adjust salt accordingly.
- Ensure the simmering liquid bubbles gently; too low heat results in undercooked rice.
- Prepared rice can be stored refrigerated for 2 days, reheated in the microwave, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup cooked rice
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
