Instant Pot Greek Lemon Rice Recipe (Mediterranean Rice Pilaf)
Bring the flavors of your favorite Greek restaurant home with this easy Instant Pot Greek lemon rice recipe. This Mediterranean-inspired rice pilaf is infused with fresh lemon juice and zest, garlic, herbs, and olive oil for a bright and flavorful side dish that pairs perfectly with souvlaki, gyros, grilled meats, seafood, and Greek salads. Using the Instant Pot makes perfectly cooked rice simple and hands-off, while adding layers of Greek-inspired flavor with minimal effort. Serve this lemon rice alongside tzatziki, roasted lemon potatoes, and your favorite Greek dishes for an easy restaurant-style meal at home.
If you’re someone who enjoys classic basmati rice, you’ll be delighted to know that there really isn’t much more to do to achieve this restaurant-style Greek lemon rice.
The steps are incredibly simple and the payoff is totally worth it. This will easily become your new favorite side dish.
This lemon rice is perfect in our gyros bowls, souvlaki bowls and any version of a Mediterranean-style bowl.
We love Greek lemon rice as part of a Greek Night at Home (Easy Restaurant Experience at home).
You can pair it with any grilled meat and vegetables, for a memorable BBQ dinner. Serve lemon rice with tzatziki and red chili sauce or sriracha, for your meat and potatoes, if you like your food spicy.
If you’d like to make more rice bowls, try our sushi rice (for deconstructed sushi bowls), doner shop yellow rice or wild rice pilaf next.
Content in this Post
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients used in Greek Lemon Rice
- Ingredient Notes
- What Makes Greek Lemon Rice Yellow?
- Recommended Equipment
- How to Make Greek Lemon Rice
- How to Make Greek Lemon Rice in the Instant Pot
- STEP 1 — Rinse Rise
- STEP 2 — Melt Butter and Add Turmeric and Lemon
- STEP 3 — Add Rice and Mix Well
- STEP 4 — Pour in Chicken Broth
- STEP 5 — Pressure Cook
- STEP 6 — Remove Lid and Fluff Rice
- How to Make it on the Stovetop
- Greek Lemon Rice (Stovetop)
- Instructions
- Tips for Perfect Stovetop Lemon Basmati Rice
- Greek Lemon Rice Variations
- What to Serve with Greek Lemon Rice
- 🍽️ Think Like a Restaurant
- Serving Ideas
- Best Uses for Leftover Greek Lemon Rice
- Storage
- Reheating
- More Easy Rice Recipes
- More Mediterranean-Inspired Recipes
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- You'll Also Love
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Just like the lemon rice served in many Greek restaurants.
- Fluffy, tender grains every time
- Easy Instant Pot recipe
- Stovetop instructions included
- Great for meal prep
- Easy lemon rice is perfect with gyros, shawarma, grilled chicken, or lamb, and with any kabobs
- Ready with pantry-friendly ingredients
Restaurant-Style Greek Flavor
This lemon rice tastes like the flavorful rice served alongside Greek platters and souvlaki dinners.
Easy Instant Pot Method
The Instant Pot makes perfectly cooked rice with minimal hands-on time.
Bright and Fresh
Lemon, garlic, and herbs create a fresh Mediterranean flavor that pairs well with so many meals.
Versatile Side Dish
Serve it with:
- gyros
- souvlaki
- grilled chicken
- seafood
- roasted vegetables
Great for Meal Prep
Leftovers are perfect for:
- Greek souvlaki and gyros bowls
- lunch bowls
- breakfast skillets
🍽️ Make it a complete Greek Night at home: Serve this homemade lemon rice with homemade gyros and souvlaki, tzatziki sauce, fresh salad, and warm pita for the full restaurant experience.
Ingredients used in Greek Lemon Rice
- Basmati Rice – long-grain basmati rice, we love DaaWat brand, but Tilda and others are also great in this recipe.
- Chicken Broth – use homemade or store-bought chicken broth for convenience. Depending on how much salt is in it, will determine how much salt if any you’ll add to the dish.
- Butter – some butter is melted and mixed with the rice grains at the start of cooking.
- Lemon Juice – freshly squeezed juice from one lemon.
- Lemon Zest – the zest from one lemon
- Turmeric – a tiny bit of turmeric, about 1/4 teaspoon, for added color.
- Salt – some salt to enhance the flavors, but if your chicken broth is salty enough, you can omit any extra salt.
- Bay leaf (optional) – choose to add it for some savory depth or skip it if you don’t have any. Discard it after pressure cooking.
- Basil (optional) – This is to add a lovely garnish that is bright and fresh. Or you can substitute other fresh herbs like parsley or dill
Ingredient Notes
Basmati long-grain style rice provides the best texture. We particularly love the brand Daa Wat basmati rice if you can find it.
A little turmeric is added for the vibrant yellow color and brings extra flavour to the dish.
Using broth for extra flavor is recommended, although you could use water if you’re out of broth.
If you’d like to include a little fresh minced garlic or a pinch of garlic powder you can go ahead and add some when you melt the butter in the pot.
