Italian Rice

Our Italian Rice recipe is a delicious mix of basmati rice, Roma tomatoes, arugula, fresh basil, kalamata olives, capers, shallot, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and zest. It’s a light and delicious Italian rice dish to serve with grilled chicken and fish or add it to your favorite Mediterranean bowls instead of plain ol rice.

You will love this bright and flavorful Italian style rice. It’s quick and easy to make and it adds so much flavor to every meal. You can pair it with any of your Mediterranean favorites.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Fresh Flavors. This Italian rice pilaf is bursting with fresh flavors . We use our delicious Italian Salsa and toss it with fluffy basmati rice to create this delicious Italian rice.
• Great For Entertaining. This is a beautiful Italian rice dish to serve with grilled chicken, fish, kebabs and all of your Mediterranean favorites.
• Simple To Make. This recipe comes together in about 30 minutes start-to-finish.

Italian Rice Recipe Ingredients

• Basmati Rice. We use white basmati rice.
• Water. You’ll need it to cook the rice in.
• Butter. To add flavor to the rice, we add a little butter and sea salt to the pot as the rice cooks.  
• Roma Tomatoes. We like to use Roma tomatoes because they are firmer, less watery and have fewer seeds.
• Fresh Basil. Fresh basil adds a lot of flavor to this Italian rice pilaf.
• Arugula.  Chopped arugula also adds a lot of flavor to the mix. It also adds a pop of color!
• Kalamata Olives AND Capers. We add Kalamata olives and capers for a delicious salty flavor.
• Garlic AND Shallots.  We use a little minced garlic and shallots which adds another layer of flavor.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. Use a good extra-virgin olive oil.
• Lemon Juice AND Zest. This makes this salsa fresh and perky.
• Seasoning. We season this salsa with just a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Find printable recipe with the measurements below.

Variations

• Add canned garbanzo beans or cannellini beans (drained and rinsed).

How To Make Italian Rice

1. Cook Rice. Add the water, rice, salt and butter to a saucepan and stir. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and place a tightly fitted lid on the saucepan. Cook for 12 minutes without stirring or removing the lid. After 12 minutes, take a quick peak and if it looks like the liquid has been absorbed, turn the heat off and remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside
2. Rest Rice. Leave the lid on the saucepan and let the basmati rice rest for 12-15 minutes before fluffing with a for
3. Prepare Ingredients. Chop the tomatoes, discarding the seeds. Coarsely chop the arugula, and slice the basil into ribbons. Mince the kalamata olives, garlic and shallots. 
4. Toss Together. Toss the ingredients together in a large bowl. Taste test and add more lemon zest, salt and pepper if needed. 
5. Store Leftovers. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If properly stored, it should last 2-3 days.

Tips For Making The Best Italian Style Rice

• Don’t rinse the rice first, unless you buy it in bulk. Then you’ll want to rinse the fine particles off, and reduce the cooking water by 2 tablespoons.
• Don’t remove the lid while the rice cooks.
• Don’t stir the rice while the rice cooks.
• Let the rice rest for 10-15 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
• Set a timer for 12 minutes so you don’t overcook the rice. Take a quick peak under the lid and if the water has been absorbed, then remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to rest. The rice will continue to steam cook and absorb any remaining water so it will be nice and fluffy.

What To Serve With Italian Rice Pilaf 

• Serve it with grilled fish and chicken like our Grilled Lemon Chicken, Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, and our Italian Dressing Chicken.
• Add it to protein bowls and grilled chicken wraps.

More Rice Recipes

• Vegetable Rice
• Easy Rice Pilaf
• Quinoa Rice
• Homemade Spanish Rice
• Mexican Green Rice

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Yield: 8 Servings

Italian Rice

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Our Italian Rice recipe is a delicious mix of basmati rice, Roma tomatoes, arugula, fresh basil, kalamata olives, capers, shallot, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and zest. It’s a light and delicious Italian rice dish to serve with grilled chicken and fish or add it to your favorite Mediterranean bowls instead of plain ol rice.

Ingredients

• 1 cup white Bismati rice
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup arugula, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, cut into short ribbons
• 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, minced
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced or grated
• 3 tablespoons shallot, finely minced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
• Zest of 1 medium lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

1. To cook theh rice, add the water, rice, salt and butter to a saucepan and stir. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, and then place a tightly fitted lid on the saucepan. Cook for 12 minutes without stirring or removing the lid. After 12 minutes take a quick peak and if it looks like the liquid has been absorbed, turn the heat off and remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside. Leave the lid on the saucepan and let the basmati rice rest for 12-15 minutes before fluffing with a for
2. Chop the tomatoes, discarding the seeds. Coarsely chop the arugula, and slice the basil into ribbons. Mince the kalamata olives, garlic and shallots. Toss the ingredients together in a large bowl. Taste test and add more lemon zest, salt and pepper if needed. 
3. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If properly stored, it should last 2-3 days.

Notes

Tips For Making The Best Italian Style Rice

• Don’t rinse the rice first, unless you buy it in bulk.
• Don’t remove the lid while the rice cooks.
• Don’t stir the rice while the rice cooks.
• Let the rice rest for 12-15 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
• Set a timer for 12 minutes so you don’t overcook the rice. Take a quick peak under the lid and if the water has been absorbed by the rice remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to rest. The rice will continue to steam cook and absorb any remaining water so it will be nice and fluffy.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 156Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 284mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 3g

theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations. See full disclaimer on About page.