This easy dill rice is a classic in many Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines. Flavorful, fluffy rice is cooked with dill, and the result is a simple but delicious alternative to plain white rice.
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Although regular white rice can be a fantastic side, I usually like to add something extra to improve the flavor of the dish.
This dish is so flavorful that it really adds something to the meal. It's also incredibly easy, and only takes a few minutes longer than cooking regular rice.
Ingredients
To make this amazing rice dish, you will need long grain rice such as Basmati rice or Jasmine rice, fresh dill, olive oil, onion and vegetable stock, chicken stock or water + a chicken stock cube.
Cooking rice in stock or broth gives it so much more flavor, and is a great way to improve any rice. The onion also complements the dish well, and the onion pieces give the rice a much better texture.
Using fresh or dry dill
Although this recipe uses fresh dill, you can use dried dill or dill weed instead.
If you use dry dill, you should add it along with the rice, so that the dill can cook with the rice, rather than combining the two in the end.
You also generally want to use a smaller amount of herbs when you use dry herbs, as they have a more concentrated flavor. Replace 4 tbsp freshly chopped herbs with 2 tsp dry dill.
Instructions
Heat the oil in a pot on medium heat. Add diced onion, and sauté for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add the rice and chicken stock, or water and stock cubes, and cover with a lid. Bring the rice to a boil, then reduce it down to a simmer on low heat. Leave it to gently simmer for about 10 minutes.
The water will now have completely absorbed. Remove the rice from the heat. Stir finely chopped fresh dill into the rice, then cover it with a lid again.
Leave the rice for 2-5 minutes covered with a lid, but away from the heat. This will make the rice more fragrant, and allow it to fluff up. It's then ready to serve!
Top tips
Here are my top tips to succeed with this recipe:
- Make sure to sauté the onion first. This will give it a much sweeter, milder flavor.
- Avoid boiling rice on too high heat, as this might cause it to burn or be dry.
- I recommend covering the pot with a lid, as the steam will make the rice cook better. If you don't have a lid, you will most likely need to add more water.
Serving suggestions
Rice is one of those sides that go well with most meals. Dill rice is a flavorful, but mild dish, which means that it will pair really well with a variety of flavors.
Here are some dishes I think work really well with dill rice. You can see the dish served with tilapia on the image below.
Chicken tikka kebab - Tasty Indian style grilled or roasted chicken.
Chicken spedini - Italian chicken skewers.
Air fryer tilapia - Lean air fried white fish.
Honey mustard chicken breasts - Tasty baked chicken.
Air fryer pork chops - Air fried marinated pork chops.
Leftovers
You can store leftover dill rice in a refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it in a microwave for a few minutes, then serve it warm.
You can also freeze cooked rice in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw and reheat the rice before serving.
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Frequently asked questions
You can use either dry or fresh dill for dill rice.
Dill rice is a side dish commonly found in several cuisines, but most notably Persian. Rice is cooked with dill to give the grains more flavor.
Recipe
Dill Rice
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup rice (350 g)
- 2 cups chicken stock (or water + 2 chicken stock cubes)
- 1 onion
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp finely chopped dill
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pot on medium heat. Add diced onion, and sauté for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the rice and chicken stock, or water and stock cubes, and cover with a lid. Bring the rice to a boil, then reduce it down to a simmer on low heat. Leave it to gently simmer for about 10 minutes.
- The water will now have completely absorbed. Remove the rice from the heat. Stir finely chopped fresh dill into the rice, then cover it with a lid again.
- Leave the rice for 2-5 minutes covered with a lid, but away from the heat. This will make the rice more fragrant, and allow it to fluff up. It’s then ready to serve!
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