Rice can be a bit of a boring side dish to the main event, however, this rice with scallions recipe is anything but! It really holds its own against other dishes and it only takes a few extra minutes to make. It’s absolutely perfect for jazzing up a bit of plain rice.
Using a few, fresh ingredients along with umami-rich soy sauce and nutty toasted sesame oil, this scallion rice recipe is sure to become a quick, flavourful dinnertime favourite.
So if you’re looking for a good alternative to boring, plain rice then this recipe is perfect for you!

How to Make Rice with Scallions and Sesame
First things first, you need to cook your rice. You could really use any kind of rice you’d prefer here, I just personally like using brown rice as a regular dinner side as it is a bit healthier.
Before cooking your rice, it’s important to thoroughly wash it. This removes the excess starch from the grains and prevents your finished cooked rice from being too gummy.

Add the rice to a bowl of cool water and agitate it with your fingers. You will notice that the water is very cloudy and you may not even be able to see the rice through the water.
Drain the rice through a fine mesh sieve and then repeat the process a few more times – just until the water runs relatively clearly. Then, drain the rice and add it to a small saucepan.

Cover the rice with double the amount of water by the weight to the rice. So if you are using 200 grams of rice, cover it with 400 grams of water. This is not the same as a 1:1 ratio by volume, so keep this in mind. Too much water will result in overcooked rice.

Cover the pot and set it over high heat and bring it to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and allow the rice to simmer until the water is fully absorbed – about fifteen minutes.
Let the cooked rice stand, off heat and covered, for 10 minutes before transferring it to a bowl.

Once the rice is cooked, add it to a large mixing bowl.
To the bowl add in some thinly sliced scallions, some chopped fresh cilantro, some sesame seeds and the zest of one lime – we’ll use the juice later, it’s just much easier to zest lime before juicing it!

Then, stir some soy sauce into the rice. Also, add in some toasted sesame oil (can be bought online here) to give this spring onion rice recipe a bit of nuttiness. Finally, stir in a bit of fresh lime juice.

Stir everything together until it’s all thoroughly mixed and then serve immediately. It goes well alongside an array of dishes – try it with my cilantro-lime salmon!

Rice with Scallions & Sesame
This jazzed-up brown scallion rice is super easy to make and is perfect as a flavourful side dish to an array of main meals!
Ingredients
- 200g (1 cup) rice (see note 1)
- 2 small scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Zest of 1 small lime
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Add your rice to a small bowl and cover with cool water. Agitate the rice with your hands and drain through a fine mesh sieve. Repeat this step 2 or 3 times, or until the water runs relatively clear.
- Add the rice to a saucepan and cover with 400ml (1 3/4 cup) of cool water. Cover the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and allow to gently simmer until all of the water has been absorbed - about 15-20 minutes. remove from the heat and allow the rice to stand in the pot, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Add your cooked rice to a large mixing bowl. Add the scallions, cilantro. sesame seeds, lime zest, soy sauce, sesame oil and lime juice. Stir until thoroughly combined and serve immediately.
Notes
1. I am using brown basmati rice but any variety of rice will work here
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 77Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 147mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 0gProtein: 2g
Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This rice with scallions recipe is super easy to make and is a great side dish to countless meals. It’s a great way to wake up otherwise bland and boring rice.
Are you looking to make rice with spring onions? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments!
