Seasoned Rice is a homemade version of the flavoured boxed rices like Rice-A-Roni and Uncle Ben’s! A quick way to add flavour to white rice to make it super tasty, this is a rice side that’s economical, simple to make, and goes with literally everything.
Make a big batch and refrigerate 4 days or freeze 3 months.
Buttery Seasoned Rice
I tell my friends this is the rice version of Potato Salad – you make a big batch, stash it in the fridge and bring it out night after night to serve with everything.
Except unlike Potato Salad, this rice recipe can also be frozen. Whip it out of the freezer, pop it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Anyone for a 2 minute instant side – that didn’t come from a box??!!
Rice Side Dish for everything!
Don’t get me wrong, plain rice has its place in this world. Doused with saucy stir fries, smothered in spicy curries. But you do need a sauce.
So how do you make plain white rice so tasty, you will want to eat a meals’ worth straight out of the pot?? Cook it with stock powder/bouillon, some spices and add a good wack of butter!
Flavourings and spices for seasoned rice
Here’s what goes in this seasoned rice. You can make this with any white rice other than speciality rices like risotto, paella and sushi rice. Also see the recipe notes for how to adjust this for brown rice.
Don’t worry if you don’t have all the spices, there are plenty of alternatives! See below the photo for a list.
Substitution for spices
You could skip one of the spices and it will still taste similar. Or you can substitute as follows:
Garlic powder – melt 1 tbsp (15g) butter and cook 2 finely chopped garlic cloves until golden, then add rice, water and all other ingredients and cook per recipe;
Onion powder – add extra 1/2 tsp garlic powder instead;
Paprika – just skip it, adds a touch of warm earthy flavour and a bit of colour, not critical;
Thyme – not critical. Best sub is dried oregano, followed by basil. 1/4 tsp sage powder is SO GOOD as well.
Parsley – optional, this is more for visual, to get the little green specks in the rice. Sub with basil, or stir through 1 cup finely sliced green onion, or 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley or chives.
How to make rice taste better!
Here’s how to make this flavoured rice which comes out beautifully fluffy – with the added bonus of no scorched pot base too!
Place rice, water and all the seasonings into a large saucepan or small pot and give it a good stir;
Bring to a simmer over medium high heat until there’s bubbles around the edges and the entire surface is rippling, and it foams a bit (you’ll see in the video);
Place a tight fitting lid on, then turn down to medium low – or low for strong stoves. You want the water to still be simmering – if the heat is too low, then the rice just sits there in hot water, bloating, rather than absorbing. Too high, and it will bubble over and out the sides of the pot. NO PEEKING – the lid needs to stay on to trap the steam inside – this will ensure your rice cooks evenly;
After 13 minutes, remove from the stove and let it rest for 10 minutes – the rice will finish cooking during this time (if you try the rice as soon as it comes off the stove, you’ll find the surface of the grain is wet and the inside is still uncooked);
Add butter and fluff up the rice with a rubber spatula – the residual heat will melt the butter. I recommend using at least 3 tbsp (50g) for a lovely buttery rice, but you can reduce to 2 tbsp (30g) if you want. Or sub with extra virgin olive oil, or just skip the butter – it will still be very tasty rice!
Pile onto serving platter, sprinkle with parsley or something green for presentation if you wish. Dig in!
How to properly store cooked rice
Cooked rice will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge (I say 4 to be safe). Cool the seasoned rice rapidly – tumble it out of the pot into a large bowl, or if you scaled up the batch then spread out on tray(s). Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking.
The stories you may have heard about food safety and cooked rice revolves around large volumes of cooked rice sitting out for hours and hours, creating a cosy environment for bacteria to grow which can lead to food poisoning. This is typical of large scale cooking, not home cooking (because vast quantities of rice takes ages to cool down).
A single batch of this seasoned rice will cool to room temp in 40 minutes once in a serving bowl, so you’ll have no practical issues with storing.
What to serve with Seasoned Rice
This is a rice side dish that will pretty much go with any foods other than Asian food and curries (they’ve got enough flavour in them as it is!).
It’s tasty enough to eat plain without sauce, quick enough for midweek meals yet so good you’ll want it on the table of grander affairs too! Here’s a few suggestions for mains to serve with this:
It would also be terrific to make a meat-free meal out of things like these:
AND stuff them into BURRITOS!!
