From Your Pantry to the Dinner Table: 43 Rice Recipes (2025)

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How to Make Basic White Rice

Use this recipe to make perfect white rice on the stovetop every time. You can eat it right away with a pat of butter or a splash or soy sauce, top it with meat and veggies, or cool it in the fridge for later uses, such as making fried rice.

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How to Cook Brown Rice Perfectly

Brown rice can be tricky if you've never cooked it before. We tell you how to cook brown rice with no sticking or burning, so you can add it to your stir-fries, stuffings, and side dishes.

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How to Cook Wild Rice

If you have wild rice in your pantry, learn four must-know methods for cooking this nutty-tasting grain so it turns out with the right degree of softness, and not too much crunch.

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Instant Pot Rice

If you own an instant pot, cooking perfect rice is ridiculously easy. This recipe gives you important timing tips and ideas for tasty variations.

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Rice Cooker Sticky Rice

Don't be scared of making sticky rice (the kind typically used in Japanese sushi and Thai curries). If you have a rice cooker, you can cut down on the usual steps involved, and turn out delicious sticky rice every time, with these essential tips.

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Vegetarian Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf

Looking for a filling, flavorful vegetarian entree, or a tasty rice side dish? This nutty-tasting vegetarian rice pilaf is full of great flavor and satisfying textures, with wild and brown rices, mushrooms, vegetable broth, almonds, and dried spices.

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Tomato Egg Fried Rice

Use up leftover cooked rice, and enjoy this easy weeknight recipe that cooks in just 10 minutes. Tomatoes (use fresh or canned) lend a robust flavor to the easy rice stir-fry with egg, onion, and soy sauce.

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Wild Rice Meatballs

Moist and tender meatballs are even better when you use swap out the usual breadcrumbs filler, and use wild rice instead. The rice adds nutty flavor and fantastic texture to the tiny meatballs. Serve them over spaghetti with tomato sauce, or try them as an appetizer with dipping sauce.

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Vegan and Gluten-Free Lentil and Rice Loaf

Made with just a few inexpensive ingredients, this vegan lentil and rice loaf is a great way to stretch your food dollar, and add plenty of healthy vegetable protein to your family's plates. Serve it for dinner, with or without vegetarian gravy, or use it for lunchtime sandwiches.

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Vegan and Vegetarian Bean and Rice Burrito

Make delicious Mexican-style burritos at home with this quick and easy vegan and vegetarian recipe. All you need for stuffing the tortilla wraps are some leftover rice, canned black beans, onion, a bit of lime juice, and Mexican spices. Feel free to add chopped bell peppers, or any other crunchy vegetable, for added texture.

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Korean Sweet Potato Jook (Rice Porridge)

You need only 3 ingredients, and a rice cooker, to prepare up this easy, delicious version of an all-time favorite Korean comfort food. Jook (or congee in Chinese) is a thick rice porridge that is wonderfully soothing when you are cold, tired, or just craving a hug in a bowl.

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Crock Pot Risotto

Crockpot risotto is a wonderfully easy way to make a classic Italian dish with little effort. You only have to stir it twice when you use the slow cooker. In about two hours, you'll have perfectly-cooked, ultra-creamy risotto. Feel free to add in diced cooked ham, or frozen meatballs, to make it a hearty main dish.

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Low Calorie Chicken Cauliflower Rice Bake

When you crave comfort food for dinner, try this tasty chicken, cauliflower, and rice bake. It is hearty enough to fill you up, with tender chicken and vegetables smothered in a creamy cheese sauce, while remaining low in fat and calories. It's also a sneaky way to get your kids to eat their vegetables.

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Easy Rice Cooker Coconut Rice

Fragrant and savory coconut rice is a deliciously easy, restaurant-style side dish. You can serve it with entrée, but it goes especially well with Thai and Indian-style curries. All you need is rice, canned coconut milk, salt, and dry shredded coconut to make it in the rice cooker in just 20 minutes.

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Rice Pudding With Leftover Rice

Transform leftover cooked rice into a sweet, creamy, comforting rice pudding dessert that will fill your kitchen with homey baking aromas. Start on the stovetop, heating rice, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, before transferring them to the oven to bake until creamy and set.

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Chicken Soup With Rice

It's so nice to eat chicken soup with rice, especially when the making is so easy. Start with canned or homemade chicken broth, and add just a few other simple ingredients, for a deliciously warming, homestyle soup with tons of flavor.

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Cheesy Salsa Verde Rice and Beans Breakfast Bowl

This easy, cheesy rice bowl has all the components you crave in a savory breakfast-for-dinner bowl, including a fried egg, rice, and beans. Feel free to use prepared salsa verde, and microwavable brown rice, to minimize prep time.

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Baked Mediterranean Rice

Baked Mediterranean rice is one of those one-dish wonders that make it easy to put a tasty dinner on the table. It takes only 30 minutes from start to finish, and is budget-friendly, using just a few, everyday ingredients.

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Black Bean and Rice Salad

Rustle up a rice and bean salad for a vegetarian main, or a refreshing side dish. This one includes black beans, and a generous amount of chopped fresh vegetables, tossed together in an easy, tangy dressing of lime juice,Dijon mustard, and dried spices.

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Indian Cumin Rice (Jeera Rice)

Indian cumin rice (or jeera rice) is a flavorful East Indian side dish that flavors basmati rice with clarified butter (or vegetable oil), cumin, and other fragrant spices. This super-tasty version steams the rice, before stir-frying it quickly with onion, fat, and aromatics.

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Italian-Style Vegetarian Rice and Beans

With only five ingredients and about 10 minutes, you can serve up a delicious, one-dish Italian-American vegetarian dinner. All that's needed are a can of tomatoes, a can of beans, some instant rice (or leftover cooked rice), a bit of Italian seasoning, and a dash of salt and pepper.

