This Santorini Rice came together when I was daydreaming about our travels pre-Covid. My husband and I took a vacation to Greece before we had kids (think 2005-ish). We spent a little time in Athens and about a week on the island of Santorini. The island was everything we hoped it would be. Fresh sea air, incredible scenery, plenty of area to walk, hike and explore. And of course, the local food was amazing.
The Inspiration
Everywhere we ate, there was a specific type of salad that was offered. The ingredients varied a little from place to place, but it always had ripe tomatoes, purple onion and feta. No lettuce in this salad and it wasn’t missed one bite! See what I did there? “Bite” instead of “bit,” I crack myself up! Usually there was a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of oregano on the salad. Sometimes cucumber, black or green olives and vinegar. So simple, fresh and delicious.
The Development
I was trying to decide on a side dish to go with my Lemon Basil Chicken and this salad came to mind. Alone, the salad is great as a starter or as a side for a light lunch. Adding those same fresh salad flavors to rice seemed like a great way to create something a bit more filling without feeling heavy. A fantastic compliment to the rich, buttery and tart Lemon Basil Chicken. Then I began thinking it would be fantastic with Browned Butter & Sage Scallops, Broiled Salmon with Creamy Basil Sauce, Easy Garlic Baked Shrimp, Pistachio & Pesto Lamb Chops and Perfect Thyme Chicken too.
How to Make Santorini Rice
I always begin by rinsing, cutting and measuring out my ingredients to speed up the cooking process once I begin. Then I heat up a large saucepan with olive oil and add in the onions. Once they are softened, I season with salt and pepper and add the garlic. The garlic becomes so deliciously fragrant when it heats up. Yum!! That’s my sign to add the rice and chicken stock. Let it come to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer until the liquid is absorbed.
Decisions, Decisions
You can use white or brown rice for this recipe, whichever you prefer. Just check the packaging to see if you need more liquid for the brown rice than I have specified in my recipe. Sometimes the ratio of rice to liquid can vary depending on the rice. I use chicken stock for the added flavor, but you can sub vegetable stock or water if you prefer. Although I haven’t tried it with this specific recipe, you can also try serving this rice as a cold dish by cooking the rice and letting it chill through before adding the remaining ingredients.
Final Steps for making Santorini Rice
Once the rice is cooked, add the fresh oregano and stir with a large spoon to combine it well. Then add the tomatoes, olives, feta, freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Try to fold this in as gently as possible so the tomatoes don’t get too smashed. Taste and top with a drizzle or sprinkle of more lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper if needed. Top with additional feta and chopped fresh parsley if you’d like.
More Gluten Free Deliciousness
A few dessert ideas that would go well to complete a meal would be Limoncello Bundt Cake, Unbelievable Fruit Dip or Greek Honey Cake. Other side dishes like this: Mediterranean Style Quinoa, Garden Fresh Quinoa, Veggie Feta Pasta Salad or Rainbow Veggie Gratin
Santorini Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup purple onion, diced
- 2 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups chicken stock - sub vegetable stock if desired
- 1 ½ cups white or brown rice
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted & halved
- ½ cup block feta, roughly crumbled by hand - sub with Violife brand vegan feta if desired
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
- additional feta & parsley for garnish - *optional
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan over medium high heat and add olive oil and diced onion. Cook until softened then add garlic. Stir and allow to heat and become fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add rice and stir, then add the chicken or vegetable stock. Let it come to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and let cook until rice is done. Timing will be dependent on what type of rice you use. Check the package instructions, but it should take between 20-55 minutes. Brown rice generally takes the longest to cook.
- Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat, stir in the fresh oregano. Transfer to a large mixing or serving bowl. Add in the remaining ingredients, stirring to combine everything well. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Top with additional feta and parsley if you’d like, and serve!
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