Now, kiss those boxed rices goodbye, and make a big batch of this rice and refrigerate for days, or freeze it! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Buttery Seasoned Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain white rice , uncooked (Note 1 for brown rice)
- 3 1/4 cups water (cold tap water)
- 2 tsp chicken powder / granulated bouillon , or 2 cubes dissolved in boiling water (Note 2)
- 1 tsp garlic powder *
- 1 tsp onion powder *
- 1 tsp paprika *
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme *
- 2 tbsp dried parsley *, optional
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Stir through:
- 50g / 3 tbsp butter, unsalted (or MORE!)
Instructions
- Place all Rice ingredients in a large saucepan and give it a stir.
- Bring to simmer over medium high heat (edges bubbling, entire surface rippling), put the lid on and turn stove down to medium low (LOW for strong stoves). It should be simmering gently.
- Cook for 13 minutes – do not lift lid!
- Tilt pot then QUICKLY peek to ensure all water is absorbed.
- Remove from stove, stand 10 minutes with lid on.
- Add butter and fluff rice with a rubber spatula. Serve!
- Storage – please read Note 4.
- Rice cooker – Same ingredients, water and rice ratio. Pop it all in your rice cooker and cook per manufacturer directions, stir through butter at end.
Recipe Notes:
- Garlic powder – melt 1 tbsp (15g) butter and cook 2 finely chopped garlic cloves until golden, then add rice, water and all other ingredients and cook per recipe.
- Onion powder – add extra 1/2 tsp garlic powder instead
- Paprika – just skip it, adds a touch of warm earthy flavour and a bit of colour, not critical
- Thyme – not critical. Best sub is dried oregano, followed by basil. 1/4 tsp sage powder is SO GOOD as well.
- Parsley – optional, this is more for visual, to get the little green specks in the rice. Sub with basil, or stir through 1 cup finely sliced green onion, or 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley or chives.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Dozer thinks the social distancing rules don’t apply to him – lucky police aren’t fining DOGS for non compliance with these new laws!!
I LOVE YOU! I’ve been to nice restaurants but this is by far the best rice ever!!! Mmmm 😋
This rice is amazing!!!!! The spices are perfect!
I have made this a few times now as written. Decided to use chicken broth today instead of water and the taste was even better!
So I am cooking this right now!! On low on my stove top….. Followed everything to the T. Let’s see how it turns out!!
This rice is very flavorful. Thanks for another delicious recipe.
Great recipe. Plan to make this next. Beats anything boxed with all of the processed stuff.
Hello can i use chicken stock instead of powder?
I tried this today and it was sooo good!!
Did you replace the water with chicken stock??
hi! i used chicken stock and it worked fine!
Very good side dish. The flavor isn’t overpowering, but still tastes great. Nice to serve with a flavor packed chicken or pork dish.
It’s delicious (not surprised). Your recipes work 😋. I will definitely be making this more often. Thank you.
Hi Nagi!
I saw a couple of people asked before but may have missed if you responded; can this be made in a rice cooker?
Thanks!
I am making tonight along with skillet chicken breast portions Italian style and a vegetable, I have made before and it was delicious
Came out PERFECT!
I used Massel brand stock powder, all the powdered spices mentioned except the garlic I cooked fresh in butter (as per recipe). Yumbo!
(sending ear scratch for Dozer) xxx
Could you please tell me the brand of chicken powder please??!! I’ve tried 2 that weren’t very good. Please help!
Hi Gina, I’ve used continental here, even Vegeta works too! N x
Looks so good! Can I use rice cooker for this?
Not sure what I did wrong but this for me was too salty and just tasted like fake chicken stock flavour…would not make again…sorry
Hi Kirsty, since you have mentioned this on a couple of recipes, all I can think is that you’re using table salt in cooking which equals far more salt than actually called for. Can you confirm if you’re using cooking salt (larger granules) or table salt (fine granules) – N x
It also makes a difference in what kosher salt you use. The Morton brand is far more salty than the Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If salt is an issue for some readers, try to buy the Diamond Crystal brand. It is hard to find and is a little more pricey but worth it. I found some at a local chain store called Raley’s or Belair Market.
This rice is excellent! My husband who doesn’t like rice gobbled down what was left after serving everyone. Definitely a weekly rotation! Thank you Nagi and tell Dozer Hi
Omg that rice is everything! I’m never making white rice again. Thank you so much, I love it!
You’re totally converted now Jamie!! N x
Just wow. So simple and tastes amazing. Somehow even addictive. 😂 Never buying processed flavoured rice in a bag again. Haha
Very good – perfectly seasoned.
Thanks Nagi!
Holly
I LOVE this recipe! Its my go-to-side-dish. I haven’t bought a RiceARoni type mix since finding this recipe. TY so much! Btw, yours is my go-to-recipe-site. You have yet to disappoint. Especially love your curries. Thanx again💜!