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    Home > Vegan Rice Recipes

    Lemon Garlic Rice

    Posted: Oct 12, 2019 ยท Updated: Aug 16, 2021

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    A spicy, tangy plate of Lemon Garlic Rice is heaven itself, and it's super easy to make with just nine ingredients. Vegan, gluten-free and can be soy-free or nut-free.
    A front shot of a steel karahi bowl with lemon garlic rice, cashews, tofu and cilantro

    If you could taste sunshine, what do you think it would taste like? Lemons, of course.

    There's something about Fall that makes me want to pack as much sunshine into my life -- and my belly. And lemons, with their bright, happy flavor, can make any meal that much sunnier, especially when they take centerstage.

    Lemon Garlic Rice in a steel pan garnished with cilantro and with tofu cubes

    This Lemon Garlic Rice is inspired, just a little, by one of my favorite South Indian dishes. But while that lemon rice needs more specialized ingredients and spices, this one is really simple and needs just nine ingredients you likely have on hand. It is just as tasty, and the chewy baked bits of tofu make it even more so.

    When you take a mouthful of this rice, you'll be startled by the explosion of flavors and textures. There's the tang of the lemons and the spice of the garlic, and then there's the velvety smoothness of the rice and the chewiness of the tofu. It's all quite amazing, but you don't have to take my word for it.

    I add a ton of garlic to this recipe, because I have been madly in love with garlic my whole life and can never get enough of it. You can cut it down, but really, why would you unless you happen to love bland food? And if that were the case you wouldn't be here, would you?

    Overhead shot of lemon garlic rice with baked tofu and cilantro on a black background

    How to make the perfect lemon garlic rice:

    • Soak your rice for a few minutes before you cook it. Just for 30 minutes, no longer. That will give you lovely, long grains of rice in your cooked dish and your lemon garlic rice will look as pretty as it tastes.
    • Add the zest of your lemon to the rice. This really amps up the flavor, and you want to pack in as much lemon flavor into this dish as you possibly can.
    • Cook the rice for the exact times described in the recipe -- no more, no less. That way you can ensure you get perfect rice each time you make this.
    • One rule of thumb to follow, whenever you make rice, is to never, ever, stir it in the middle of cooking. Once you've put the lid on your rice, you need to let it cook and then stand another 10 minutes after you turn off the stove. Once you take the lid off after 10 minutes, you can fluff the rice up with a fork.
    • You can make this rice soy-free by not adding tofu -- just use more cashews. And you can make it nut-free, of course, by not adding any cashews.
    Overhead shot of a steel saucepan with lemon garlic rice, cilantro, tofu, cashews and a spoon in it

    Ingredients for lemon garlic rice:

    • Lemons
    • Garlic
    • Rice
    • Vegetable oil
    • Cumin seeds
    • Cilantro
    • Turmeric
    • Baked tofu or Air Fried Tofu
    • Raw cashews

    And, of course, you'll need salt and ground black pepper

    What to serve with the Lemon Garlic Rice?

    Any spicy curry would be fantastic with this lemon garlic rice, like a Mirchi ka Salan, Chana Masala, Aloo Palak or Palak Tofu Paneer.

    Or just eat it by itself.

    Related recipes

    • Lemon Rice
    • Jeera Rice
    • Coconut Rice
    • Vegan Lemon Pasta with Basil
    • Glazed Lemon Tofu
    • Vegan Lemon Rolls with Sticky Lemon Glaze
    Front shot of a steel pot of lemon garlic rice

    Lemon Garlic Rice Recipe

    A front shot of a steel karahi bowl with lemon garlic rice, cashews, tofu and cilantro

    Lemon Garlic Rice

    A spicy, tangy plate of Lemon Garlic Rice is heaven itself, and it's super easy to make with just nine ingredients. Vegan, gluten-free and can be soy-free or nut-free.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: gluten-free
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Lemon Garlic Rice
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Cook Time: 25 mins
    Total Time: 30 mins
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 267kcal
    Author: Vaishali ยท Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

    Ingredients 

    • 1.5 cups basmati rice (soaked for 30 minutes with enough water to cover by two inches. Drain and rinse a couple of times before using in recipe.)
    • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
    • ยฝ teaspoon turmeric
    • ยผ cup raw cashews
    • 12 medium to large cloves garlic (smashed, peeled and then sliced)
    • โ…“ cup lemon juice
    • Zest of one lemon
    • 16 oz baked tofu cubes
    • Salt and ground black pepper to taste
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    Instructions

    • Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. When they start to darken, add the cilantro and turmeric and stir for a few seconds to mix. Add the garlic and cashews and stir-fry until the garlic begins to turn a light blonde.
    • Add the drained rice along with salt and ground black pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until the rice starts to turn opaque.
    • Add the lemon juice and zest and two cups of water and mix well. Cover with a tight lid and let the rice cook over a medium-low flame for 20 minutes, undisturbed.
    • Let the rice stand 10 minutes after cooking. Then open and fluff the rice with a fork. Add the baked tofu cubes and garnish with more cilantro, if you wish.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 18IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    About Vaishali


    I cook and eat simple, tasty and nutritious plant-based food in my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. Read more about me here.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anonymous

      October 16, 2019 at 6:37 am

      Yummy this looks delicious will definitely have to give it a try ?

      Reply
    2. Alana

      October 14, 2019 at 9:21 am

      5 stars
      Hi, you mention cashews in the article but donโ€™t include them in the recipe. Where do they come in please?

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        October 14, 2019 at 10:51 am

        In step 1-- added. Thanks!

        Reply
        • Carel

          November 08, 2019 at 1:00 am

          cashews are not in the ingredient list. How much? what type? raw? Thanks!

          Reply
          • Vaishali

            November 08, 2019 at 10:20 am

            1/4 cup, and raw!

            Reply
    3. Glenda George

      October 12, 2019 at 5:57 pm

      I assume the rice in the recipe is white. I use brown basmati all the time and would like to know how much water I should use with that after soaking. And of course it will take longer to cook as well.
      BTW, your blog is one of my favorites and I love your taste in cooking all things.

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        October 12, 2019 at 7:12 pm

        Hi Glenda, thanks for the kind words. You can absolutely make this with brown basmati. Use 2 cups of water for each cup of soaked brown basmati rice. After you add the water, return to a boil, cover, and let the rice cook 45 minutes undisturbed on low heat.

        Reply
    4. Judy

      October 12, 2019 at 2:41 pm

      I love anything with lemon, and I know this dish will be no exception. It looks delicious! Can't wait to try it. Thanks so much for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        October 12, 2019 at 7:12 pm

        Hope you try it! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    5. Avs

      October 12, 2019 at 12:41 pm

      Can brown basmati rice work?

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        October 12, 2019 at 7:10 pm

        Yes, use 2 cups of water for each cup of soaked brown basmati rice. After you add the water, return to a boil, cover, and let the rice cook 45 minutes undisturbed on low heat.

        Reply

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

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