Food Recipe Collections & Favorites Popular Ingredients 17 Simply Delicious Rice Recipes You'll Want to Make Tonight This food staple can be a side, a main, a patty, a dessert, and anything else you ask of it. By Betty Gold Betty Gold Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 23, 2019 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Getty Images Rice is a staple food—and one of the most widely consumed ingredients—in cuisines across the globe. In fact, rice is the agricultural commodity with the third highest worldwide production after sugarcane and maize; the grain provides more than one-fifth of the calories consumed by humans. Clearly, no matter where you come from or what type of cuisine you prefer, rice recipes are top of mind. The simple ingredient gets completely transformed when you pair it with curry or red beans, sauté it with vegetables and eggs for fried rice, or roll into sushi rice. It tastes delicious with any type of protein, sauce, and works just as well for breakfast or lunch (even dessert) as it does for dinner. When preparing rice, don't forget to wash it: giving your grains a quick rinse before cooking it allows them to shed some of their starch, which creates cooked rice that won't overly clumpy. Simply place rice in a fine-mesh sieve or colander with small-sized holes, then run cool tap water over it for about a minute. Stir with your fingers or a spoon as you go. Whether you're in search of cauliflower rice recipes, chicken and rice, brown rice, coconut rice, rice pilaf, and more, this roundup of our best rice recipes has you covered. How to Cook Perfectly Fluffy Rice Every Time 01 of 17 Black Rice Bowl With Tahini, Pistachios, and Raspberries Greg DuPree This beautiful bowl uses black rice, which gets its rich, deep color from the antioxidant anthocyanin. Black rice's mild, nutty flavor pairs perfectly with smooth tahini, sweet raspberries, and salty pistachios. Serve with fresh mint on top—and coffee or chai tea on the side—for a perfectly sweet-and-savory breakfast. Get the recipe: Black Rice Bowl with Tahini 02 of 17 Chorizo-and-Cheese Rice Patties Jennifer Causey These patties stand alone as a meal: they're packed with flavorful chorizo and shredded cheese, and you can serve them with guacamole for extra flavor (and protein!). You could also top two patties with a poached egg for a new take on eggs Benedict, or cook bite-size patties and serve as hors d'oeuvres. Get the recipe: Chorizo-and-Cheese Rice Patties 03 of 17 Fried Rice Ray Kachatorian/Getty Images There's just something about the combination of warm rice, cooked egg, a toasty soy-sesame seasoning, and little bits of vegetables (and maybe meat) that's comforting and utterly delicious. Get the recipe: Fried Rice 7 Genius Tips for Making Perfect Fried Rice—No Recipe Required 04 of 17 Homemade Cauliflower Rice Victor Protasio Whether you're on a low carb diet or just looking to eat more veggies, cauliflower rice is a delicious, nutritious option. Thanks to your food processor, making your own cauliflower rice is incredibly easy. This simple method transforms a head of cauliflower into 6 cups of cauliflower rice, basically double what you'd get if you bought it pre-made. Get the recipe: Homemade Cauliflower Rice 05 of 17 Coconut Rice Pudding Daniel Agee The best part about this creamy dish? It can be served hot, room temperature, or chilled, and it's great eaten at any time of day. The rice is tender but not mushy, and the coconut flavor is present, but not overwhelming. We like serving it with toasted nuts, or chopped kiwi. Get the recipe: Coconut Rice Pudding 06 of 17 Brown Rice Congee Brie Passano The runny yolks add richness to this slow-cooked congee. Plus, it's easy to make soft-boiled eggs for a crowd. Simply bring a large pot of water to a boil, add one egg per guest, and cook exactly 7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, plunge into a bowl of ice water, then peel, halve, and divide amongst serving bowls. Get the Recipe: Brown Rice Congee With Kimchee, Scallions, and 7-Minute Eggs 07 of 17 Breakfast Rice Porridge Jennifer Causey The most magical part about this breakfast is that it comes together from little more than rice and water. Simmer both with some brown sugar and cinnamon, and they become something greater than their parts. This version is topped with mango and toasted almonds, but if you want to mix it up, you could go with any sort of fruit and nut combo. Get the recipe: Breakfast Rice Porridge 08 of 17 Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf With Cranberries Gentl + Hyers Looking for the perfect side dish to complement poultry or meat? This Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf is anything but ordinary. The savoriness of mushrooms and onions paired with fresh herbs and tart cranberries makes this dish a true show-stopper. Get the Recipe: Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf 09 of 17 Perfectly Fluffy Rice John Block/Getty Images This foolproof recipe is the only one you need to cook perfectly fluffy white rice. Get the recipe: Cooked Rice How to Cook Perfectly Fluffy Rice Every Time 10 of 17 Cauliflower Fried "Rice" with Ginger and Soy David Malosh Here, you'll stir fry cauliflower rice with ginger and garlic, fold in lime juice, chile sauce, and other zesty flavorings. The result: a guiltless version of a Chinese takeout favorite. Get the recipe: Cauliflower Fried "Rice" with Ginger and Soyfri 11 of 17 Spicy Tofu and Vegetables With Coconut Rice Greg Dupree Super flavorful rice gets the coconut treatment, and tofu pieces get crispy and add a kick to this naturally vegan dish. The vegetables get cooked quickly and seasoned with soy sauce for the perfect combo of flavors. Get the recipe: Spicy Tofu and Vegetables with Coconut Rice 12 of 17 Tofu and Vegetable Curry With Rice David Prince Here, firm tofu soaks up bold flavors from Thai red curry paste, grated ginger, and coconut milk. When ready to serve, top with freshly torn basil leaves and spoon a hefty serving atop bowls of long-grain white rice. Get the recipe: Tofu and Vegetable Curry With Rice 13 of 17 Black Beans and Rice Antonis Achilleos This Latin American staple does double duty as a main or a side dish. Get the recipe: Black Beans and Rice 14 of 17 Peanut Chicken With Charred Scallions and Rice Victor Protasio This easy peanut chicken dish starts with cooking crispy chicken thighs, then charring scallions, and steaming broccoli. Then, you'll add in some basmati rice and drizzle with a crazy addictive peanut-coconut sauce. Get the recipe: Peanut Chicken With Charred Scallions and Rice 15 of 17 Orange-Glazed Chicken and Coconut Rice Caitlin Bensel This coconut rice is so simple to make. You simply substitute canned coconut milk for water and steam the rice as you normally would. It's the kind of ingenious trick that makes a good recipe more than just a set of instructions, but a guide for creativity in the kitchen. Get the recipe: Orange-Glazed Chicken and Coconut Rice 16 of 17 Spicy Salmon With Bok Choy and Rice Raymond Hom Get a healthy meal on the table in 20 minutes with this smart plan to divide and conquer. While the salmon cooks up quickly in the oven, you'll cook the rice according to the package directions, make a tasty glaze for the fish—with a bit of honey, soy sauce, and crushed red pepper—and steam the baby bok choy. Plate the salmon over a bed of rice next to your green vegetable, and voila. Get the recipe: Spicy Salmon With Bok Choy and Rice 17 of 17 Baked Chicken and Rice John Kernick A classic crowd-pleaser, baked chicken and rice. Get the recipe: Baked Chicken and Rice Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit