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If you are looking for a simple way to add flavor to white rice, make this Butter Rice. It is simple to make and is the perfect side dish to any recipe.
Butter Rice is a delicious side dish that everyone loves. You only need a few spices and it turns bland rice into a flavorful side dish. Rice is a staple side dish that can be made and seasoned in many different ways.
We have made Lemon Rice, Sticky Rice, Stick of Butter Rice and Garlic Butter Rice for an easy side dish to many main dish recipes.
Table of Contents
Why We Love Butter Rice
We love making rice because it is budget friendly and is easy to prepare. We enjoy it plain but adding butter gives it rich flavors that pairs perfectly to many recipes.
My pantry is always stocked with rice and simple spices so I can easily make this recipe to complete any meal.
Ingredients
- Long-Grain White Rice – Long-grain white rice works best for this recipe, but you can substitute with jasmine rice or basmati rice for a different flavor profile.
- Butter – We like to use unsalted butter
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
Seasoning Variations
- Garlic Powder – For a garlic flavor, add in about 1 tsp of fresh garlic cloves with the butter and cook golden brown.
- Onion Powder – Add in ½ tsp of onion powder to the stick of butter rice for delicious flavor. We have even added a can of condensed French Onion Soup for another delicious variation.
- Chicken Broth – Substitute the water with chicken broth or beef broth for even more flavor.
- Vegetables – When serving the rice garnish with slice mushrooms or peas.
- Curries – Curry Powder is another great addition to this butter rice. Start with ½ teaspoon and more if needed.
How to Make Butter Rice
Step 1 – Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs clear.
Step 2 – In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed rice, water, 2 tablespoons of butter, and salt. Melt butter and combine with the other ingredients over medium heat.
Step 3 – Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 18 minutes.
Step 4 – After 18 minutes, remove the pan from heat and let it sit, covered, for an additional 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and black pepper. Fold in the chopped parsley and serve hot. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Preparing Rice – Rinsing the rice removes excess starch, resulting in fluffier rice. However, if you prefer stickier rice, you can skip this step.
- Cooking Rice – While cooking the rice, make sure to cover the rice while it simmers. We recommend keeping the lid on the saucepan as the rice cooks.
- Fluffing Rice – After the rice is finished cooking, we like to fluff with a fork after it rest for a few minutes.
- Adding Water – Make sure to add the right amount of water to the saucepan so the rice absorbs the liquid. This will prevent the rice from being soggy.
What to Serve with Butter Rice?
This Butter Rice is the perfect side dish to your favorite pork, beef, and chicken recipes. These are some of our favorite recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, butter adds a delicious flavor to the rice and it also helps to prevent the rice from sticking.
Yes, we do recommend rinsing the rice before cooking. This remove any debris and the starchy texture from the rice.
If you follow the recipe as it is written, instant rice should not be used. The texture will not be the same and it will not taste as good.
Store the leftover butter rice in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Yes, you can freeze butter rice in a freezer bag or a freezer container. The rice will stay fresh for up to 3 months if stored correctly. Thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to serve again.
You can easily reheat the rice in the microwave. But if you need to reheat a larger portion of rice, place in a baking dish covered with foil and reheat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and reheat the rice for about 10 minutes.
More Easy Rice Recipes
Easy Side Dishes
Microwave Brown Rice
Best One Pot
Easy Dirty Rice Recipe
Easy Stove Top
Easy Chicken Fried Rice
If you make this Butter Rice Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review. We love to hear from you.
Butter Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs clear.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed rice, water, 2 tablespoons of butter, and salt.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 18 minutes.
- After 18 minutes, remove the pan from heat and let it sit, covered, for an additional 5 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and black pepper.
- Fold in the chopped parsley and serve hot. Enjoy!
Loved the flavor and it was so easy to make!