MSG Free Herbed Butter Rice

Total time30 min

Prep time5 min

Cook time20 min

4.9

(18)

Fluffy, fragrant, and finished with a generous fold of melted butter, this herbed rice is the kind of side dish that quietly steals the show. The technique here is simple but deliberate — bringing the rice to a boil uncovered, then sealing it tight and letting steam do the heavy lifting, produces perfectly separated grains every time. Fresh flat-leaf parsley and chives stirred in at the end give the whole pot a bright, garden-fresh lift that dried herbs just can't replicate. For anyone navigating MSG sensitivities, this recipe is a breath of fresh air. Seasoning packets, bouillon cubes, and even some flavored rices can be surprisingly loaded with additives, but here every ingredient is exactly what it says it is — rice, water, salt, real butter, and fresh herbs. Nothing processed, nothing hidden. The basil is optional, but if you have it on hand, it adds a subtle sweetness that rounds out the other herbs beautifully. This is the kind of clean, honest cooking that makes a weeknight dinner feel genuinely satisfying.

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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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