Des

Hey! I'm Des!

Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

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Garlic Rice

This garlic rice is a perfect, easy way to jazz up your rice side dish. 

 

A lot of my recipe ideas come from trying new things at restaurants. Take this Garlic Rice for instance.

A few years back I ate at 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 perused the menu, my eyes came across a few words that determined my meal right then and there: Served with garlic rice. Eureka!

Garlic rice in a white bowl on a wooden cutting board.

I ordered right away and I waited patiently. About as patiently as a kid who gets up at 4am on Christmas morning patiently waits to open 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 gonna lie… devour it I did.

What can I add to make rice taste better?

This is  question I used to ask myself all the time. And honestly, a question that I got from a lot of friends.

Growing up, I found it kind of boring. But there are ways that you can jazz things up. First of, like in this recipe, you can cook the rice in broth instead of water. Broth is obviously much more flavorful than water so it adds much more flavor.

You can also add different kinds of herbs. Cilantro is always a good option, if you like cilantro that is. My family would always say butter and soy sauce. And while these are all great options, adding garlic to rice is my absolute favorite way to jazz it up.

Which type of rice should you use for garlic rice?

I am not quite sure why I never thought to make garlic rice before. It is such a simple and easy way to jazz up rice. I opted to use jasmine rice for this recipe because I have about 20 pounds of it sitting in my kitchen. It is my favorite kind of rice and worked very well for this dish.

For those of you that 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 just about any dish that calls for rice. It can be expensive at grocery stores but if you have an Asian market near you you can probably get a 20lb bag for around $20.

cooked rice in a white bowl

If you have a Costco membership, depending on their inventory, you might even be able to pick up a 20lb bag for around $15.

How do you make garlic rice?

STEP 1: Heat butter and olive oil together in a pan until butter melts.

STEP 2: Add garlic. Cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

STEP 3: Add rice and stir to coat in the butter. Allow to cook just until rice becomes translucent about 4 minutes.

STEP 4: Pour in broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook 20 – 25 minutes. Carefully remove lid and fluff rice with a fork.

Step by Step Photos for how to make garlic rice.

This rice side dish and I LOVE serving it with my family’s favorite Chicken Curry and our favorite Baked Salmon with Lemon Caper Butter.

Spoonful of garlic rice.

And if you are looking for more ways to use this garlic rice, I’ve also made some and stuffed it in portobello mushrooms. It was divine. Check it out for yourself here: Garlic Rice Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms.

I have made this recipe for garlic rice several times over the years and it is still one of our family favorites. My boys pretty much devour it every chance that they get. For those of you that cannot find jasmine rice, you can substitute long grain rice too.

Other Best Easy Side Dish Recipes:

Roasted Red Potatoes

Sauteed Broccoli Recipe

Zucchini Cakes

Note: This recipe was originally posted in 2009. It was updated in 2020 with step by step photos, tips and a video.

Overhead photo of garlic rice in a white bowl.

Garlic Rice

This garlic rice is a the perfect, easy way to jazz up your rice side dish. It is a great quick side dish for weeknight meals.
4.6 from 21 votes
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Side Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 245 kcal

Ingredients
  

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • chopped fresh parsley

Instructions
 

  • In a saucepan over medium heat combine butter and olive oil. Once butter has melted add garlic and cook one minute.
  • Stir in rice, cook until rice becomes slightly translucent. Stirring occasionally to make sure rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. About 4 minutes. Rice may brown slightly.
  • Stir in chicken broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and let cook 20-25 minutes.
  • Carefully remove lid, fluff rice with a fork and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
  • Serve.

Notes

Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcalCarbohydrates: 38.4gProtein: 6.1gFat: 7.2gSaturated Fat: 2.5gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 411mgFiber: 2.6gSugar: 0.5g
Tried this recipe?Mention @lifesambrosia or tag #lifesambrosia!
Keywords: garlic, Latin American, Recipe, rice, side dish

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




  • Reply
    Kimi
    August 30, 2023 at 5:10 am

    Can you use minced garlic instead of fresh garlic slices? It sounds good and can’t to taste it. Making garlic butter steak bites.

    • Reply
      Deseree
      August 30, 2023 at 9:27 pm

      I never have used pre-minced garlic in this but I don’t see why not! Hope you enjoy this and the steak bites :)

  • Reply
    Rich
    August 5, 2023 at 8:44 am

    Hi. How would you think it would taste with vegetable broth?
    Thanks!!

    • Reply
      Deseree
      August 12, 2023 at 4:05 pm

      I’ve made it with vegetable broth before when I was serving some vegetarian friends, it worked great!

  • Reply
    Ariane
    March 19, 2023 at 2:53 pm

    5 stars
    Simple and tasty!!!! Thanks.

