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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Mediterranean Rice

    Published: Jan 27, 2023 · Modified: Mar 29, 2024 by Nataliia

    Jump to Recipe

    This Mediterranean rice is a simple side dish with veggies, spices and herbs. You can serve it with chicken, lamb or any other side dish for a complete meal.

    A frying pan with yellow cooked rice, diced veggies and fresh oregano on top. . There is a wooden spatula scooping the rice.
    Jump to:
    • Recipe ingredients
    • Step-by-step instructions
    • Recipe tips
    • How to store and reheat
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Other grains you make like
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    This Medeterenian-inspired dish is a combination of aromatic basmati rice, herbs, spices, flavorful olive oil, and colorful vegetables.

    We like it as a side dish with Greek meatballs, chicken kebabs, or lamb chops.

    Recipe ingredients

    Below is a list of ingredients and substitutions to make this recipe. You can find the ingredients quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post.

    • Basmati Rice: I prefer basmati for this particular recipe. When cooked, basmati rice holds its shape, absorbs flavors, and has a light texture. But any other rice will work as well.
    • Extra Virgin Olive oil: EVOL is a staple oil in Mediterranean cuisine. It gives a dish a rich, fruity flavor. You can also use avocado oil instead. 
    • Vegetables: I used onions, garlic, carrots, bell pepper, and zucchini. You can use any vegetables you have in your fridge. 
    • Fresh herbs(optional): fresh herbs are optional, but they add exceptional flavors to the dish. I used oregano and thyme. You can also use dried herbs instead. 
    • Spices: I used turmeric, coriander, and cumin. Besides flavor, turmeric will also make the rice yellow.
    • Salt: I add a little bit to the rice and a few pinches to the vegetables when sauteing to make them more flavorful.
    Recipe ingredients on a white background. The vegetables are on a grey plate.

    Step-by-step instructions

    Step 1. Rinse the rice in a cold water couple of times until the water runs clear. If you have time, I recommend soaking the rice in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the rice to release the starch to make it lighter and fluffier. 

    A stainless steel pot with uncooked rice and water.

    Step 2. In a medium pot or saucepan, add rinsed rice, salt, turmeric, cumin, and coriander. Use the ratio of 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. 

    A stainless steel pot with uncooked rice and water that has yellow color due to added spices.

    Step 3. While the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Peel carrot, onion, and garlic. Remove the seeds from the bell pepper. Dice the carrot, onion, zucchini, bell pepper, and carrot into cubes. Grate or chop garlic clove finely. 

    A cutting board with heaps of diced carrots, zucchini, garlic, onion, yellow bell pepper.

    Step 4. Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add diced vegetables with a pinch of salt, except for garlic. Cook vegetables for about 5-7 minutes over medium heat, stirring them frequently. Now, add chopped garlic, fresh oregano, and thyme (if using). Cook for another 2-3 minutes over medium heat. 

    A stainless steel frying pan with sauteed diced orange, yellow and green vegetables.

    Step 5. Once the vegetables are tender, add cooked rice to the frying pan. Mix everything gently with a spatula. Serve and enjoy!

    A frying pan with yellow cooked rice added on top of vegetables. The wooden spatula is in the pan.

    Recipe tips

    • you can prep the vegetables ahead of time and store them in the fridge.
    • soak the rice for at least 30 minutes for a fluffier texture. 
    • cool down the rice as fast as possible and store it in the fridge.
    • you can use different vegetables to make this recipe. 

    How to store and reheat

    Let the rice cool down and store it in the air-tight container for up to 3 days. Reheat it using a microwave or a frying pan with a little bit of olive oil. 

    You can also freeze cooked rice for up to 3 months. 

    Do not reheat the rice twice.

    Frequently asked questions

    How to make rice yellow?

    Adding a little bit of Turmeric powder will make the rice yellow when cooked.

    Can I use brown rice instead of white?

    Yes, you can use brown rice to make this recipe. Make sure to adjust cooking times, as brown rice takes longer to cook.

    Do I need to soak rice before cooking?

    It is recommended to soak the rice before cooking for a lighter and fluffier texture.

    Other grains you make like

    • Instant pot millet
    • Pearled barley
    • Buckwheat kasha
    • Barley risotto

    📖 Recipe

    A frying pan with yellow cooked rice, diced veggies and fresh oregano on top. There is a wooden spatula scooping the rice.

    Mediterranean Rice

    Nataliia
    This Mediterranean rice is a simple side dish with veggies, spices and herbs. You can serve it with chicken, lamb or any other side dish for a complete meal.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course dinner, lunch, Side Dish
    Cuisine Mediterranean
    Servings 4
    Calories 255 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 medium saucepan with a lid
    • 1 Frying Pan
    • measuring spoons

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup long grain rice
    • 2 cups water
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ medium yellow onion
    • 1 medium carrot
    • 1 small zucchini
    • 1 small bell pepper
    • 1 garlic clove
    • fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon of dried
    • fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon of dried
    • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
    • ¼ teaspoon cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon coriander

    Instructions
     

    • Rinse the rice under cold water two or three times. You can also soak it for 30 minutes to be fluffier.
    • In a medium saucepan, add 1 cup of rinsed rice, 2 cups of water, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, ¼ cumin and ¼ coriander. Bring it to boil, cover and cook on low heat for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
    • While the rice is cooking, chop the vegetables into small cubes. Grate or dice finely the garlic clove.
    • Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan. Once hot, add chopped onion, carrot, zucchini, bell pepper and a pinch of salt. Saute for about 5-7 minutes over medium heat, stirring often. Once the vegetables are tender, add thyme, oregano and fresh garlic. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
    • Add cooked rice to the pan and stir gently to combine. Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    • rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
    • you can use whatever vegetables you have in the fridge.
    • serve it as a main dish or a side dish.
    • it reheats better in a frying pan with a little bit of olive oil.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 255kcalCarbohydrates: 42.5gProtein: 4.4gFat: 7.6gSodium: 163.2mgFiber: 2.2gSugar: 3.2g
    Keyword Mediterranean rice, yellow rice
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Sava's kitchen female author wearing an apron standing in the kitchen.

    Hi, I'm Nataliia, a mom from Ukraine living in the U.S. I share cozy, family-friendly recipes that taste like home, no matter where you are. I hope these recipes end up in your family’s recipe box someday.

    More about Nataliia →

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