8 Rice Recipes You'll Be Raving About
Rice is one of the most important ingredients in the world. It's a staple food, foundational to the diet of more than half the humans on the planet. It also happens to be super versatile, varied in types, textures, and flavors — not to mention oh-so delicious — so it's no surprise that there's an infinite number of recipes that make great use of your all-important rice.
While the diversity of options is exciting, with so many choices, it may be a struggle at times to know where to start in selecting your rice strategy. But have no fear — we've got you covered when it comes to your starch centerpiece. Here, you'll find eight recipes featuring classic and creative dishes from cuisines all over the globe, from lunch to dinner to dessert, supporting role to star of the show, that will help you easily solve any rice cooking conundrum. These preparations make use of various methods, from one-pot possibilities to pan-fried, soup-ed to stewed, baked and beyond.
1-Pot Chicken And Rice
Sometimes, you want to really spread out and make a project out of cooking your dinner. In other instances, you just need a simple go-to option to save the day. Enter this 1 pot chicken and rice, which features everything you could possibly want in a well-rounded meal — protein, starch, veggies — all without pulling more than one single pot from the cupboard. And the best part? It still delivers huge flavor thanks to a complex spice profile. Enjoy this dish as a go-to family dinner, or make it ahead and package into your lunchbox for a sustaining mid-workday meal.
Classic Mexican Rice Recipe
This simple, budget-friendly dish makes the most of rice's ability to be a canvas for your favorite flavors. It relies on aromatics like sauteed garlic and onions, umami from tomato paste, and spices like chili powder and cumin to create layers of flavor without breaking the bank, while still being sustaining and satisfying, too. A sprinkle of fresh cilantro brightens things up, and the finished dish can be served alongside your favorite fajitas, folded into a burrito, or even just topped with a fried egg or tossed with beans for a little protein boost.
Spanish Rice Recipe
A superstar side dish with roots in Spanish cuisine, this preparation takes the simple added step of browning your rice a bit in olive oil to amp up its natural flavor, bringing out toasty notes before moving on to additional layers. If you're used to purchasing packaged and pre-seasoned rice, this super approachable recipe may inspire you to leave that stuff on the shelf next time. With an ingredient list that includes staples like garlic, onions, chicken broth, and canned tomatoes along with a handful of spices, you'll need just 5 minutes of prep time to create a from-scratch version that's perfect as a side dish, or a base for a tasty rice bowl with added meat or legumes.
Easy Vegetable Fried Rice Recipe
Fried rice is a famously satisfying dish (thanks to an irresistible combination of soy sauce and sesame oil), not to mention a super versatile one. You can make it vegetarian or protein-packed with egg or meat; it accommodates just about any veggie addition you have on hand, be it fresh or frozen, and when it comes to that foundation of rice, you can use just about any type you have on hand, from white to brown to wild. It's also a perfect method for making use of leftovers. A major bonus? You can have this on the table in less than 25 minutes.
Instant Pot Risotto Alla Parmigiana Recipe
What's more craveable than cheesy, decadent, stick-to-your-ribs risotto? But if you've ever felt intimidated by the process of crafting perfect risotto though, look no further than this recipe. Here, the comfort food classic gets the simplified treatment by relying on your instant pot, into which you combine a few readily available ingredients (aromatics, dairy, cheese, and broth) along with your rice (in this case, arborio) to confidently create a crowd-pleaser in a fraction of the time. Top it with a little fresh parsley or basil, and if you have leftovers, repurpose this rice favorite into another — fried rice balls known as arancini.
Creamy Chicken And Wild Rice Soup Recipe
Sometimes only a soup will do. Fortunately, this preparation happens to be one of rice's many superpowers, and this dish — with its abundance of protein-packed chicken, creamy texture thanks to a béchamel base, and abundance of nutritious veggies — deserves a place in your regular meal-time rotation. Wild rice is the star starch here, which has more of a presence in the flavor category than white or brown rice, and can stand up to the richness of this ultra-satisfying soup. You can even make up a big batch and freeze it, so you'll be prepared whenever the craving strikes.
Hearty Jambalaya Recipe
It's hard to imagine a dish that has more spunk and personality than jambalaya. The historic preparation hails from the American south and provides a stage for bold Cajun flavors. This rice-based recipe calls for a combination of proteins including chicken, chorizo, and shrimp, in addition to a selection of veggies from bell peppers to tomatoes, all of which are complemented by fragrant alliums and a kick from pepper flakes. Jambalaya is not just a party in a bowl — it's an entire meal, full stop. That said, it's also delicious folded up into a taco, and leftovers are just as inspiring, so feel free to make extra.
Arroz Con Leche (Mexican Rice Pudding)
No recipe roundup should come without a sweet finish, and while rice may be your go-to for savory dishes, this arroz con leche is an unforgettable dessert. Long grain rice is the base here, and it will absorb all three milks — whole, evaporated, and sweetened condensed — along with the spicy cinnamon and a pinch of salt as it simmers. The finished product can be studded with chewy, sweet raisins (or another dried fruit of your choice), but it's totally decadent and delicious all on its own.