Texas Roadhouse Rice Copycat Recipe

This Texas Roadhouse rice recipe brings the restaurant’s buttery, seasoned side dish to your own stovetop in under 30 minutes. It’s the kind of simple rice that goes with almost anything on your dinner table, and once you know how it’s made, you’ll stop wondering what makes it taste so good.

The secret is layering fat and aromatics before the rice ever hits the water. That step alone changes everything about the final flavor.

Why I Love This Recipe

The rice has this slightly toasty, savory quality that plain steamed rice just doesn’t have. It comes from letting the grains cook in butter for a couple of minutes before adding liquid, which gives each grain a nutty edge without being heavy.

It reheats well, too. The butter content keeps it from turning to a dry brick in the fridge overnight, which makes it worth cooking in a big batch.

This is the version I keep coming back to when I need a side that gets out of the way and lets the main dish shine.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice – Long-grain stays fluffy and separate; jasmine works as a substitute
• 3 cups chicken broth – Gives the rice a savory backbone; low-sodium lets you control the salt
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter – Toasts the rice and adds richness; use salted butter and skip the added salt if that’s what you have
• ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced – About half a medium onion; white onion works fine
• 3 cloves garlic, minced – Fresh is noticeably better here than jarred
• 1 tsp garlic powder – Rounds out the garlic flavor differently than fresh; don’t skip it
• 1 tsp onion powder – Adds a mild sweetness that raw onion alone doesn’t give
• 1 tsp cumin – Gives the rice its warm, earthy undertone
• ½ tsp paprika – Smoked or sweet both work; smoked adds a little more depth
• ¾ tsp kosher salt – Adjust at the end once you taste it
• ¼ tsp black pepper – Freshly ground if you have it
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped – For finishing; flat-leaf parsley is a fine swap if you’re cilantro-averse

Variations / Substitutions

• Vegetable broth instead of chicken broth – Makes the dish fully vegetarian with no real loss of flavor depth.
• Brown rice instead of white – Use 3 ½ cups broth and increase the simmer time to 40 to 45 minutes; the texture will be chewier.
• Vegan swap – Replace the butter with a good-quality vegan butter or 2 tbsp olive oil; olive oil gives a slightly lighter result.
• Add heat – Stir in ¼ tsp cayenne with the other spices for a version with a mild, building warmth.
• Lime instead of no acid – A squeeze of fresh lime over the finished rice right before serving brightens the whole dish without changing the flavor profile.
• Add corn and black beans – Stir in ½ cup each of drained black beans and corn kernels just before the rice finishes cooking for a heartier side.

If you enjoy rice sides like this, the Texas Roadhouse Seasoned Rice is also worth looking up alongside the restaurant’s mashed potato recipe.

How To Make Texas Roadhouse Rice

Step 1: Soften the Onion and Garlic in Butter

Melt the 3 tbsp unsalted butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the ½ cup diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes until the onion is soft and just starting to turn translucent at the edges. Add the 3 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly so it doesn’t catch on the bottom.

You’ll smell the garlic the moment it hits the butter. That’s your cue it’s working. The onion should look glossy and soft, not browned.

Step 2: Toast the Rice with the Spices

Add the 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice directly to the pan. Stir it through the butter and onion mixture so every grain gets coated. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Then add the 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp paprika, ¾ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir everything together and cook for another 30 seconds.

The rice will start to look slightly opaque and smell faintly nutty rather than raw and starchy. A few grains may pick up a tiny bit of color. That’s exactly right.

Don’t rush this step. Dry-toasting the rice in fat is what separates this from plain boiled rice, and skipping it means you lose the depth that makes this recipe worth making.

Step 3: Simmer in the Broth

Pour in the 3 cups chicken broth and stir once to combine. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, put a tight-fitting lid on the pan, and let it cook undisturbed for 18 minutes. Don’t lift the lid during this time.

After 18 minutes, remove the pan from heat and leave the lid on for another 5 minutes. That resting time lets the steam finish cooking the top layer of rice without drying out the bottom.

When you do lift the lid, the liquid should be fully absorbed. If there’s still a small amount of liquid visible, put the lid back on for 2 to 3 more minutes off the heat.

Step 4: Fluff and Garnish the Rice

Uncover the pan and use a fork to fluff the rice with light, lifting strokes rather than pressing down. Taste it and adjust salt if needed. Scatter the 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro over the top, give it one more gentle fold, and transfer to a serving bowl.

Spoon it into a wide, shallow bowl so the herb shows across the surface, and serve it while it’s still steaming.

Recipe Tips

• Use a tight-fitting lid. If your lid lets steam escape, lay a sheet of foil over the pot before putting the lid on. Lost steam means undercooked, chalky rice.
• Rinse or don’t rinse? For this recipe, skip rinsing. The surface starch on the rice actually helps each grain absorb flavor from the butter and spices during toasting. Rinsing washes that off.
• Low-sodium broth gives you control. Standard chicken broth combined with the salt in the spice mix can push the dish saltier than you want. Start with low-sodium and season at the end.
• Leftovers reheat best with a splash of water. Add 1 to 2 tbsp of water per cup of rice before microwaving, covered, for about 90 seconds. It comes back nearly as fluffy as fresh.

Cook times by pot type and size:

How To Store

• Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The rice firms up in the fridge, which is normal.
• Reheating – Add 1 to 2 tbsp of water per cup of rice, cover loosely, and microwave on medium power for 90 seconds. Fluff with a fork halfway through if reheating a large portion.

What To Serve With Texas Roadhouse Rice

Grilled chicken thighs are a natural match because their fat and char contrast with the mild, buttery rice without competing with it. A black bean and corn salad on the side adds color and a little textural pop. If you’re leaning toward a fuller Tex-Mex spread, this rice sits well next to slow-cooked beef fajitas, where the spiced pan juices can run into the rice and pull the whole plate together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this rice in a rice cooker?

Yes. Complete Step 1 and Step 2 on the stovetop, then transfer everything to the rice cooker, add the 3 cups chicken broth, and cook on the white rice setting.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, it scales up cleanly. Use a larger pot so the rice has room to expand, and keep the same ratio of 2 parts broth to 1 part rice.

Can I make this ahead for meal prep?

Yes. Cook the full batch, let it cool completely, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. It holds its texture better than most cooked rice because the butter coats the grains and slows moisture loss.

What if my rice comes out mushy?

That usually means the heat was too high during the simmer. Next time, make sure the heat is genuinely low once the lid goes on. A bare simmer with no real bubbling visible is what you’re after.

Texas Roadhouse Rice Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 8 minutes mins

Cook Time 22 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp paprika
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Method

 

1. Melt 3 tbsp butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add ½ cup diced onion and cook for 4 minutes until soft, then add 3 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
2. Add 1 ½ cups rice and stir to coat in the butter. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then add 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp paprika, ¾ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir and cook for 30 more seconds.
3. Pour in 3 cups chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer undisturbed for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
4. Uncover, fluff with a fork, fold in 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, transfer to a serving bowl, and serve hot.

Notes

This rice is forgiving but it does not like being stirred mid-cook. Once the lid goes on in Step 3, leave it alone. If your first attempt comes out a little wet, reduce the broth to 2 ¾ cups next time since stovetops vary. The spice blend can also be mixed in advance and stored in a small jar, which makes this a very fast weeknight side.