Easy Garlic Rice With Cilantro

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Want to whip up a light and flavorful meal for your whole family? You’ve got to give this Filipino garlic fried rice recipe a try.

Garlic rice, also known as rice sinangag, is an absolute staple in Filipino households, and is a simple rice dish with a very versatile garlic flavor.

This easy rice dish can be served with any other sides, sauces and even just topped with fried egg and enjoyed as a wholesome meal.

Why I Love this Recipe

This garlic fried rice is an repeat in my household for many reasons.

First, it is super easy to make, and needs so little kitchen time and effort, which is a big plus for me.

My family is a family of garlic lovers, and we all love to enjoy this delicious and flavorful rice dish at any time of the day.

Ingredients For the Garlic Rice

To make this easy garlic rice, here’s all you’ll need.

• 2 cups Basmati rice or long grain rice
• 4 cups water
• 1/3 cup vermicelli
• 4-6 large, or 6-8 small cloves of fresh garlic
• ½ tsp salt
• Neutral flavored oil for cooking (I used vegetable oil)
• Parsley or cilantro, optional for serving

How to Make the Garlic Rice

Once you have your ingredients ready, here’s what you’ll need to do to make the Filipino garlic rice.

Step 1: Wash the Rice

Wash your rice at least 5 times, or until the water isn’t cloudy anymore. Mince your garlic.

Step 2: Prepare the Fried Garlic

In a medium size pot, over medium high heat, heat up some oil. Once the oil is hot, add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

Step 3: Add the Vermicelli

Add the vermicelli and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes on medium heat, or until the garlic and vermicelli are golden brown.

Step 4: Add Rice

Add your washed rice to the pot, then the water and salt. Stir until well combined. Bring the pot with rice to high heat without a lid and bring to a boil. 

Step 5: Cook Rice

Reduce heat, cover with a lid and let it cook for 16-18 minutes. Remove from the stove and stir the rice. 

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy

Enjoy while warm. You can garnish it with some cilantro or parsley, but that is optional.

Tips to Make the Garlic Rice Recipe

While this Filipino garlic rice is super easy to put together, you may want to take make note of these little tips and tricks.

• To make the rice extra flavorful, you can cook the rice in vegetable broth or chicken broth instead or water.
• Soy sauce can be another great addition to the rice sinangag. You can add it towards the end on the cooled rice.
• I have used vegetable oil to stir fry the garlic and prepare the crispy garlic, but you can also choose to use olive oil or any other neutral oil of your choice. Butter can also be a great choice for this recipe, as it can lend some extra deliciousness to this rice recipe.
• In addition to salt, I would also recommend adding some crushed black pepper to season the Filipino garlic fried rice.
• Adding the soy sauce in may cause the white rice to take on a bit of color, but that’s completely okay!
• While I have used a pot for this recipe, you can also use a rice cooker, a large wok or a large skillet to make garlic rice.
• I also love topping this fried garlic rice with a little drizzle of garlic flavored oil and some fried garlic right before serving for some extra garlicky goodness.

Can I Make this With Leftover Rice?

While I would highly recommend using freshly cooked rice rice for this recipe, you can also consider trying this recipe with some day old cooked rice if you want to.

An important point to take note of is that the leftover rice that you are using should be fluffy and the strands should be separate and not clumped to each other.

How Do I Store the Leftover Rice?

Your leftover fried garlic rice can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, if not more.

Just remember to let the rice cool before you transfer the Filipino fried rice to an airtight container.

Why is My Rice Turning Mushy?

The key to getting the rice strands to be separate and fluffy is to keep a few tips in mind.

First, you need to choose the right kind of rice. The best rice to use is long grain rice like Basmati rice or Jasmine rice, ideally the aged variety.

Washing the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear is another essential step- it helps remove the excess starch and gets the rice fluffy.

You can also cook the rice separately in a large pot, fluff rice and then toss it together with the stir fried garlic to prepare the finished fried rice.

How to Serve the Rice Sinangag

This easy garlic fried rice is a great recipe to make and serve as a side dish when you’re looking for something that needs minimal prep time and still tastes and sounds delicious.

You can serve it with some stir fried veggies or pan fried meat or protein of your choice.

You can also drizzle it with any sauce of your choice, top it with fried egg and your favorite toppings, and enjoy it!

More Recipes to Try

Loved trying this easy side dish that was full of flavor and utterly delicious? You might also want to try some of these recipes.

• Honey Butter Skillet Corn
• 14 Flavorful Rice Bowl Recipes
• Best Paprika Grilled Shrimp Recipe
• Best Weight Loss Cabbage Soup Recipe
• Easy Spinach Feta Rice Casserole