This Green Rice Recipe takes white rice from plain to amazing with just 5 ingredients. Filled with herbs and spinach, it has the perfect herby flavor. Basil gives it fresh herb flavor, chives bring a slight onion flavor, and spinach rounds it all out with beautiful green color and so many healthy vitamins. In just a few minutes you can turn your white rice into this fantastic Green Rice Recipe!
FROM PLAIN TO SUPER RICE!
While white rice is a great backdrop for sauces and big flavors, it really has very little in the way of nutritional value. By adding basil, chives, and spinach to it, you are infusing it with flavor, vitamins, and nutrients!! With the addition of the small amounts of basil and chive, their role here is really to bring the flavor. But the Spinach is what brings the nutrition to the party!
White rice has very little fiber, but spinach is high in fiber, which makes it a great addition! While white rice does have Vitamin A, it is lacking on most other vitamins, including the all important Vitamins C which is an antioxidant that promotes skin health and immune function. And while white rice has 0% calcium, guess what is a great source of calcium? Yep, spinach! Check out all of the benefits that spinach brings to the mix.
This rice would go great with any of these main proteins!
- Ground Chicken Greek Meatballs
- Chicken Chimichurri Rojo
- Hungarian Chicken with Paprika Aioli
- 5 Ingredient Easy Meatloaf
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EQUIPMENT NEEDED
For this recipe either a food processor or blender will work. My go-to mini food processor was perfect for the job.
EASY STEPS TO MAKE YOUR GREEN RICE
You can make this Green Rice up to 5 days in advance and reheat heat it. There really are only 3 easy steps to this.
1.Make your rice.
2.Add the basil, chives, sour cream and spinach to the blender or food processor and blend.
3.Mix the sauce into the rice.
What other herbs could I use?
In place of the basil, you could go with cilantro or dill. I wouldn’t combine all three together, but select one as your primary flavor.
If you don’t have chives, you could use 1-2 scallions or skip it all together, but I really like a slight onion flavor in this.
You could also add parsley. If you want to add kale, you may want to saute if first to soften it a bit as it has a heartier texture and won’t get as creamy from the raw state as spinach.
Will other grains work with this?
Of course! Instead of white rice, you could use brown rice, quinoa, farro, couscous, or even a small pasta, like orzo.
Can this Green Rice be frozen?
You can make this recipe and freeze it for up to 6 months. To freeze it, you will want to cool it in the fridge first. Then you can place it in a large storage bag and flatten it to freeze it. Or you can spread it out on a sheet pan and freeze it, then transfer it to a container. You can freeze it in a freezer-safe bowl, but it can take a long time defrost when it’s in a large clump.
ENJOY! 😍 Carrie
5-Ingredient Easy Green Rice
This Green Rice Recipe takes white rice from plain to amazing with just 5 ingredients. Filled with herbs and spinach, it has the perfect herby flavor. Basil gives it fresh herb flavor, chives bring a slight onion flavor, and spinach rounds it all out with beautiful green color and so many healthy vitamins. In just a few minutes you can turn your white rice into this fantastic Green Rice Recipe! #ricerecipes #sidedishes #healthysides #greenrice
Ingredients
- 20 Basil Leaves
- 10 Chive Sprigs
- 2 cups Baby Spinach leaves, loosely packed
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream or Yogurt
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
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Make the rice according to package instructions. Or…to a small-medium pot with a lid, add 4 cups water, 1/2 tsp salt, and rice. Bring water to boil, stir, turn heat down to lowest setting, cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat, but leave covered until ready to serve.
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Add the basil, chives, and sour cream to the blender or food processor. I add the spinach leaves last just so the sour cream is near the bottom and can help it blend. Pulse to start and then blend until smooth and creamy.
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Mix the sauce into the rice. Enjoy!
