Murat YavuzCommis de Cuisine
24 June 2026 Last updated: 12 September 2026

In this Greek rice dish, onion is sautéed in olive oil and the rice is cooked with grated lemon zest. It is a classic side served with souvlaki. Made with a small amount of oil, it works well for picnics and outdoor meals when you want a lower-calorie accompaniment.

Step by Step

How to make it?

1

Cook the onion

5 min

Sauté the onion in olive oil until softened and slightly translucent.

2

Add the rice

2 min

Add the rinsed rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

3

Cook

18 min

Add the hot water, salt, and grated lemon zest. Cover and cook over low heat for 18 minutes.

4

Let the rice rest

10 min

Remove it from the heat, keep it covered, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then stir in the lemon juice and parsley and serve.

Reminder

Do not skip toasting the rice in oil for 2 minutes before adding the water; this helps the grains cook without breaking apart. Do not stir the pilaf as soon as you remove it from the heat, or the grains may break.

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Comments (2)

4.0 3 reviews 67% recommend it 1 rated without leaving a comment
5 1
4 1
3 1
2 0
1 0
M
Mustafa Turan Aide de Cuisine 2 months ago

Bu pilavı önceden hazırlayıp ertesi gün ısıtarak servis edebilir miyim, yoksa tazeyken mi yenmesi gerekiyor? Mangal partisi için bir gün önceden hazırlayıp kapaklı bir kapta saklamayı düşünüyorum, ısıtırken kısık ateşte 2 dakika kadar buharda tutmam yeterli olur mu acaba?

N
Nazan Aydemir Aide de Cuisine 2 months ago

Tarifte 18 dakika pişirme yazıyor ama benim ocağım kısık ateşte daha yavaş ısıtıyor, 22 dakikada tam oturdu. Limon kabuğu rendesini de bir tatlı kaşığından biraz fazla kullandım, tadı daha belirgin oldu.

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