    • Reply
      Deseree
      March 20, 2023 at 10:01 pm

      You’re welcome!! Thanks for your feedback!

  • Reply
    Lelia Andrews
    February 26, 2023 at 5:59 pm

    5 stars
    Fantastic! I love the slightly nutty flavor. I paired it with seared butter garlic chicken breasts. They complemented each other nicely.

    • Reply
      Deseree
      February 26, 2023 at 9:13 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it, Lelia!! That sounds like a perfect dinner!

  • Reply
    Margaret
    January 26, 2023 at 7:40 pm

    5 stars
    This rice was the bomb my family truly enjoyed it.

    • Reply
      Deseree
      January 27, 2023 at 8:45 pm

      Yay! So happy to hear that, Margaret!

  • Reply
    Carey
    January 8, 2023 at 2:04 pm

    3 stars
    Loved the flavour; family only gave it a 5:10 as consistency was very heavy/ not fluffy, and made it too filling…not sure what I did wrong, however the rice was very gluey; was really hopefully for this one!

  • Reply
    Harriet
    January 2, 2023 at 1:51 pm

    5 stars
    I know this recipe has been around for a while but I only just came across it today. The whole family loved this, we had it with Keema. We have loads left over so we will use it as an egg fried rice tomorrow. Thank you very much for this recipe, we used around 6 garlic cloves as we are all garlic lovers.

    • Reply
      Deseree
      January 4, 2023 at 11:34 am

      I am so happy to hear that, Harriet! Thank you for taking the time to review! :)

  • Reply
    Romana
    October 20, 2022 at 9:23 am

    Hi, what’s the recipe you use for chicken broth? :)

    • Reply
      Deseree
      October 20, 2022 at 10:08 am

      Hi! I usually use the low-sodium Better than Bouillon. :)

  • Reply
    Patricia
    June 5, 2022 at 5:18 pm

    Can I substitute powdered garlic for the sliced garlic.

    • Reply
      Deseree
      June 6, 2022 at 1:39 pm

      Patricia, I’ve never tried doing it that way before so I can’t say it would taste the same. If you do try it, I would add the garlic powder with the chicken broth. It would likely burn if you sauteed the rice in it. Hope this helps!

  • Reply
    Kyle
    April 1, 2022 at 7:34 am

    Can you use water or a mix of water and chicken broth?

    • Reply
      Deseree
      April 1, 2022 at 6:28 pm

      You can! The rice wouldn’t have as much flavor (more like steamed rice with garlic) but still good! Half water/half broth would also be good.

  • Reply
    Scott
    October 24, 2021 at 3:32 pm

    5 stars
    Made this last week with Basmati rice….our preference. My wife has talked about this rice a dozen times since! Tonight I’m making Asian chicken lettuce wraps and my wife aaked me to make THIS RICE specifically to have with the wraps. I consider this a winner! It was very tasty, very fluffy, and the first time I made it, my wife had the leftover rice for lunch the next day…a woman who RARELY eats leftover ANYTHING! I followed the recipe other than a little cracked black pepper and a couple of extra garlic cloves…absolutely delicious! MAKE THIS RICE! You will NOT be disappointed!

    • Reply
      Deseree
      October 24, 2021 at 8:49 pm

      Thank you for such a fabulous review, Scott! I am so happy to hear that you and your wife enjoyed it!

  • Reply
    Kie
    June 15, 2021 at 7:50 pm

    5 stars
    Can this be cooked using rice cooker?

    • Reply
      Deseree
      June 16, 2021 at 10:21 am

      Kie, I have not personally made it in a rice cooker but a few people in the comments have! If your rice cooker has a saute feature you could use that. Or you could do the sautéing in a pan and then transfer it to the rice cooker, pour in the chicken broth and cook as usual. :)

  • Reply
    rob howard
    April 25, 2021 at 12:41 am

    5 stars
    can the rice be cooked in a rice cooker after the initial steps?

    • Reply
      Deseree
      April 25, 2021 at 4:55 pm

      Hi Rob! I don’t see why not but I have not personally tried it so I can’t be sure.

  • Reply
    dom leacy
    March 30, 2021 at 10:13 am

    5 stars
    Absolutely fantastic,
    we love it ,and have passed the rcipe on to my family,
    works with so many things,,
    Regards from sunny hertfordshire, uk

    • Reply
      Deseree
      April 1, 2021 at 5:11 pm

      Thank you so much! I am happy that you and your family love it! Also, little jealous of your sunshine from here in Seattle ;)

  • Reply
    Cody
    March 3, 2021 at 4:20 am

    1 star
    I found it to be extremely salty and almost porridge like.

