Herby Brown Rice
on Apr 13, 2018, Updated Jan 30, 2025
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Brown rice mixed with fresh herbs is a fresh and flavorful side dish that goes with just about everything.
A bit of olive oil, minced onion, and fresh herbs are all you need to fancy up a pot of brown rice in 5 minutes. More often than not, plain rice is — in the immortal words of Alanis Morrisette — fine, fine, fine. But if you need your rice to stand up a little taller on the plate, flavor-wise or color-wise? This herbed brown rice recipe is the perfect solution.
It’s just hard to go wrong with rice as a side dish, and bolstering your rice with fresh herbs really makes it stand out as a side. This recipe is a nice alternative to plain brown rice; it goes with practically everything and anything. But this is also a jumping-off point recipe, to inspire you to make your own herb-grain side innovations. Try it with Miso-Glazed Japanese Eggplant, Mediterranean Braised Lamb Shoulder Chops, or Crispy Air Fryer Halibut.
Table of Contents
Herby Brown Rice Recipe: When plain rice just doesn’t seem like enough, add fresh herbs for a flavorful side dish.
Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil – For flavor and a nice texture.
- Red onion – For varied bite and a sharp slightly spicy flavor.
- Parsley leaves and fresh basil – You can use basically any herb (see below) but I love the freshness and flavor these two herbs bring to the rice.
- Cooked brown rice – Brown rice is a great whole-grain alternative to white rice.
What Herbs to Use with Rice
You can use pretty much any herbs you like instead of the ones suggested in this recipe, which makes this a great way to use up leftover herbs from another recipe, such as oregano, thyme, or marjoram. Some herbs, like rosemary, are more potent, so make sure to taste as you go, and remember that you can always add more. Dried herbs will not work well in this dish; you really need to use fresh herbs.
Variations
- You can sub out the red onion and use any other member of the onion family in this recipe. Try scallions or shallots.
- If you want to make Garlicky Herb rice, add 1 teaspoon minced garlic to the dressing.
- You can also use other rice varieties or grains like quinoa in place of brown rice. Whole-grain brown rice retains the outer bran layer (though its hull is removed) with its fiber and micro-nutrients intact, making it low in fat, high in fiber, and a more nutritious whole-grain alternative to white rice. Read more about how to cook perfect brown rice.
How to Make Herby Brown Rice
- Prepare the herbs: In a food processor, combine the olive oil, onion, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper, and pulse until combined.
- Dress the rice: Place the cooked rice in a medium-sized bowl and add the herb dressing. Stir to combine well, and serve warm or at room temperature.
What to Serve With Herby Brown Rice
More Rice and Grain Side Dish Recipes
- How to Cook Perfect Brown Rice on the Stove
- How to Cook Perfect White Rice on the Stove
- How to Cook Perfect Quinoa on the Stove
- How to Cook Farro on the Stove
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Herbed Brown Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup minced red onion
- ¼ fresh parsley leaves (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 3 cups cooked brown rice (warm or at room temperature)
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine the olive oil, onion, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper, and pulse until combined. You can also do this by hand; just mince up everything as finely as you like and stir it all together in a bowl.
- Place the rice in a medium-sized bowl and add the herb dressing. Stir to combine well, and serve warm or at room temperature.
