My grandmother first served this decadent rice dish at a church potluck twenty years ago, and it’s been our family’s most requested side ever since. What makes this humble rice extraordinary is how the butter slowly melts into every grain, creating an unbelievably rich texture while the French onion soup infuses it with deep, savory flavor. With just five ingredients and minimal hands-on time, this recipe delivers maximum flavor with minimum effort.
Table of Contents
Why This Is The Recipe You Will Reach For
The science behind this dish is beautifully simple: as the rice cooks, it absorbs the flavorful liquid from the soups while the butter melts and distributes throughout. The covered baking period allows the rice to steam perfectly, while removing the foil for the final cooking creates a delightfully crisp top layer. This dual cooking method ensures perfectly cooked rice with exceptional flavor distribution.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Long grain white rice – Forms the foundation of the dish, cooking up fluffy and separate
- French onion soup (condensed) – Provides deep savory flavor and caramelized onion notes
- Beef consommé – Adds rich umami depth that enhances the overall flavor profile
- Worcestershire sauce – Introduces a subtle tang and complexity that balances the richness
- Butter (1 stick) – Creates incredible richness and helps the rice achieve its signature texture.
How to Make Stick of Butter Rice AKA Church Lady Rice
- Place rice, French onion soup, consommé, and Worcestershire sauce in a baking dish.
- Cut a stick of butter into slices and place them on the rice.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake at 425 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Irresistible Stick of Butter Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 10 ounces condensed French Onion soup 1 can
- 10 ounces beef consommé 1 can
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 ounces butter thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Place 1 cup of rice, 1 can French Onion soup, 1 can beef consommé, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce in an 8 x 8-inch or 1-quart baking dish.
- Cut 1 stick of butter into about 9 thin slices and place the slices over the rice.
- Cover the dish with foil.
- Bake at 425 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Variations
Thanks to all of you great cooks who sent in some interesting variations.
- With canned mushrooms – Use 1 can French onion soup or beef consommé and 1 can mushroom stems and pieces (do not drain).
- With mushroom soup and cheese – Substitute the French onion soup for a can of golden mushroom soup and a small can of onions. When almost done, grate cheddar cheese on top and return to oven.
- With pork chops – Place browned pork chops on top before baking. This gives you a wonderful one-pot meal. The French onion flavor in the pork chops is great. No need to add the butter as the fat from the pork chops will substitute.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days
- Freezer: Freeze in portion-sized containers for up to 2 months
- Reheating: Microwave with 1 tablespoon of water per cup of rice for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through
Scaling the Recipe
- Half batch: Use an 8×8-inch dish and reduce cooking time to 35 minutes covered and 10 minutes uncovered
- Double batch: Use a larger baking dish and increase cooking time by approximately 15 minutes. Consider using 3/4 stick of butter instead of doubling it
More cooking tips for Stick of Butter Rice
- Want to make double the recipe? You may not need to double the time, but I would plan on adding 10 to 20% more time. You may also choose not to double up on the butter.
- Want to use brown rice? You will need to cook it much longer unless it is par-boiled brown rice. I would plan on cooking it twice as long.
- Can’t find condensed French onion soup? I think that regular French onion soup would work well.
- Want to cut down on salt? Swap out the beef consommé for 2 packets of sodium-free beef bouillon.
Looking for easy rice dishes? Check out these recipes
- How to Make Cajun Rice
- Red Beans and Rice Recipe
- Japanese Garlic Butter Fried Rice
- Homemade Rice Pilaf
- Cheese Risotto Instant Pot
- Chipotle Mexican Grill Cilantro Lime Rice
- Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole
- Spanish Rice
- How to Make Pork Chops and Rice
- Italian Rice Balls with Meat
Serve Stick of Butter Rice with these main dishes
Be sure to take a look at more of my easy side dish recipes and the best budget-friendly meals.