    • Reply
      Deseree
      March 3, 2021 at 9:34 am

      I’m sorry to hear that! The saltiness could be because of the chicken broth used. You can fix that by using a low-sodium chicken broth or doing half chicken broth/half water. I am not sure of the issue with the consistency though. I’ve never had that problem but would be happy to help you trouble shoot. Can you tell me what kind of rice you used?

  • Reply
    Mateus
    January 10, 2021 at 8:04 am

    5 stars
    This is the brazilian recipe of rice!! hahahaha. Just: Oil + Fresh minced garlic + Rice + Sault = the perfect rice! ❤

    • Reply
      Deseree
      January 12, 2021 at 10:19 pm

      It is the perfect rice!

  • Reply
    Barbara Parsons
    December 9, 2020 at 1:22 pm

    5 stars
    I was just browsing through some recipes when the term “garlic rice” caught my eye. I’m fixing Korean spicy lamb chops tonight and voila!!! this will be the perfect side. Everything about the recipe–its presentation and instruction and finished dish photos–convinced me to try it. I’m sure it will be perfect.

  • Reply
    Jacqui
    April 26, 2020 at 11:03 am

    5 stars
    I made this in a rice steamer by adding the rice, microwaving the garlic, olive oil and butter and putting it in with the rice and mixing it up, adding the chicken stock and mixing all…. and then steaming the rice the same way I always do and it worked out PERFECTLY!! SO delicious! Thank you for the recipe!!

    • Reply
      Deseree
      April 29, 2020 at 8:54 am

      It’s great to know that you can do it in the steamer this way!! Glad you enjoyed it :)

  • Reply
    Adrienne
    October 15, 2019 at 1:20 pm

    5 stars
    I made this recipe using the mixed basmati rice from Trader Joe’s. Everyone raved about it. This is how I’ll serve it to my family from now on. Thanks.

  • Reply
    linda mcintosh
    August 4, 2019 at 1:58 pm

    5 stars
    so very good……we loved it ….thank you for sharing your recipe

  • Reply
    Laura
    April 25, 2019 at 11:31 pm

    5 stars
    Deseree, thank you! Veru tasty and easy-to-cook) Pinned it)

    • Reply
      Deseree
      April 26, 2019 at 4:38 pm

      You’re welcome! And thank you!

  • Reply
    Caprine Agrotech
    February 25, 2019 at 3:50 am

    3 stars
    Your recipes are great, simple and yummy. They really bring in our interest into cooking. Love them.

  • Reply
    Marcia Keys
    January 1, 2019 at 9:17 am

    5 stars
    Excellent ! Perfect!

    This recipe elevates rice to something a little more special than just cooked rice. It’s fragrant with just a hint of garlic.

    It works well with brown rice too. I tried it with garlic that I bought chopped in a jar but that didn’t work as well.

    • Reply
      Deseree
      January 3, 2019 at 11:15 am

      That is wonderful to hear! And also good to know that it works with brown rice as well. How long did you cook it?

  • Reply
    shannon ryan
    April 24, 2018 at 4:11 pm

    5 stars
    Very easy and very good!

    • Reply
      Deseree
      April 24, 2018 at 8:50 pm

      So happy to hear that Shannon!

  • Reply
    Carl Murphy
    March 11, 2018 at 2:59 pm

    5 stars
    Me and my family have been making this recipe consistently now! We add the zest of one lemon for 1 1/2 cups rice when we fluff the rice after cooking. It’s a nice variation.

    • Reply
      Deseree
      March 12, 2018 at 10:14 am

      I am loving that variation! Garlic and lemon is always a great combo!

  • Reply
    Qeryn
    January 9, 2018 at 1:55 am

    Hi Deseree, I found your recipe and it seems amazing :). One question: I usually cook rice in a rice cooker. Do you know if this recipe is feasible in a rice cooker and how? Thank you for your help!

    • Reply
      Deseree
      January 9, 2018 at 1:23 pm

      Hey Qeryn!
      If your rice cooker has a sautéing feature, I think that you could use it! If not, I think this would be better in a pot :)

      • Reply
        Melinda
        May 14, 2018 at 12:49 pm

        5 stars
        I followed the recipe until step 2 in a sauté pan and then put it in a rice cooker with the liquid and it turned out perfect!

        • Reply
          Deseree
          May 14, 2018 at 1:04 pm

          Thank you for this! I have had people ask if it works well in a rice cooker, that is good to know! :)

  • Reply
    Steve Smith
    January 21, 2017 at 2:33 am

    I made this last night as a side dish to Baked Haddock. It was delicious! I will definitely make this again and again! Thank you Deseree.

