Instant Pot Lemon Rice

Try this lemon rice recipe for a burst of fresh citrus flavor! Make the classic base recipe or dress it up – you’ll have a quick and easy side dish for dinner either way!

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 hands-off when I use my Instant Pot.

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

EASY LEMON RICE RECIPE

One of the reasons I love lemon rice so much is that 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)
• Super easy to make multiple batches
• One of the fastest side dishes to make
• Freezes perfectly for fast weeknight dinners
• 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!

RICE LEMON RECIPE INGREDIENTS

You only need 5 ingredients for this rice lemon 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. Rinse rice if desired.
• Water. To help the Instant Pot pressurize and cook the rice.
• Salt. I use 1 teaspoon per cup of dry rice. It’s easy to scale this recipe up or down!
• 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.)

Psst! Not all salts are made the same! I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because it doesn’t have microplastics (gross, right?) and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!).

BONUS INGREDIENTS FOR EXTRA LEMONY RICE RECIPES

As written, this lemon rice recipe was a huge winner for my family. But in case you’re like me and you want a bit of extra lemony flavor, try one or more of these:

• Additional 1-3 Tablespoons of lemon juice
• Food-grade lemon essential oil
• Lemon extract

These are optional ingredients that you can add along with the lemon juice for extra lemon flavor.

HOW TO MAKE A LEMON RICE (INSTANT POT METHOD)

Follow these instructions to learn how to make a lemon rice in the Instant Pot.

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, pressure cook the rice according to the following cooking times, based 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

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

Step 3: When the pressure pin drops, remove the lid and immediately drizzle the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest over the cooked rice. 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.

LEMON RICE RECIPE TIPS

How to make lemon rice without an Instant Pot. You can make easy lemon rice in a slow cooker, rice cooker, in the oven, or simmer in a pan on the stove, just like you would any other rice recipe. Cook your rice with your preferred method and pick up with step 3 to add the remaining ingredients.

Store leftovers of lemony rice recipes for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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.

MORE RECIPES FOR LEMON RICE

You can also use this lemon rice recipe as a base and make a few tweaks to add variety to your meal plans. Try one of these recipes for lemon rice with some yummy additions:

• Lemon Pepper Rice: Stir in lemon pepper seasoning or an additional 1-3 Tablespoons of lemon juice after cooking for an even more lemony flavor.
• Lemon Herb Rice: Add herbs such as dried basil with the salt before cooking and garnish with fresh or dried parsley just before serving.
• Yellow Lemon Rice: Add ⅛ tsp turmeric with the salt to make the rice yellow (this small amount won’t change the flavor much).
• Rich Lemon Rice: Use chicken broth (or vegetable broth) in place of the water for a richer flavor.
• Seasoned Lemon Rice: If you don’t have chicken broth, add a pinch of granulated garlic and onion powder to season the water.
• Buttery Lemon Rice: Add 1 Tablespoon of butter (or 1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil) per 1 cup of uncooked rice after cooking.
• Lemon Rice with a Kick: Add a pinch of red chili or red pepper flakes to taste for a bit of heat.
• Lemon Rice with a Crunch: Add chopped nuts (cashews, almonds, pecans, peanuts, pistachios, etc.) just before serving.

How to Freeze Lemon Rice

Measure 2 to 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 in a shallow pan of warm water for a couple of hours.

SERVE LEMONY RICE RECIPES WITH

This Greek rice recipe is a fantastic rice side dish with almost any protein, but we especially like to serve lemon rice with:

• Sheet Pan Lemon Pepper Salmon
• Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma
• Steamed Shrimp
• For a vegan option, it also goes great with Marinated Lentils (and it has extra fiber)!

This lemon rice recipe also complements simple side dishes like:

• Greek Vegetable Salad
• Steamed Vegetables sprinkled with Homemade Greek Seasoning
• Lemon Butter Asparagus
• Sautéed Green Beans

INCLUDING CARBS IN YOUR REAL FOOD GOALS

One big thing I’ve learned on my nutrition journey is that carbs are NOT the enemy.

The internet has painted a negative picture of carbs over the years, when the reality is that we NEED carbs to fuel our bodies. They are literally the body’s source of energy. They’re also required for gut health, hormone regulation, and proper digestion.

Whether you’re chasing kids, studying for tests, driving teens around, or managing a law firm, your body needs energy!

There are two things to consider when it comes to carbohydrates:

1. Quality matters. It’s easy to overeat potato chips, but hard to overeat baked potatoes!
2. Balance matters. You need the right ratio of carbs to fats to proteins (aka macros).

Once I learned which carbs my body responded best to, and how much my body needed every day, I was able to freely enjoy carbs as part of my meals, knowing I was doing something good for my body.

RECIPES FOR LEMON RICE FAQS

MORE EASY RICE RECIPES

• Instant Pot White Rice
• Instant Pot Brown Rice
• Yellow Rice
• Spanish Rice
• Instant Pot Parboiled Rice
• Autumn Rice Pilaf