Artificial Flavors Free Herbed Butter Rice
Fluffy, fragrant, and finished with real butter and a handful of fresh herbs, this is the kind of simple side dish that quietly steals the show at the dinner table. So many boxed and flavored rice products rely on artificial flavoring packets to deliver their taste, which means checking labels becomes a whole project. Here, every bit of flavor comes from ingredients you can actually see — long-grain white rice, unsalted butter, parsley, chives, and optional fresh basil. The technique is straightforward: bring the rice to a boil, seal it up to steam low and slow, then let it rest before folding in the butter so every grain gets coated in that rich, glossy finish. Stirring in the chopped herbs at the very end keeps their color bright and their flavor clean and grassy rather than muddy. It pairs beautifully with roasted chicken, grilled fish, or really anything that needs a wholesome, unfussy base alongside it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
- 2 ¼ cups water
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, uncovered, until the surface is bubbling and the water level has dropped just to the top of the rice, about 3–4 minutes.
- 2
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and cook until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time.
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