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Beef Fried Rice with Onion and Shredded Carrot

Want to try your hand at an easy Chinese takeout recipe? Toss some flank steak strips into an easy stir-fry of leftover rice, peas, carrots, and scallions, for an easy, filling, 30-minute meal that will please the whole family.

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New Orleans Rice Fritters (Rice Calas)

Deep-fried fritters made with cooked rice, flour, sugar, and spices are a New Orleans breakfast tradition. Crispy and golden-brown on the outside, and tender on the inside, they are a wonderful use for leftover rice in the fridge.

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Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

Thai pineapple fried rice brings a mouth-watering taste of the tropics to your dinner table. Golden grains of rice jeweled with chunks of juicy canned pineapple chunks, cashews, and currants create a cheerful, beautiful side dish or vegetarian entree.

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Middle Eastern Dill Rice

Bright-tasting Middle Eastern dill rice is a simply delicious accompaniment to any spicy dish. Make it by steaming white basmati rice in chicken broth accented with freshly squeezed lemon juice, and chopped fresh dill. Plan to soak the rice for 2 hours before you cook it.

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Mushroom Risotto

Mushroom stock adds loads of earthy flavor to this restaurant-worthy mushroom risotto, but you could easily substitute chicken or vegetable broth, depending on what's in your pantry. Either way, this is hands-down one of the tastiest risottos around, and makes a filling meal on its own, or a special side dish for chicken or fish.

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Thai Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken fried rice is easy to make at home, and this tasty version rivals the fried rice you would get at your favorite Thai restaurant. It's also versatile, allowing for fresh or leftover rice, and chicken breast or thigh meat, plus lots of yummy vegetables.

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Polish Tomato-Rice Soup

Polish tomato-rice soup is a thick, hearty meal-in-a-bowl that includes carrots, celery, and onions. Blend it smooth, or enjoy it chunky, to suit your tastes. You could use chicken stock, or swap in vegetable stock to make it vegetarian.

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Vegan Spanish Rice

Spanish rice is a family-friendly rice dish with southwestern flavorings. This yummy vegan version uses vegetable broth, fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, and green chilies. Roll it in tortillas for vegetarian burritos, or serve it with scrambled eggs for a tasty breakfast-for-dinner idea.

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Instant Pot Rice Pudding

Instant pot rice pudding is a fuss-free dessert that uses common pantry ingredients. Vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg make this pudding smell and taste fantastic. It cooks to perfection in an amazing 5 minutes (but plan on 20 minutes more for pressure buildup and release).

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Turmeric Rice with Golden Raisins

Turmeric adds its signature, vibrant golden hue to this nicely-spiced rice dish. Plump raisins add sweetness, while curry powder and soy sauce bring in plenty of savory flavor. Serve with grilled fish or lamb, or stuff it into roasted bell peppers.

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Vegan Asian Rice Salad

Need a quick dinner idea, or a way to use up leftover rice? Try this vegan Asian rice salad. It's a vegetarian meal made with brown rice, crunchy vegetables, and a tasty sweet-and-sour sauce. Tastes great warm or cold.

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Vegetarian and Vegan Dirty Rice

Vegans, rejoice. This gluten-free dirty rice dish omits the usual meat, without sacrificing flavor. Brown rice, kidney beans, celery, garlic, green peppers, Cajun seasoning, and thyme combine to create a nourishing, meatless family meal.

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Vegan Stuffed Tomatoes With Rice and Veggies

Vegan stuffed tomatoes loaded up with a savory mixture of rice and veggies, and topped with melted vegan cheese, make an inexpensive, kid-pleasing lunch or dinner. The recipe uses onion and garlic powders, but feel free to vary the spices to taste.

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Thai Fried Rice With Shrimp (Khao Phad Kung)

Shrimp-fried rice is a popular restaurant dish that is surprisingly easy to prepare at home. Use fresh or frozen shrimp, and leftover cooked rice, for this easy fried rice dinner that will please the whole family.

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Mexican Rice

Mexican rice boasts big flavor and texture, thanks to frozen veggies and a hit of chile. Toss in some chopped cooked ham or chicken, if you like, to turn it into a satisfying one-dish meal.

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Baked Savannah Red Rice With Bacon, Tomatoes, and Onions

Savannah red rice casserole with tomatoes, peppers, onion, and bacon is very easy to assemble, bakes to perfection in the oven, and makes a comforting weeknight family meal. Any leftovers will freeze well up to a month, sealed in an airtight container.

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Vegetarian Thai Mushroom Fried Rice

Mushroom fried rice makes a satisfying vegetarian main or side dish, and is a tasty way to use up cooked rice from your fridge. This Thai-inspired fry-up is flavored with soy sauce and hoisin sauce, with a hint of sweetness from a little brown sugar.

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Spicy Risotto with Red Pepper

If you like your dinner spicy, you'll enjoy digging your fork into this colorful, creamy red pepper risotto that is studded with healthy vegetables, and delivers a surprise jolt of heat from red pepper flakes and cayenne.

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Curried Rice With Raisins

Curry powder and raisins add spiced, sweet flavor to this inexpensive, Indian-inspired rice dish. The rice is sauteed first with the onions, then simmered with the broth and raisins, for a flavorful side to serve with chicken or meat for dinner.

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Southwestern Chicken and Rice Bake

You'll have a family dinner on the table in about an hour, with this Southwestern chicken casserole that uses diced cooked chicken meat, cooked rice, canned black beans, corn, and dried seasonings, plus an easy homemade sauce and optional cheese topping.