    • Reply
      Des @ Life's Ambrosia
      January 22, 2017 at 7:52 pm

      You are so welcome Steve! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! :)

  • Reply
    BonaFideBlondie
    August 25, 2016 at 8:28 pm

    I made this for dinner tonight, and this recipe is definitely going into my regular dinner rotation. It was a hit. I added a little extra garlic (wouldn’t have hurt to have even more), and I should have turned the heat down to low as I would usually do because it burnt a bit on the bottom in 20 minutes.

  • Reply
    Eileen Eisler Wagner
    February 18, 2016 at 8:16 pm

    I was so excited to try this that within 10 minutes of reading it I had it on the stove! Haha! And I must say… OMG soooooo good!!!! I had to settle with using what was in the house, so I substituted vegetable broth for chicken broth (we have some vegetarians in our household), used 5 large cloves of garlic instead of 4 (as we’re all garlic lovers!), and since vegetable broth can be rather bland, I also added 1/2 tsp salt. Just smelling it cooking made my mouth water, and I couldn’t wait to dig into it! I was amazed at just how simple it was, with such an amazing outcome! Thanks for the awesome recipe, it’s now a family favorite! Highly recommended!

    • Reply
      Deseree
      February 18, 2016 at 9:28 pm

      You are welcome Eileen! I am so happy you liked it! :)

  • Reply
    Chayoroxx G
    August 27, 2015 at 11:26 am

    I made this rice about 2 weeks ago and it went fast. It is so simple to make and sooooo delicious. I sliced my garlic. My husband wants me to add at least 15 more sliced garlics. We are garlic lovers. My son only wanted to eat this when I made it. (GO MOM)
    The Jasmine rice gives it an added good taste as well. I am so happy I found this recipe.

    • Reply
      Des @ Life's Ambrosia
      August 27, 2015 at 12:47 pm

      Thank you @chayoroxxg:disqus! I am so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed it! :)

  • Reply
    Becky
    May 26, 2013 at 8:46 am

    My sister-in-law is married into a Filipino family. They have rice and garlic for breakfast. Served with fried eggs on top so they can be chopped into the eggs. Its a great boost in the morning.

  • Reply
    Conchi
    August 22, 2012 at 1:07 pm

    Hmmm!!!! I found the recipe. It looks scrumptious. I note that the garlic used is not mashed, but rather, sliced. Has anyone made it both ways? Any preference?

  • Reply
    Evelyn
    February 28, 2012 at 12:08 pm

    I love rice, and I also love cooking, Garlic rice its really tasty.
    I have a couple of more suggestions for rice. Put in your blender the normal water You r going to use to cook your rice, parsley and a sachet of chicken bouillon?? and cook it as normally You do. It will b a green rice and it’s yummy!
    I love it!!!! Hope You like

  • Reply
    Debra
    February 13, 2011 at 8:41 pm

    I make this rice whenever I want a little something different. My husband cant get enough, it’s even delicious by itself. YUM.

  • Reply
    Deseree
    December 7, 2009 at 9:54 am

    Thank you Marilyn! And congrats to you on 44 years of marriage, that’s wonderful! :)

  • Reply
    Marilyn
    December 5, 2009 at 6:04 pm

    Also made this tonight with the Adobo chicken, it was a great hit. The rice is very tasty and very aromatic. Didn’t use the full amount of garlic as the husband is not wild about garlic, but I married him anyways 44 years ago!!!!

  • Reply
    Jessie
    December 4, 2009 at 10:56 am

    oh man garlic and rice together? I’m in love!

  • Reply
    Lex
    December 3, 2009 at 5:40 pm

    Garlic Rice is delicious! Sometimes I like to add some white wine with the stock and then add chopped cilantro right before serving.

  • Reply
    michelle
    December 3, 2009 at 9:55 am

    garlic? rice? I’m sold!

  • Reply
    Liesl
    December 3, 2009 at 9:53 am

    This sounds like a delicous side!! I love garlic!

  • Reply
    Von
    December 2, 2009 at 11:12 pm

    Wow- I’ve never thought of garlic rice either, but it’s such a smart idea! It sounds and looks so good!

  • Reply
    tigerfish
    December 2, 2009 at 9:17 pm

    It sounds so aromatic!

  • Reply
    shannon
    December 2, 2009 at 3:21 pm

    YES! Love garlic in any form so I can’t wait for this one! Thanks for the birthday shout out:)

  • Reply
    Jenn
    December 2, 2009 at 3:12 pm

    YUMMY!!! I was just trying to think of a new way to serve rice! Thank you!!!

  • Reply
    Kacey
    December 2, 2009 at 2:19 pm

    This sounds delicious! I bet the aromas of the garlic, parsley, and jasmine rice are wonderful! I will definitely be trying this recipe!

  • Des

    Hey! I'm Des!

    Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

    Read more »

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