Columbia Restaurant Good Rice

Submitted by Epi Curious

"This rice goes with everything and has much more flavor than plain white rice. The recipe comes from the famed Columbia Restaurant which started in Ybor City, FL and now has locations throughout Florida. Easy to make and very flavorful; I especially like the texture...not sticky, not greasy, just right."

 

• Ready In: 23mins
• Ingredients: 7
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cups long-grain rice
• 4 cups chicken broth (I prefer to use low sodium broth)
• 1⁄2 cup parsley, fresh, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup basil, fresh, chopped
• salt

directions

1. Melt butter and saute' onion until transparent. Add rice and stir constantly until it turns into a caramel color. Add chicken broth, then parsley, basil and salt. Bring to a boil and lower flame. Cover and steam rice for 18 minutes. Fluff with a large two-tined fork. Serves 6 to 8.

Reviews

[Jennifer E.]

I have eaten at the Columbia for the last 30 years, and I adore their Good Rice. I will usually take some home with me because I like it so much. I am sad to say that this recipe tastes nothing like it. In all those years, the only speck of green I have ever seen in their rice is from the peas on top, so I’m not sure where these herbs are coming from. The golden yellow is much, much deeper than anything you’d get with just chicken stock. Terribly disappointed.

 

[Lucky in Bayview]

We really liked this recipe. I halved the amount of butter but followed the recipe otherwise. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Laura from Tampa Bay]

I love this recipe. The rice at Columbia restaurant is delicious. I am not a fan of plain rice, and wanted to see if I could find a copycat recipe for the "Good Rice". I was so happy to find it last year on this site. We have it fairly frequently. I served it last night as a side with a saucy dish I made - just perfect. Be sure to brown the rice, it adds the depth of flavor. You don't have to use the herbs, but it is better with them.

 

[thejonesgal]

We were recently in Tampa and though we couldn't make it to the Columbia Restaurant, I've gone searching for recipes from there.<br/>We didn't have fresh parsley and basil so improvised with 1/3 cup dried and it still turned out great.<br/>Thank you!