I prepared this Cilantro Rice the other day to serve alongside our Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon with Tropical Salsa. It was a perfect side dish. The cilantro and green onions really brightened up the rice and added just enough flavor to keep it from being boring. I also included a “secret ingredient”…I crushed up 3 cloves of garlic and threw them in with the dry rice and water during the cooking process. Nothing wrong with a little garlic right?
Recipe from Aggie’s Kitchen
1 cup Basmati rice, uncooked
2 cups cold water
3 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of your knife
1 tsp olive oil
large handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2-3 green onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Combine rice and water in a large microwavable covered dish (I use my Corning Ware). Add a small drizzle of olive oil and crushed garlic to rice. Place in microwave and cook for 18 minutes. Do not take off lid during cooking process. Once it is cooked, fluff rice with a fork and taste for doneness. (If at this time it’s not cooked well enough – it should be – just add a small amount of water and cook for a few more minutes) Toss in chopped cilantro, green onions, salt and pepper.
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree- pasta is better than rice! But its nice to mix it up. I like the idea of adding garlic in with the cooking rice…garlic is good in almost all dinners hehe. Just gotta make sure the husband eats it too
I really like the cilantro you used here
My garden cilantro is growing at an uncontrolled rate, so this would be a great way to use it up 
Thanks for sharinG!
This is perfect with the salmon. You are right…basmati is so much better!
We make a cilantro lime rice that we love! Great side dish.
I grew up eating rice at almost every meal so I'm a rice lover! Not so say that I dont also love bread and every other carb
I love cilantro with rice! Looks delicious.
This looks so good. I make one that is very similar but I use Jasmine rice which has a flavor all its own. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Well, I am a total rice fanatic. I make it all the time. There are so many different kinds of rice that are so flavorful and texturally different – long grain basmati is my favorite.
Though, I am not a fan of ruining delicious rice with evil cilantro
This looks so refreshing! I often make rice in my rice cooker and love the sticky texture of it. But otherwise, I'm more of a pasta fan too. I choose it over rice pilaf, risotto, or other random rice dishes any day.
Ooh… forgot to mention, I have a small container of baby basmati, which is really good!
Love rice so I'm definitely going to try this.
We have rice every week. It's so good and convenient. What a great idea to add cilantro. I love it.
I have to admit that I love all my white starches, rice, pasta, bread, pretty much equally. Although I do particularly enough basmati. I also love cilantro, I'm definitely going to have to try this!
Great refreshing dish Aggie.
YUM! I've never tried basmati rice before but MUST so I can use this recipe – thanks!
Oh yummy! I love anything with cilantro in it, I want to gobble this up!
Mmmm I love Basmati! And garlic makes everything better
I can't use my cilantro fast enough so this is a great recipe to have.
Wow! The rice itself looked good without the salmon.
I love cilantro rice. I always add a bit of fresh lime juice to it to give it a nice zing.
I also adore basmati too! Seems like it's a more forgiving rice, for those who don't make it on a regular basis.
Mmmm. Cilantro Rice? I bet that tastes better than Chipotle's version !
What a great idea to jazz up the usual side of rice, I love it! Gorgeous photo too.
What a yummy way to give boring rice a great flavor
This looks delicious! We eat pasta here more often than rice also!
Thanks for stopping by my blog – your blog is pretty fantastic too!
LOVE basamati rice and your cilantro version with the cedar plank salmon looks awesome!
This rice seems to be packed with flavors!
I made this tonight for dinner – SO good! I don't think I used enough green onion/cilantro -but there will be a next time for sure!
I love rice and cilantro so this is perfect for me. Your recipes and photos are incredible. Love your blog!
My great-aunt has her own recipe where the rice comes out light green – completely takes all the cilantro in – I get the feeling you’ll love that! And certainly, nothing ever wrong with a little garlic!
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