Garlic Butter Rice

The easiest rice recipe! This Garlic Butter Rice is 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

5 from 7 votes

Print Recipe

Garlic Butter Rice

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

See the notes for a tasty lemon variation as well!

Servings: 6

Prep5 minutes minutes

Cook20 minutes minutes

Resting10 minutes minutes

Ready in: 35 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dry long grain white rice, or jasmine 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)

Instructions

• Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add yellow onion and saute until starting to deepen in color, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute until just barely starting to deepen in color (not browned), about 1 minute.
• Pour in chicken broth, season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil.
• 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.
• Remove from heat and let rest 5 - 10 minutes. Add remaining 3 Tbsp butter, toss and fluff with a fork.
• Serve warm garnished with parsley if desired.

Notes

• Jasmine rice will cook more near 15 minutes, long grain rice will take closer to 18 minutes to cook.
• For lemon garlic butter rice replace 2 1/2 Tbsp chicken broth with fresh lemon juice and add 1/2 tsp lemon zest.
• In higher altitude add an additional 2 Tbsp broth.

Nutrition Facts

Garlic Butter Rice

Amount Per Serving

Calories 249 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 20mg7%

Sodium 239mg10%

Potassium 171mg5%

Carbohydrates 40g13%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 441IU9%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 28mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Garlic Butter Rice, Garlic Rice, Rice Recipe

Author: Jaclyn