Ive made rice like this, but melted the butter, used 1 1/2 cups rice and added a can of golden mushroom soup, and a small can if onions. When almost done, geate cheddar cheese on top and return to oven. Yummy
Thank you so much for this recipe! I did alter it just a bit. I did use a can of french onion soup, but instead of consume, I used a packet of lipton beefy onion mix (powdered stuff) and a can of water. It turned out great. I forgot to add in the Worcestershire, but I will do that tonight when I make it again.
That sounds like a great way to adapt the recipe. I am glad you enjoyed this one.
I wonder if I would have to double the butter if I doubled the recipe. That would be an awful lot of butter! Any thoughts
Every time we make this we double everything but the butter, still turns out amazing!
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Thank you for letting me know the recipe wasn’t quite up to your family’s standards. No one wants to serve food that their family isn’t happy to eat. Again, thank you for letting me know that recipe wasn’t going to show up on your dinner table.
I made this last night, the taste was good but the consistency was hard pieces rice from the top
I am sorry you experienced the hard pieces of rice on top. I haven’t had this happen before.
Have you ever made this in a crock pot?
I have not tried this in a crock pot.
I used to make this but added browned Pork Chops on top before baking. Then you have a one-pot meal. The French onion flavor in the pork chops is great. I didn’t add butter so maybe the fat from the pork chop provides the oil-base. I think I cooked for 1 hr at 350…
This is very similar to a recipe my mom used to make all the time! So glad you shared as she has passed & I didn’t remember the amounts, temps, or time. She sautéed 1 whole diced onion in the stick of butter, then used 2 cans of beef consume – no French onion, she also added a can of mushrooms. Thanks again! May even make it tonight if I have everything on hand 🙂
My Mom used to make this, the only difference was she used 1 can of Beef consomme Soup and one can of beef bouillon Soup One large can of sliced mushrooms stems and pieces And the stick of butter. I am so glad that you posted it because I have forgotten about this recipe now I’m going to try it your way With adding the French onion soup and the Worcestershire sauce
I made this exactly as the recipe says…..and it was amazing! My tummy may look like a beach ball tomorrow but it was wonderful! Thank you so much!!
Hi, in the video you say cook at 350 for an hour. In the written recipe it says 425 for 45 minutes, uncover and cook 15 minutes more. Which is correct?
I can’t say enough how much we LOVE this recipe! I make it at least once a week now. Every single helping get’s eaten. I don’t change a thing!
This sounds & looks delicious!!!
Do you know how to make El Fenix Mexican Rice?
Stephanie, I have made this for about 50+ years! Have pared the butter down to 1/2 stick butter (plenty) but never added the Worcestershire sauce (I will the next time I make it!) – thanks for reminding me of a favorite recipe.
Hello, if I can’t find condensed french onion soup can I use regular french onion soup?
Thanks from a Houstonian,
Monica
I think that would work well.
I think this would work.
No way, baked rice! Why have I never tried this! Any recipe that calls for a stick of butter is one that I am down with 🙂 🙂
It works very well. I hope you give it a try.
I made this for the first time tonight. It was delicious; my husband had two large bowls. But, I changed a lot about the recipe. I cooked the recipe in my rice cooker. I used 2 cups of short grain brown, a package of dried onion soup, 2 packets sodium free beef bouillon, 1 stick of butter, and 3 cups of water. Put half of the butter in the bottom of my rice cooker pan, I mixed the powdered ingredients with the rice then added the rice to my rice cooker, added the other half of the butter and finally the water. I forgot about the Worcestershire sauce. I will add it next time. The key is that it came out great with brown rice in the rice cooker and cooks in about half of the time (it would probably cook in even less time with white rice).
I love that you took some of the salt out of the mix. I love this dish, but I often think it is really salty. I will have to try this in my instant pot soon. Love this idea.
I’ve made this several times (my son loves it!) but now instead of the FO Soup and Consume (which are things I don’t have on hand), I substitute beef broth (low sodium) and a package of dry onion soup mix. Tastes pretty much the same and not quite as salty.
Good to know about the dry package soup mix and the beef broth, this recipe is high on the sodium.