Paraben Free Herbed Butter Rice
Fluffy, fragrant, and finished with a generous fold of melted butter, this herbed rice is the kind of simple side dish that quietly steals the show at the dinner table. Long-grain white rice gets the classic absorption treatment — sealed under a tight lid so every grain comes out tender and separate — then gets tossed with fresh parsley, chives, and optional basil for a bright, garden-fresh finish. For anyone navigating preservative sensitivities, packaged seasoned rice mixes and flavored sides are often a minefield of synthetic additives, so building flavor from scratch with real butter and fresh herbs is genuinely the smarter move here. Nothing in this recipe comes from a packet or a bottle, which means you know exactly what's going into every bite. The technique is low-fuss and forgiving — the hardest part is resisting the urge to lift the lid while it steams. It pairs beautifully with roasted chicken, grilled fish, or really anything that could use a clean, herby companion on the plate.
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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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