What Makes Greek Lemon Rice Yellow?
Lemon rind and a little turmeric provide the beautiful golden color.
Many restaurants use one or both depending on their recipe.
Recommended Equipment
We love to make rice in our Instant Pot. The rice cooks perfectly and unlike the stovetop method, it won’t ever boil over.
We have a rice colander and rice paddle that we find handy for making all of our rice dishes, including sushi.
We also recommend this citrus zester that makes the job of zesting the lemon so effortless.
How to Make Greek Lemon Rice
How to Make Greek Lemon Rice in the Instant Pot
STEP 1 — Rinse Rise
In a rice colander, rinse rice over the sink, until the water runs clear. Removing the starch is important to ensure the rice will have the desired texture at the end.
STEP 2 — Melt Butter and Add Turmeric and Lemon
In Instant Pot sauté mode, melt the butter. Then add turmeric, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt, if using). Give it a good stir.
STEP 3 — Add Rice and Mix Well
Add the rinsed and drained basmati rice to the melted butter and turmeric lemon sauce in the Instant Pot.
Use a large spoon to combine the rice with the butter, turmeric and lemon. You want all the rice to be well-coated.
STEP 4 — Pour in Chicken Broth
Next, you’ll pour the chicken broth into the rice in the Instant Pot.
STEP 5 — Pressure Cook
Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to Seal or Sealing position. Set the pressure cook timer for 15 minutes. Once the pressure cycle has completed, allow to release pressure for 5 minutes naturally, then quick release.
STEP 6 — Remove Lid and Fluff Rice
After the quick release, remove the lid when it is safe to do so (when the pressure pin has dropped).
Use a rice paddle or wooden spoon to fluff up the rice.
Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle on some fresh chopped basil for garnish, if desired.
How to Make it on the Stovetop
Greek Lemon Rice (Stovetop)
Yield: About 6–8 servings
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups basmati rice, rinsed well
- 3.5 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Lemon Juice and Zest of one medium lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- Salt, to taste (depending on your broth)
- Basil, fresh, chopped for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well.
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the turmeric, lemon juice and zest, and cook for another 20–30 seconds to bloom the spice.
- Add the rinsed rice and stir for 1–2 minutes, coating every grain with the butter and spices.
- Pour in the chicken broth. Stir once to combine.
- Bring the rice to a gentle boil.
- Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15–18 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove the pot from the heat without removing the lid. Let the rice rest for 10 minutes.
- Fluff gently with a fork and serve.
Tips for Perfect Stovetop Lemon Basmati Rice
- Rinse the rice well to remove excess starch and keep the grains fluffy.
- Use low heat during cooking to prevent scorching.
- Resist the urge to lift the lid while the rice cooks.
- Letting the rice rest for 10 minutes is just as important as the cooking time—it allows the moisture to redistribute evenly.
- For extra richness, stir in a small pat of butter after fluffing.
Greek Lemon Rice Variations
Chicken Shawarma Rice
Add a little cinnamon and cardamom.
Turkish-Inspired Rice
Use butter and a little vermicelli (about 2 tablespoons) if desired.
Vegetarian Version
Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Spicier Rice
Add Aleppo pepper or some chili flakes.
What to Serve with Greek Lemon Rice
- Greek Night At Home Menu
- Homemade Gyros
- Tzatziki Sauce or Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce
- Doner Kebab Sauce
- Garlic Sauce
- Red Chili Sauce or Prepared Sriracha for convenience
- Swedish Kebab Pizza and Pizza Salad or Red Cabbage Salad
- Doner Kebab Shop Plate
- Pickled Red Onions
- Greek Village Salad
- Mediterranean Cucumber Salad
- Lamb or Beef Gyros
- Chicken Gyros
🍽️ Think Like a Restaurant
Great restaurants don’t make a fresh batch of rice for every order.
Instead, they prepare one flavorful rice that becomes the foundation for multiple menu items throughout the day. By making a batch of Greek Lemon Rice, you’ll have the perfect base for quick lunches, easy dinners, and even creative leftovers.
Build Your Menu
Use this rice to make:
- 🥙 Gyros Bowl
- 🍗 Chicken Souvlaki Plate
- 🥩 Beef Gyros Plate
- 🥗 Mediterranean Rice Bowl
- 🍳 Greek Breakfast Bowl
- 🌯 Gyros Wrap with Rice
- 🥙 Mixed Grill Plate
- 🍢 Chicken or Beef Shish Kebab Plate
- 🥬 Falafel Rice Bowl
- 🍤 Grilled Shrimp Rice Bowl
Complete Your Greek Restaurant Night at Home Experience
Pair your lemon rice with:
- Homemade Chicken Souvlaki or Pork Souvlaki
- Gyros recipe
- Greek Seasoning Blend
- Tzatziki Sauce
- Chili Sauce
- Pickled Red Onions
- Horiatiki or Asparagus Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Warm Pita Bread
- Hummus
Prep Once, Enjoy All Week
Make one batch of restaurant-style lemon rice, then enjoy it in different ways throughout the week.
That’s exactly how restaurants maximize flavor, reduce waste, and create a menu full of variety from a handful of well-prepared ingredients.
