Instant Pot Lemon Rice

A simple version of the Mediterranean dish Greek lemon rice is this lemon rice. Just 5 ingredients and it’s ready in under 20 minutes. It’s an easy side dish that goes great with any protein any night of the week!

With two growing teenagers, I’m always looking for ways to keep our grocery budget low while still filling their bellies with good, wholesome foods.

Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice and Coconut Rice are the two easy rice recipes I make most often, while Crispy Potato Wedges and Hasselback Potatoes are the two most requested potato recipes.

Both rice and potatoes are affordable, but I tend to lean towards rice because it’s freezer-friendly and hand-off when I use my Instant Pot.

I tried making lemon rice not too long ago and it was a huge hit. I think you’re going to love it too!

Easy Lemon Rice

One of the reasons I love lemon rice so much is because it uses very simple ingredients that I have on hand all the time. No running out to the store for something at the last minute!

It’s also nearly hands-off to make (thanks to the Instant Pot), easily makes multiple batches, is one of the fasted side dishes to make, and freezes perfectly for fast weeknight dinners. It’s naturally gluten-free too, so it’s great when you’re cooking for food allergies.

Let’s break down how quick and easy it is to turn plain rice into the best lemon rice recipe!

Lemon Rice Recipe Ingredients

You only need 5 ingredients for my lemon rice recipe:

• Rice. I prefer jasmine rice, but you can use brown rice, basmati rice, short-grain, long-grain rice, or even parboiled rice – they’ll all work.
• Water.
• Salt.
• Lemon Juice. You can use freshly squeezed lemon juice from whole lemons (recommended) or bottled lemon juice.
• Lemon Zest. From the whole lemons. (Omit if you’re using bottled, but see notes below to increase the lemony flavors.)

Extra Lemony Recipe for Lemon Rice

As written, this recipe was a huge winner for my family. But in case you’re like me and you want a bit extra lemony flavor, you’ll want to have lemon essential oil and/or lemon extract on hand.

These are both optional ingredients and details for using them are in the steps and recipe card below.

How to Make Lemon Rice (Instant Pot Method)

Step 1: Measure rice, water, and salt in the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to “sealing.” Press the “rice” function and cook on medium pressure. The Instant Pot will automatically detect the volume in the pot and cook for the appropriate time.

If your Instant Pot doesn’t have the “rice” function, cook rice according to the following cook times, depending on the type of rice you’re using:

• Black Pearl Rice: 30 minutes
• Brown (Basmati): 22 minutes
• Brown (Short Grain Rice): 24 minutes
• Red Rice: 30 minutes
• White Rice (Long grain Rice, Basmati, or Jasmine): 3 minutes
• White Rice (Sushi): 5 minutes
• Wild Rice (blend): 28 minutes
• Wild Rice (true): 30 minutes

See notes below to make Greek lemon rice without an Instant Pot.

Step 2: When the rice is done, let the pressure release naturally. This will about 10 minutes, give or take.

Step 3: When the pressure pin drops, immediately drizzle the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest over the cooked rice and stir it in using a fork instead of a spoon. This will fluff the rice and distribute the lemon flavor throughout the dish. Be sure to stir to the bottom of the pot, to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.

If you choose to add the optional lemon essential oil and lemon extract, add it with the lemon juice.

Store leftovers for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Tip: If you aren’t serving the rice immediately, leave the lid sealed. This will keep the rice moist and prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. Simply stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest before serving.

Variations for Lemon Rice

I think you’ll love the recipe as it’s written, but you can use lemon rice as a base recipe and make a few tweaks to keep variety in your meal plans:

• Stir in lemon pepper seasoning or an additional 1-3 tablespoons of lemon juice after cooking for an even more lemony flavor.
• Add dried basil before cooking for a delicious lemon herb rice.
• Add ⅛ tsp turmeric to make the rice yellow (this small amount won’t change the flavor much).
• Use chicken broth (or vegetable broth) in place of the water for a richer flavor.
• If you don’t have chicken broth, add a pinch of granulated garlic and onion powder to season the water.
• Add 1 Tbsp of butter (or 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil) per 1 cup of uncooked rice for buttery lemon rice pilaf.
• Add a pinch of red chilies for a bit of heat; add chopped nuts (cashews, almonds, pecans, peanuts, pistachios, etc.) for crunch, and garnish with fresh or dried parsley.

How to Freeze Lemon Rice

Measure 2-4 cups of cooked and seasoned rice into freezer-safe storage bags. The amount of rice you freeze should be the amount of rice you tend to consume in one meal.

Lay the bag flat, remove the excess air, and seal the bag. Label and date the bag and place it in the freezer for 6-8 hours.

Thaw the rice overnight in the refrigerator, or a shallow pan of warm water for a couple hours.

Recipe for Lemon Rice FAQs

More Easy Side Dishes

• Easy Healthy Green Bean Casserole
• Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
• Ridiculously Easy Potato Skins
• Butter Parmesan Zoodles
• Instant Pot Parboiled Rice