Mediterranean lemon rice with chickpeas, spinach, tomatoes, and feta is a 30-minute meatless meal or a facet dish that options conventional components, equivalent to garlic, contemporary lemon juice, olive oil, dried and contemporary herbs. Serve this along with your favourite Mediterranean meals, equivalent to salmon, shrimp, or hen. It is wholesome and gluten-free. Simple sufficient to make on a busy weeknight and fancy sufficient to entertain visitors.
Mediterranean lemon rice
There are such a lot of methods to arrange Mediterranean rice. My model contains conventional components that we affiliate with the Mediterranean weight loss program, equivalent to lemon, oregano, feta cheese, tomatoes, spinach, and chickpeas. This flavorful rice makes an important presentation and can pair fantastically along with your favourite meals! It is gluten-free, meatless, vegetarian, and could be simply made dairy-free utilizing dairy-free feta cheese. Vital: rinse the raw rice totally below working water earlier than cooking it to eliminate additional starch. That can be certain that your Mediterranean rice is mild and fluffy (and never starchy, sticky, or mushy). Extra useful recommendations on which might be beneath. Want extra meatless facet dishes? You may like these household favorites: Greek orzo or refreshing pesto orzo,
Why you will adore it
- Simple 30-minute dinner. This scrumptious recipe takes solely half-hour! And, for those who precook the rice upfront (or use cooked rice), it turns into a one-pan meal, so the cleanup is minimal. It is wholesome, gluten-free, and could be simply made dairy-free (use vegan feta cheese).
- Freezer-friendly recipe. Mediterranean rice is nice for meal prep. Make it forward and freeze for as much as 1 month in an hermetic container.
- Stunning presentation. This isn’t your common boring rice facet dish. It is a restaurant-quality meal that’s as fairly because it’s scrumptious. Strive it and it’d turn into a brand new household favourite!
- It is a Spring and Summer season recipe you can also make year-round. This colourful facet dish will deliver Summer season into your own home even on the coldest day of the yr. It is made with simply accessible components which might be accessible year-round.
What sort of rice to make use of?
- Jasmine or basmati rice. Lengthy-grain rice works one of the best right here.
- Brown rice will prepare dinner a little bit bit longer, however would work nice, too.
- Wild rice will take even longer to prepare dinner, however it can definitely match nicely with the remainder of the components!
How one can rinse rice
It is crucial to rinse the rice for this recipe to eliminate extra starch that you do not want in a light-weight and fluffy Mediterranean rice.
- Place a high-quality mesh strainer set over a big bowl in a kitchen sink.
- Add rice to the strainer and run chilly water over the rice, utilizing your palms to maneuver it, fluff it round, and wash it.
- Dump the water from the bowl sometimes.
- The water will initially be murky however ought to get clearer and clearer as you eliminate extra starch.
- When the water is obvious, you are accomplished washing the rice. Drain it and prepare dinner it in response to the recipe directions.
How one can make Mediterranean lemon rice
The very best factor about this recipe is that it is really easy, versatile, and versatile. Right here is the overview of the instructions (extra detailed quantities and directions are within the recipe card beneath).
1) First, you’ll rinse raw rice nicely below working chilly water to eliminate additional starch. Then, prepare dinner rice with hen broth in a medium saucepan. Check with the rice bundle directions for cooking instances and rice to liquid proportions. Proceed with the remainder of the recipe whereas the rice is cooking.
2) Subsequent, you’ll prepare dinner half of the tomatoes with minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and olive oil for two minutes in a big, high-sided skillet till the tomatoes soften and launch juices. Stir in contemporary spinach till it wilts.
3) Then, add cooked rice, drained chickpeas, lemon juice, and the remaining raw halved grape tomatoes.
4) In a medium bowl, toss cubed Feta cheese with olive oil, lemon juice, and dried oregano.
6) Add this flavored feta cheese combination to the skillet with the lemon rice, tomatoes, and chickpeas, stirring it in. Season with salt and black pepper, to style. That is it! Simplicity at its finest.
Conventional Mediterranean seasonings
To maintain issues easy, I used freshly squeezed lemon juice, contemporary and dried oregano, minced, garlic, salt, and pepper to make this lemon rice. It is a very versatile and versatile recipe with many variations doable. You should use all kinds of spices and herbs to raise this dish. Among the hottest Mediterranean seasonings are listed beneath:
- Herbs. Basil, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, lavender, bay leaf, sage, tarragon, thyme, dill, and cilantro.
- Spices. Smoked paprika, dried parsley, purple pepper flakes, turmeric, saffron, coriander, cumin, fennel, cinnamon, and black pepper.
How one can make it dairy-free and vegan
Use vegan feta cheese. Substitute hen broth with vegetable broth.
Substitutions and variations
- Rice. I used jasmine rice. You may also use basmati rice, any long-grain rice, or Arborio rice.
- Pasta. If you happen to’re on the lookout for different widespread Mediterranean weight loss program decisions rather than rice, I like to recommend orzo or couscous.