Serving Ideas
Greek Restaurant Plate
Serve with:
🥙 Chicken souvlaki
🥙 Pork souvlaki
🥙 Gyros
🥣 Tzatziki
🥗 Horiatiki salad or Greek Orzo Salad With Feta
🥔 Lemon potatoes
Greek Bowl
Layer:
- Greek lemon rice
- souvlaki or gyro meat
- Greek salad
- tzatziki
- feta
- herbs
Best Uses for Leftover Greek Lemon Rice
- Gyros Bowl
- Souvlaki Bowl
- Side dish for Gyros and Souvlaki
- Stuffed Peppers and vegetables
- Meal Prep Bowls
Breakfast Remix
Use leftover lemon rice for:
Greek Breakfast Skillet
- lemon potatoes
- gyro meat
- eggs
- feta
- spinach, tomato, bell pepper and onions
- tzatziki drizzle
For tasty ways to repurpose gyros meat, check out our popular post about what to do with gyros (or doner kebab)!
Storage
Refrigerate any extra doner rice in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
You can freeze it for up to 2 months, in freezer-safe Ziploc bags with the air pressed out.
Reheating
To reheat, you can microwave the rice with a splash of water or broth.
Reheat gently on the stovetop, on low heat with a little broth.
More Easy Rice Recipes
- Doner Kebab Shop Yellow Rice
- Instant Pot Chicken Biryani
- Wild Rice Pilaf (Red Lobster Copycat)
- Wild Rice With Mushrooms
- Orzo Rice
- Instant Pot Basmati Rice
- Failproof Sushi Rice
- Vermicelli Rice
- Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
More Mediterranean-Inspired Recipes
- Doner Kebab Shop Night
- Chicken Doner Kebab
- Homemade Doner Kebab Spice Blend
- Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- Red Chili Sauce
- Doner Kebab Sauce
- Doner Kebab Shop Potatoes
- Greek Taverna Night
- Middle Eastern Grill Night
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What type of rice is best for Greek lemon rice?
Can I make Greek lemon rice without an Instant Pot?
Why add lemon juice after cooking?
Can I use Greek seasoning in lemon rice?
How do I store leftover Greek lemon rice?
You’ll Also Love
You’ve got to try this Horiatiki aka Greek Village Salad that’s perfect with any Greek-inspired dinner menus at home. It’s super quick to make and loaded with all of the flavors!
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Instant Pot Greek Lemon Rice Recipe (Mediterranean Rice Pilaf)
Ingredients
- 2¼ Cup Basmati Rice
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- ¼ Cup Lemon Juice, from about 1 medium-sized lemon
- ⅛ Cup Lemon Zest, zest from 1 medium-sized lemon
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
- 2¼ Cup Chicken Broth, homemade or store bought is fine
- ½ teaspoon Salt, optional, depending on amount of salt from chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Basil, fresh, chopped for garnish, if desired. Or substitute other fresh herbs like parsley or dill.
Instructions
- In a rice colander, rinse rice over the sink, until the water runs clear. Removing the starch is important to ensure the rice will have the desired texture at the end.
- In Instant Pot sauté mode, melt the butter. Then add turmeric, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt, if using). Give it a good stir.
- Add the rinsed and drained basmati rice to the melted butter and turmeric lemon sauce in the Instant Pot. Use a large spoon to combine the rice with the butter, turmeric and lemon. You want all the rice to be well-coated.
- Next, you'll pour the chicken broth into the rice in the Instant Pot. Then secure the Instant Pot lid and set it to Seal or Sealing position. Set the pressure cook timer for 15 minutes. Once the pressure cycle has completed, allow to release pressure naturally for 5 minutes, then do a quick release by moving the valve from sealing to venting.
- After the quick release, remove the lid when it is safe to do so (when the pressure pin has dropped).Use a rice paddle or wooden spoon to fluff up the rice.Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle on some fresh chopped basil for garnish, if desired. Enjoy!
Stovetop Instructions
- Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.Add the turmeric, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt, if using, and cook for another 20–30 seconds to bloom the spice. Add the rinsed and drained rice and stir for 1–2 minutes, coating every grain with the butter and spices.Pour in the chicken broth (*IMPORTANT: increase the amount of chicken broth to 3.5 cups). Stir once to combine.Bring the rice to a gentle boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15–18 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the pot from the heat without removing the lid. Let the rice rest for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork or rice paddle and serve.
Additional Information
Tips for Perfect Stovetop Lemon Basmati Rice
- Rinse the rice well to remove excess starch and keep the grains fluffy.
- Use low heat during cooking to prevent scorching.
- Resist the urge to lift the lid while the rice cooks.
- Letting the rice rest for 10 minutes is just as important as the cooking time—it allows the moisture to redistribute evenly.
- For extra richness, stir in a small pat of butter after fluffing.
Nutrition
Note
This recipe is provided for informational purposes only. The above nutritional values are estimates and should only be used as a guide. Please use proper food safety practices, always use a food thermometer to ensure safe cooking temperature, and consult a professional if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
