21 Best Leftover Rice Recipes That Make Quick, Easy Meals
It's great in stir-fry, stuffed vegetables, and burritos!
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So, you've finally mastered how to cook rice with the perfect rice-to-water ratio. Congrats! (It is truly a low-key feat). Any cook like Ree Drummond knows that starches provide the base to some of the most flavorful dishes, and rice is no exception. Still, it doesn't matter if you're using the best rice cooker in the world or kicking it old-school on the stovetop—even the most seasoned cooks can be left with a boatload of leftover rice. (Oops.)
So if you're wondering what to do, luckily, there are tons of delicious leftover rice recipes! What you need to remember is how long rice lasts before it goes bad; the good news is that refrigerated rice lasts about a week and then all you need to learn is the right way to reheat rice. After that, it's time to get cooking! Weeknight meal plans always benefit from a few easy rice recipes because the grain is filling yet satisfying paired with sautéed veggies or tender meat. (Think Ree's bacon-wrapped scallops, a batch of stuffed peppers, or a savory stir-fry.) Also, it's worth knowing that fried rice is actually better when you use rice that has sat in the fridge overnight, as it gets crispier than fresh rice. So no matter how much leftover rice you have on hand, there's always a recipe to use it!
Bacon-Wrapped Scallops with Chili Butter
Did you know that bacon-wrapped scallops are actually one of Ree's favorite things on earth? But they're even more perfect for dinner when served with rice drizzled with extra chili butter.
Cashew Chicken
This already-great recipe is made even greater if you have leftover rice laying around! This is comfort food at its very best and most delicious.
Get Ree’s Cashew Chicken recipe.
Chickpea Curry
Chickpea curry is a perfect vegetarian lunch or dinner, and serving it over basmati rice gives the whole thing a bit more oomph. It's especially good for the days before you go grocery shopping because it calls for ingredients you probably already have sitting in the pantry
Get Ree's Chickpea Curry recipe.
Hoisin Steak and Pepper Stir-Fry
Steak, veggies, rice...what more do you need? Sandwich the hoisin steak and peppers between rice and sprinkles of scallions and cilantro.
Get Ree's Hoisin Steak and Pepper Stir-Fry recipe.
Honey Soy Salmon
We love a meal that's ready in fifteen minutes! The sticky sauce has more flavor than you'll know what to do with and absorbs perfectly into the rice.
Get Ree's Honey Soy Salmon recipe.
Sausage and Rice Stuffed Peppers
If you want a way to use all your end-of-the-week veggies, stuffed peppers are the way to go. While they're delicious when stuffed with basically anything, Ree's recipe of sweet Italian sausage, plum tomatoes, garlic, and shredded mozzarella is seriously good.
Get Ree's Sausage and Rice Stuffed Peppers.
Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs
If you want to spruce up your pan-roasted chicken, serving it over rice is a simple fix! They're so flavorful, so moist, and so simple.
Get Ree's Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs recipe.
Soy-Ginger Beef Kebabs with Rice
Cut down the cooking time on this recipe and use leftover rice! It will be just as seriously smokey and delicious.
Get Ree's Soy-Ginger Beef Kebabs with Rice recipe.
Spicy Cauliflower
Ah, rice. It's the best friend of anyone who loves spicy food but has a hard time handling the heat. You can eat this healthy, yummy treat by itself, but rice makes it all the better.
Get Ree's Spicy Cauliflower recipe.
Veggie Stir-Fry
Thank you, Ree, for all of your 16-minute recipes! This gorgeous, luscious stir-fry will knock your socks off, and it remains quick and easy when served over leftover rice.
Get Ree's Veggie Stir-Fry recipe.
Coconut Curry Shrimp
Yet again, rice is the spice-sensitive foodies' best friend. Coconut curry shrimp is one of Ree's favorite curry dishes. It takes almost no time to make!
Get Ree's Coconut Curry Shrimp recipe.
Beef and Bean Burritos
Burritos are the best because you can stuff them with tons of different ingredients. Ree suggests adding rice, sour cream, guacamole, green chilies, or pico de gallo to spruce up this dish's beef and beans base.
Get Ree's Beef and Bean Burritos recipe.
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Curry
Instant Pots are the best for making delicious meals fast.This Thai-inspired curry is so simple and you just need a few key ingredients! Plus, you can add any meat you like!
Brown Rice Power Bowl
Rice bowls are perfect for a light dinner or hearty lunch. This one calls for cooked veggies, but you can also use brown rice that has been cooked ahead of time!
Get the Brown Rice Power Bowl recipe.
Poke Bowls
Have you noticed that poke bowls have been popping up all over the place in recent years? You can essentially add any of your favorite toppings, from fresh-caught fish and seafood to kimchi and carrots!
Get the Poke Bowls recipe.
Spice-Rubbed Grilled Chicken
The first time cook Dara Michalski made these spicy-sweet chicken thighs she served them with salad, but she notes that it goes just as well over cooked rice!
Get the Spice-Rubbed Grilled Chicken recipe.
Sushi Rice Bowls
It took Ree a moment to get into raw fish, but now she can't get enough! Still, not everyone has the hard-to-master sushi-rolling skills. Skip the frustration and make sushi rice bowls for a simple lunch!
Get the Sushi Rice Bowls recipe.
Veggie-Stuffed Fried Rice
Leftover cold rice is perfect for fried rice because it browns much better. If you use warm rice, it will turn to mush in the pan!
Get the Veggie-Stuffed Fried Rice recipe.
Salmon Cakes with Mango Salsa
As you reheat your rice, add some butter to give it a creamier texture. It will pair nicely with the savory, fresh salmon cakes.
Get the Salmon Cakes with Mango Salsa recipe.
Breakfast Fried Rice
Fried rice isn't only for supper! If you have yet to discover breakfast fried rice, prepare to have your mind (and taste buds) blown.
Get the Breakfast Fried Rice recipe.
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