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    Whisk Affair » Recipes » Rice » Lemon Cilantro Rice

    Published: May 16, 2021 | Last Updated On: May 17, 2021 by Neha Mathur

    Lemon Cilantro Rice

    2361 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Make this super easy and flavorful 20 minutes and 5 ingredients lemon cilantro rice, that tastes just like the one you had at Chipotle. Serve it with your Asian & Mexican meals for a refreshing taste.

    Here are some more easy peasy continental rice recipes, that you can try for your everyday meals – Thai Pineapple Fried Rice, Persian Saffron Rice, One Pot Mexican Rice, Garlic Butter Shrimp Rice and Easy Mushroom Fried Rice.

    Lemon cilantro rice served in a bowl.
    Jump to:
    • About This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • How to make Lemon Cilantro Rice?
    • Instant Pot Recipe
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storage Suggestions
    • You might also like
    • Recipe Card

    About This Recipe

    This homemade lemon cilantro rice is better than the one at Chipotle Mexican Grill outlets! It is packed with fresh herbs and zesty flavor; needs just 5 ingredients, and comes together in under 20 minutes. A one-pot recipe, this can be served for your weekday meals or as a side dish with your Asian or Mexican weekend brunch.

    This Chipotle copycat recipe is a simple combination of rice, lemon juice, cilantro, vegetable stock, garlic, olive oil, and salt. I like to keep my recipe simple, but traditionally people also add black beans or corn kernels to their recipe.

    This lemon cilantro rice is,

    • Vegan
    • Gluten-Free
    • Soft & Fluffy
    • A 20-minute affair
    • Just like Chipotle Rice
    • Perfect Bachelor recipe
    • Perfect for effortless weekday meals

    Ingredients

    Lemon cilantro rice ingredients.

    Rice – To make cilantro lime rice, I always opt for long grain basmati rice as they turn out separate and aromatic. You can also opt for any white rice, that you use to make everyday meals at home. Brown rice, couscous, and quinoa also work great in this recipe. You will have to change the rice to liquid ratio though.

    Vegetable Stock – You can add water instead of vegetable stock, but vegetable stock gives this rice dish an extra flavor and taste.

    Try using my homemade vegetable stock for the best flavor. You can also use chicken or beef stock.

    Cilantro – Add in finely chopped cilantro. This adds a lot of freshness to this rice recipe. Make sure they are fresh and green, and not wilted.

    Other Ingredients – Other than the above ingredients, you will need light olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. You can also use a mix of lemon and lime juice or only lime juice.

    I feel garlic adds a delicious flavor, that can’t be substituted with any other ingredient. So do not miss this one.

    You can even add a bit of lemon zest, which adds a freshness to this simple yet delicious recipe. Always use freshly squeezed lemon juice, do not opt for the bottled juice.

    How to make Lemon Cilantro Rice?

    Rinse 1 cup basmati rice with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear. Soak it in 3-4 cups of water for 15-20 minutes.

    Heat 1 tablespoon light olive in a medium-size pot over medium-high heat.

    Olive oil heating in a pot.

    When the oil is hot, add 2 teaspoon chopped garlic and fry until it turns lightly brown (1-2 minutes).

    Garlic added to the pot.

    Drain the rice and add it to the pot.

    Rice added to the pot.

    Add 2 cups of vegetable stock and 2 teaspoon lemon juice and stir gently.

    Vegetable stock and lemon juice added to the pot.

    Close the lid of the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender (20-25 minutes).

    Lid closed.

    Add 3 tablespoon chopped cilantro and fluff the rice gently with 2 forks to mix it through out the rice. Serve.

    Ready lemon cilantro rice.

    Instant Pot Recipe

    You can also make cilantro lemon rice in an instant pot. The thing to note here is the rice: water ratio. When you make white rice in the instant pot, the ratio is 1:1. So keep that in mind to get perfectly fluffy rice.

    Rinse 1 cup white rice and soak for 15-20 minutes. Drain the rice and add it to the instant pot along with oil, garlic,1 cup vegetable stock and lemon juice.

    Close the lid of the pot and set the valve to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 5 minutes at high pressure.

    Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then release the remaining pressure and open the lid of the pot. Add chopped cilantro and fluff the rice using a fork until the cilantro is mixed through. Serve.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How to make a non vegetarian cilantro lime rice?

    For a non-vegetarian version, just add cooked or grilled chicken or shrimps to the recipe. You can also use chicken stock to cook the rice.

    Which rice can be used to make it?

    I would suggest you use basmati long grain rice to make this recipe.
    It is more aromatic as compared to plain white rice and the flavor also complements the cilantro and lemon.

    Some people also use Jasmine rice to make this recipe, as it is more flavorful than the long grain basmati rice. So if you are thinking to serve it with an Asian Curry, you can use Jasmine rice instead of Basmati for that slightly sticky texture.

    Having said that, this recipe tastes great with any variety of rice. So go ahead and make it with whatever you have at hand.

    Can we use cilantro stem in this rice dish?

    Yes, along with cilantro leaves, you can also add some chopped stem to rice, as it adds a lot of flavors.

