garlic rice is a perfect and easy way to liven up your rice side dish
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Many of my recipe ideas come from trying new things in restaurants. Take this rice with garlic, for example.
A few years ago I ate in a Peruvian restaurant with some friends. I had never eaten at a Peruvian restaurant before, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. As I examined the menu, my eyes were met with a few words that determined my food at that very moment: served with garlic rice. Eureka!
I ordered immediately and waited patiently. Almost as patiently as a child who gets up at 4 a.m. on Christmas waits patiently to open the presents. In other words, I was anxious and by the time my food finally arrived I was ready to devour it.
And I’m not going to lie… I devoured it.
What can I add to make the rice taste better?
This is a question I used to ask myself all the time. And honestly, a question I got from many friends.
Growing up, I found it a bit boring. But there are ways you can liven things up. First of all, as in this recipe, you can cook the rice in broth instead of water. Broth is obviously much tastier than water, so it adds a lot more flavor.
You can also add different types of herbs. Cilantro is always a good choice, if you like cilantro. My family always said butter and soy sauce. And while these are all great options, adding garlic to rice is my favorite way to liven it up.
What kind of rice should you use for garlic rice?
I’m not quite sure why I never thought about making rice with garlic before. It is such a simple and easy way to animate rice. I opted to use jasmine rice for this recipe because I have about 20 pounds in my kitchen. It’s my favorite type of rice and worked great for this dish.
For those of you who don’t have much experience with jasmine rice, I really suggest picking up a bag.
Jasmine rice is a fragrant long-grain rice that has a subtle nutty flavor. I use it for almost any dish that requires rice. It can be expensive in grocery stores, but if you have an Asian market near you, you can probably get a 20-pound bag for around $20.
If you have a Costco membership, depending on your inventory, you may even be able to pick up a 20-pound bag for around $15.
How is rice made with garlic?
STEP 1: Heat the butter and olive oil together in a pan until the butter melts.
STEP 2: Add the garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
STEP 3: Add the rice and stir to cover the butter. Let cook until the rice becomes translucent for about 4 minutes.
STEP 4: Pour the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove the lid and fluffy rice with a fork.
This side of rice and I love serving it with my family’s favorite chicken curry and our favorite baked salmon with lemon caper butter.
And if you’re looking for more ways to use this garlic rice, I’ve also made some and stuffed them in portobello mushrooms. It was divine. See for yourself here: Portobello mushrooms stuffed with rice with garlic.
I have made this garlic rice recipe several times over the years and it remains one of our family favorites. My kids practically devour it whenever they can. For those of you who can’t find jasmine rice, you can also substitute for long-grain rice.
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Note: This recipe was originally published in 2009. It was updated in 2020 with step-by-step photos, tips and a video.
