2-Ingredient 'Pepsi Rice' Shouldn't Work (But Apparently Does)

Pepsi rice? Let's break it down here, just in case you're a little taken aback by what you just read. What do these two items, one being a popular soft drink and the other being a staple of many different cuisines, have to do with each other? It's simple: it's your standard bowl of rice submerged in a pool of dark, fizzing Pepsi. 

You're forgiven if you assume that this is going to be one of those weird quasi-"cooking" videos you see every so often on Facebook or TikTok. You know, those weird cooking videos that involve making things like Spaghetti-O pie or McDonald's ground up in a blender? While those videos exist primarily as harmless (if not somewhat wasteful) shock content, one could argue that the idea of Pepsi and rice is just another dumb idea made to get people angry and rake in views. But there are those who argue that Pepsi rice, although unconventional, may actually be better than what you think it is.

But what's the story behind Pepsi rice? Who invented it? Where did it come from? And perhaps most importantly of all: is it actually any good? The answer to these questions lies in the relationship between American and Filipino cooking.

Chef and television personality Dale Talde grew up in Chicago to Filipino parents. His recipes combine traditional Philippine cuisine with the cuisine he enjoyed growing up in the United States to create a variety of impressive Asian-American dishes. But for as delicious as Talde's dishes may be, one would not expect to see something like "Pepsi rice" on his menu. What does Pepsi rice have to do with Dale Talde?

Truth be told, Talde didn't invent the dish. Instead, his grandmother is credited to be the one who created the dish, per Saveur, having poured Pepsi over rice. In fact, that's pretty much the recipe: simply pour the Pepsi product of your choice over a bowl of rice. 

As to what it tastes like, we can only assume that it tastes like rice but with a sticky sweet, almost caramel-like flavor to it. Perhaps it's similar to eating rice that's been covered in sweet soy sauce or sweet and sour sauce, but with just a bit more carbonation to it. 

On the other hand, it's only two ingredients, which are both pretty cheap, so if you want to try it for yourself and see if it's actually any good, be our guest.

Let's say that, for whatever reason, you're interested in trying this dish for yourself, but there's just one problem: you're a die-hard Coca-Cola fan and you won't even touch Pepsi. Lucky for you, you'll be happy to know that there does exist Coca-Cola and rice for your soda and rice dreams. 

Similar to Pepsi rice, Coca-Cola rice follows almost the exact same format to make it — dump some soda on your rice. Some recipes, however, encourage you to experiment and add different additions, such as silvered almonds and raisins or bouillon cubes and scallions. You can also serve Coca-Cola rice with beef, chicken, or pork– after all, if Coca-Cola can work in a barbeque sauce for your shredded beef, wouldn't Coca-Cola rice work just as well?

While Pepsi rice has roots in Filipino cooking, Coca-Cola rice is said to have roots in Latin America, or more specifically Colombia. Coca-Cola's unique flavor profile, being sweet and somewhat acidic, make it a rather popular ingredient in several types of Colombian cooking.