Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Aromatic Green Rice
Green rice makes a cheerful spoonful, with cilantro and spinach carrying their color through the grains. There's a little pepper in the mix if you want it, too. Fluff it up and bring it warm to the table, where that herby aroma can do the inviting.
- Prep
- 8 min
- Cook
- 22 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 9 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
- Dish type
- Pasta · Rice dishes
A few quick notes
1. Rinse until clear
Rub the rice gently with your fingertips under running water until clear, then leave it to drain.
2. Pulse, don't liquefy
Process the greens and aromatics to a finely chopped consistency, stopping before the mixture becomes liquid.
3. Stir during sauteing
Keep the rice moving frequently in the hot ghee so it turns golden without sticking or burning.
Get to know the ingredients
Cilantro stems belong here
Use the cilantro leaves and stems in the processor with spinach and the other aromatics.
Seeded pepper
Remove seeds and ribs from the jalapeno or serrano before pulsing it with the greens.
Rice choice
Dry parboiled or long-grain white rice are listed; rinse and drain your choice before the sauteing stage.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 6 steps completeMake room for Aromatic Green Rice
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Rest, then fluff
Turn off the stove, let the rice stand for its short rest, then fluff with a fork and serve.
A little more help as you go
Taste the cooking liquid
Check the broth's seasoning after bringing it to a boil, adding salt if needed before covering the rice.
Adjust the pepper to suit
Leave out jalapeno or serrano for mild rice, or add more pepper for extra heat.
A few questions you might have
Do I cook the greens before processing?
Pulse them with onion, garlic and pepper first, then add that chopped mixture after the rice turns golden.
Can I use olive oil instead of ghee?
Olive oil is listed as an alternative for sauteing the rinsed and drained rice before adding greens.
When should I put the lid on?
After adding broth and bringing it to a boil, stir once, cover tightly and reduce the heat to low.
Should the rice still have liquid when it finishes?
The simmer continues until the water has dried up and the rice has cooked through, before the rest.
Does the onion need fine chopping first?
Roughly chop the white onion before processing; the processor brings it to the finer consistency with the greens.
Any more cooking tips?
Spice Level: the amount of spice in this recipe entirely depends on you. Feel free to omit the jalapeno or serrano completely to make this mild. I typically use 1/2 pepper and it's mild enough for my toddler to eat. Use more peppers to give this more heat!
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: littlespicejar.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