    How many cups of cooked rice will 1 cup uncooked rice make?

    If you are using white rice, 1 cup of uncooked rice makes 3 cups of cooked rice, but if you are making brown rice, 1 cup of uncooked rice makes 4 cups of cooked rice.

    Serving Suggestions

    Cilantro lemon rice is so flavorful that you can have it on its own. Believe me, the aroma of this rice is so tempting to gobble it up, but this rice can be used to make other recipes too.

    One great way to use this is in burritos. This lightly flavored rice adds a twist to your burrito and can even be used in burrito bowls and tacos.

    Other than this you can just serve it along with any Mexican curry. Not only Mexican, but it also pairs well with the Asian curries.

    You can also serve it with fresh tomato salsa, avocado, lettuce, sour cream, or guacamole. It also tastes great along with steak, grilled chicken, and salmon.

    You can actually serve with any chicken, beef, sea food or pork curry and it will taste great.

    Storage Suggestions

    Leftover lemon cilantro rice stays good in the refrigerator for about 2 to 3 days, when stored properly in an airtight container.

    You can also freeze this rice for about 3 months in a ziplock freezer bag or freezer-safe container.

    I would recommend you to make it fresh because it tastes the best this way. It is easy to make, thus you need very little time from your busy schedule to make this one.

    You might also like

    • Cilantro Lime Chicken
    • Cilantro Lime Quinoa
    • Mexican Cornbread
    • Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

    Recipe Card

    Loved this recipe?Click here to leave a review and give us a five star rating ★★★★★
    Make this super easy and flavorful 20 minutes and 5 ingredients lemon cilantro rice, that tastes just like the one you had at Chipotles. Serve it with your Asian & Mexican meals for a refreshing taste.

    Lemon Cilantro Rice Recipe

    Make this super easy and flavorful 20 minutes and 5 ingredients lemon cilantro rice, that tastes just like the one you had at Chipotles. Serve it with your Asian & Mexican meals for a refreshing taste.
    3.75 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Rice
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 208kcal
    Author: Neha Mathur

    Ingredients 

    • 1 cup long grain Basmati rice
    • 1 tablespoon light olive oil
    • 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
    • 2 cups vegetable stock
    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice (you can use a mix of lemon and lime juice or only lime juice)
    • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro (Finely chopped)
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    Instructions

    • Rinse 1 cup basmati rice with water 2-3 times until the water runs clear. Soak it in 3-4 cups of water for 15-20 minutes.
    • Heat 1 tablespoon light olive in a medium-size pot over medium-high heat.
    • When the oil is hot, add 2 teaspoon chopped garlic and fry until it turns lightly brown (1-2 minutes).
    • Drain the rice and add it to the pot.
    • Add 2 cups of vegetable stock and 2 teaspoon lemon juice and stir gently.
    • Close the lid of the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender (20-25 minutes).
    • Add 3 tablespoon chopped cilantro and fluff the rice gently with 2 forks to mix it through out the rice. Serve.

    Notes

    You can cook the rice in chicken stock as well.
    Add corn or black beans to make it more filling.
    Always use long grain rice, as they turn out fluffy and aromatic. I would not recommend sticky rice for this recipe. Wash the rice twice or thrice before using.
    Once the rice is cooked, let it rest in the pot for a few minutes before serving.
    Use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of bottled lemon juice for the best taste. You can add some lemon zest while cooking the rice for an intense lemon flavor.
    Do not overcook the rice, it will turn mushy and won’t taste great.
    You can toast the rice in olive for 2-3 minutes for an earthy flavor.
    Instant Pot Recipe
    You can also make lemon cilantro rice in an instant pot. The thing to note here is the rice: water ratio. When you make white rice in the instant pot, the ratio is 1:1. So keep that in mind to get perfectly fluffy rice.
    Rinse 1 cup white rice and soak for 15-20 minutes. Drain the rice and add it to the instant pot along with oil, garlic,1 cup vegetable stock, and lemon juice.
    Close the lid of the pot and set the valve to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 5 minutes at high pressure.
    Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then release the remaining pressure and open the lid of the pot. Add chopped cilantro and fluff the rice using a fork until the cilantro is mixed through. Serve.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 473mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 271IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gwen

      January 02, 2014 at 3:49 pm

      Love cilantro lime rice! I live in south west Arizona so we eat a lot of arroz here ;} Yours looks perfect.

      Reply
      • Chetna

        July 28, 2020 at 8:44 am

        Is salt required in this recipe?

        I really love your recipes. I’m a 22 year old girl and I hardly cook for muself or anyone but I’ve tried macroni and paneer bhurji using your recipe and my family loved it, they were all shocked after tasting my food as they were not expecting it to be so delicious. All credit goes to you, thank you for providing such amazing and easy recipes. XOXO

        Reply
        • Neha Mathur

          August 14, 2020 at 1:50 pm

          Thanks for trying out my recipes. In this recipe, you can add salt if you wish to. The vegetable stock that I get here has salt added to it, so I skipped it.

          Reply
    2. Modular kitchen

      January 24, 2014 at 9:01 am

      Use some yellow power to get looking good. Cookscape

      Reply

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