- Beans. I like to recommend garbanzo beans (chickpeas) or cannellini beans. You’ll be able to even use cooked lentils.
- Lime or lemon will work nice. Freshly squeezed juice is all the time one of the best!
- Veggies. My favourite veggies so as to add to the Mediterranean lemon rice are chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, inexperienced beans, cucumber, zucchini, arugula, and spinach. Decide and select YOUR favorites!
- Cheese. You should use grated Parmesan or contemporary Mozzarella cheese as an alternative of or along with Feta cheese.
Storage Suggestions
- Fridge. Retailer leftover Mediterranean rice refrigerated, in an air-tight container for as much as 4 days.
- Freezer. This recipe is freezer-friendly and ideal for meal prep! Freeze this dish for as much as 2 months.
How one can reheat
- Range-top. Reheat the leftovers over low-medium warmth in any form of appropriately sized cooking pan. Add a small quantity of olive oil and only a contact of water when reheating, and stir the rice typically.
- Microwave oven. Reheat the leftovers in a deep, high-sided microwave-safe dish (bowl) for about 30 seconds. Take away from the microwave oven, and stir the rice combination nicely. Return to the oven and reheat for 30 extra seconds or extra, till heated by.
What to serve with it
This lemon rice pairs fantastically with any of your favourite meals, together with grilled steak, hen, salmon, shrimp, meatballs, lamb, or lemon cod. You’ll be able to serve it with many Mediterranean dishes – listed here are my recommendations:
- Rooster Stir-Fry with Greens
- Mediterranean Rooster with Solar-Dried Tomatoes, Artichokes, and Capers
- Pan-Seared Salmon with Spinach
- Shrimp Scampi
- Greek Rooster
Different Mediterranean facet dishes you may like
Mediterranean Lemon Rice with Chickpeas, Spinach, Tomatoes, and Feta
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Elements
Lemon rice
- 1 cup raw jasmine rice
- 1.5 cups hen broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 oz grape tomatoes sliced in half
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 oz contemporary spinach chopped
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 15 oz chickpeas canned
Feta cheese combination
- 6 oz feta cheese diced into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon additional virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons chopped contemporary oregano elective
- contemporary oregano for garnish
Directions
Prepare dinner rice
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First, rinse the raw rice. Place a high-quality mesh strainer over a big bowl in a kitchen sink. Add rice to the strainer and run chilly water over the rice, utilizing your palms to maneuver it and wash it. Dump the water from the bowl sometimes. The water will initially be murky however ought to get clearer and clearer as you eliminate extra starch. When the water is obvious, you are accomplished washing the rice.
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Add 1 cup of raw rice and 1.5 cups of hen broth to a medium measurement saucepan. The proportion of liquid to rice will depend upon the kind of rice you employ (consult with the bundle directions).
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Carry to a boil, scale back to a simmer, and prepare dinner the rice for about 20 minutes (once more, confirm the instances with the bundle directions), sometimes stirring, till the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Take away the rice from warmth and let it relaxation coated when you proceed with the remainder of the recipe.
How one can make lemon rice
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In a big, high-sided skillet, mix half of the halved grape tomatoes, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Prepare dinner the tomatoes on medium warmth for about 2 minutes till they soften and launch juices.
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Stir in contemporary spinach and prepare dinner till it wilts.
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Add cooked rice and drained chickpeas.
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Add 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and the remaining raw halved grape tomatoes. Reheat on medium warmth, stirring every little thing to mix. Add 1 additional tablespoon of olive oil for those who like.
How one can make a feta cheese combination
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In a medium bowl, mix cubed Feta cheese with 1 tablespoon of additional virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of dried oregano (add extra to style), 2 tablespoons of chopped contemporary oregano (if utilizing).
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Combine in order that the herbs and olive oil coat the cubed Feta cheese.
Meeting
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Combine half of the feta cheese combination into the skillet with lemon rice. Reheat gently to heat it and soften the cheese with warmth. Take away from warmth. Season with salt and black pepper to style.
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When serving, prime the Mediterranean lemon rice with the remaining feta combination and sprinkle contemporary oregano on prime.
Notes
- Rinse the rice earlier than cooking it. That is to eliminate extra starch, which is current as high-quality white powder round uncooked rice. If you happen to do not rinse it off, the rice can have a sticky, mushy texture, not mild and fluffy like on this recipe.
- Use pre-cooked rice if in case you have it; in that case, use 2 cups of cooked rice.
- Use pasta as an alternative of rice. I like to recommend orzo or couscous.
- Make it dairy-free and vegan. Use vegan feta cheese and vegetarian broth or water to prepare dinner the rice.
- Veggies. My favourite veggies so as to add to the Mediterranean lemon rice are chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, inexperienced beans, cucumber, zucchini, arugula, and spinach. Decide YOUR favorites!
- Cheese. You should use grated Parmesan or contemporary Mozzarella cheese as an alternative of or along with Feta cheese.
- My different favourite Mediterranean-style rice facet dishes are:
- Cilantro-Lime Black Bean Rice
- Parmesan Solar-Dried Tomato Basil Rice
