Garlic Butter Rice Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published June 8, 2021

The easiest rice recipe! This Garlic Butter Riceis made with basic long grain white rice, fresh garlic, a fair amount of rich butter, and chicken broth for extra flavor.

Flavorful Garlic Butter Rice Recipe

One of the perfect go-to side dishes! Because it pairs well with just about anything.

Plus it only needs a handful of ingredients you can always keep on hand, it’s perfectly hearty and filling, and it’s just simple delicious comfort food!

And of course it’s something people of all ages will enjoy. In other words it’s one of those back pocket recipes.

Not sure what side to make? Garlic butter rice is the answer!

Garlic Butter Rice Recipe Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dry long grain white rice, rinsed in a fine sieve and drained well
• 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic (or up to 2 Tbsp)
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1 Tbsp pieces, divided
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley (optional)

Possible Substitutes

• Jasmine rice can be used for white rice.
• Vegetable broth will work for chicken broth.
• Salted butter will work in place of unsalted (just cut back slightly on salt added).
• Dried parsley works in place of fresh, just use a teaspoon.

How to Make Garlic Butter Rice

1. Melt butter in pan: Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Saute onion: Add yellow onion and saute until starting to deepen in color, about 3 minutes.
3. Saute garlic: Add garlic and saute until just barely starting to deepen in color (not browned), about 1 minute.
4. Add broth, boil: Pour in chicken broth, season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil.
5. Add rice, simmer: Add rice and stir once, cover with a snug lid then reduce heat to low. Let simmer until liquid has been absorbed, about 15 – 18 minutes.
6. Rest add more butter, fluff rice: Remove from heat and let rest 5 – 10 minutes. Add remaining 3 Tbsp butter, toss and fluff with a fork.
7. Garnish: Serve warm garnished with parsley if desired.

Variations

• Lemon rice: For lemon garlic butter rice replace 2 1/2 Tbsp chicken broth with fresh lemon juice. Also for stronger lemon flavor you can add 1/2 tsp lemon zest.
• Heartier rice: If you want to make it more of a main dish you can finish with a cooked protein such as adding some cooked shredded rotisserie chicken at the end, or cooked chick peas.
• Herby rice: Finish with lots of parsley or try with other herbs such as green onions or chives.
• Extra garlicky rice: Want even more garlic flavor? Use 2 Tbsp garlic.

More Tasty Rice Recipes to Try

• Baked Chicken and Rice
• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Fiesta Rice
• Fried Rice
• Mexican Rice