Easy Rice Recipes For Dinner
Searching for fast and effortless dinner ideas with rice? Today, I’m sharing my collection of 20+ simple rice recipes that you can put together in no time for your family at dinner! You’ll find options for everyone—vegetarian, vegan, one-pot, and much more!
Why these rice recipes work so well
- Cooking rice is incredibly simple, whether you’re using the stove, a rice cooker, or an instant pot. I see it as a blank slate you can customize with any seasonings or tastes you enjoy.
- One-pot wonder: These one-pan meals are all the buzz for good reason—they’re quick to prepare and straightforward. Whipping up a one-pot chicken and rice meal (or something similar) is a great illustration of a satisfying dish that the whole table can enjoy.
- Incorporate veggies with ease using these kid-approved recipes. You can add vegetables to rice meals without sacrificing taste, and it’s especially helpful when you’re feeding picky eaters.
- Rice is quite inexpensive, a budget-friendly pantry staple grain, which makes it an excellent choice for cooks watching their spending. Get it right, and you’ll end up with a tasty dinner—like this creamy parmesan orzo.
- No matter the time of day, you can enjoy rice. It works as either a main course or a side dish. Rice often gets labeled as a complicated carbohydrate (starch-forward), but like most things in life, it comes down to portion size. Enjoyed in sensible amounts and balanced proportions, rice can fit into nutritious eating plans that support overall wellbeing.
With that in mind, let’s start cooking! Below are a few of my favorite easy rice recipes that you and your family will enjoy at dinner,
Rice and chicken recipes for dinner
Nothing compares to a one-pot rice dinner with juicy, tender chicken. These recipes are ideal for hectic weeknights—you only need a handful of ingredients plus boneless, skinless chicken thighs or bone-in chicken thighs. These family-style favorites are effortless to prepare and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
You’re going to enjoy this chicken and rice with mushrooms dish. It’s flavorful, fast, and simple—yet still bursting with taste. Garlic-butter infused rice, chicken, and mushrooms come together in a delicious one-pot meal cooked on the stovetop. This one is about to become a staple on your dinner rotation! It’s straightforward, but it tastes so special.
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This one-pot chicken and rice meal is destined to become your family’s go-to. The skinless chicken thighs turn out tender and juicy, while the rice stays perfectly light and fluffy. Consider it a sure bet for a weeknight dinner you and your loved ones will look forward to. It’s simple, cozy, and incredibly tasty.
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Instant pot chicken thighs and rice. An easy one-pot instant pot recipe that the entire family will love. Weeknight dinner just became simpler and faster with this effortless instant pot rice recipe. It’s full of flavor and made with everyday pantry ingredients.
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You’ll love this easy chicken bog recipe! Smoked sausages, shredded chicken, and rice cooked together in one pot. This is my version of the well-loved Southern chicken bog—comforting and packed with flavor. It’s tasty, straightforward, and cleanup is simple since everything is cooked in one pot.
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You’re going to love this instant pot jambalaya! It’s a quick, easy one-pot jambalaya made with smoked sausage, shrimp, and chicken—filled with bold flavors and completely delicious.
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This pressure cooker rice and chicken recipe: a quick one-pot chicken and rice meal cooked in a pressure cooker in under 20 minutes. The chicken thighs come out perfectly tender and juicy, and the rice is fluffy with plenty of flavor.
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Simple vegetarian rice for dinner
These easy vegetarian rice recipes are great when you want a quick, simple meal that’s both healthy and tasty. With lots of choices, there’s something to suit every preference. The flavor blend is absolutely wonderful and ideal for an easy weeknight dinner.
This simple mushroom rice recipe makes a wonderful side dish. It’s packed with rich mushroom flavor, lightly spiced for a little kick, and absolutely delicious. It’s a basic one-pot rice pilaf that uses only a handful of ingredients and is ready in under half an hour.
This recipe is vegan,vegetarian, and gluten-free
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This straightforward spinach rice recipe Spanakorizo is soon to be the only option for making this Greek rice dish. It’s easy, fast, wholesome and full of flavour. This homemade spinach rice relies on just a few ingredients and a quick process to turn your white rice into something utterly tasty.
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Try this easy fried rice recipe! This quick and effortless vegetable fried rice is ideal when you’ve got leftover rice and fresh vegetables to use up from your fridge. It adapts easily to any vegetables you have on hand, and if you’d like, you can add scrambled eggs
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Herb-seasoned rice makes a flexible side dish and can be prepared in under 30 minutes. Crafted from basic ingredients, this rice meal is loaded with flavour—ideal for every day of the week—and it pairs wonderfully with almost anything. Whether it’s chicken, steak, fish, or vegetables, this rice will match any main course. Let me walk you through how to make it with my step-by-step instructions.
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Garlic butter rice is one of the simplest rice meals for dinner that you can put together in 30 minutes. This is an easy rice dish that uses just a few ingredients you may already have in your kitchen pantry. It’s vegetarian and incredibly tasty. Properly seasoned rice that checks every box for deliciousness.
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Instant pot rice and beans made with canned beans! This hassle-free instant pot recipe is simple, remarkably quick, and easy, using a small handful of pantry staples. This beans-and-rice combination works perfectly for a meatless Monday, or as an excellent weeknight dinner and a great choice for meal prepping. It’s vibrant in colour and absolutely delicious. This recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, and a healthy option when enjoyed in moderation.
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This ultra-easy instant pot Mexican rice recipe is about to become your go-to Mexican dish. Prepare this pressure cooker Mexican rice in half the time you’d spend on the stovetop. It’s bursting with tomato flavour, wonderfully tasty, and made with a handful of pantry staple ingredients.
Add this instant pot Spanish rice to the list of side dishes your family will enjoy!
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How could it be world jollof rice day without a truly authentic Nigerian jollof rice recipe? Let me show you how to make the tastiest West African rice recipe that you and your entire family will adore.
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Curried rice, or curry rice, is a quick and simple side dish that you can enjoy on its own, with stir-fries, or alongside any other homemade sauce.
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Basic rice recipe
Find out how to cook rice on the stove and make perfectly cooked Instant Pot Rice every single time!
Discover how to make perfectly fluffy brown rice in your electric pressure cooker—always—using this step-by-step guide. This instant pot rice turns out never mushy, not dry, and never undercooked; instead, it becomes tender, fluffy, nutty and delicious. After you try this whole-grain version in your IP, you’ll never want to return to the stovetop or a rice cooker.
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Let me show you how to make flawless basmati rice in your instant pot—every time. This recipe uses Indian pure white basmati rice. With this easy, fast method, you can count on fluffy rice consistently. There’s no soaking required for this pressure cooker basmati rice recipe, and you’ll get tender, separate grains ofrice every single time.
What You Need To Cook Instant Pot Rice
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This jeera rice—or, if you prefer, cumin rice (Indian-style rice)—is simply delightful. It’s the kind of dish that’s incredibly straightforward, yet turns out wonderfully fluffy, tasty, and wonderfully aromatic. Jeera rice is a flexible pilaf that pairs beautifully with your go-to curry or dal. Follow along and I’ll walk you through making it with simple steps.
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Cauliflower rice, or cauli rice, works as a low-carb alternative to classic rice. Discover how to prepare cauliflower rice using easy steps, plus every hint you need for getting it just right, no matter what.
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Instant pot coconut rice recipe! A quick, simple rice dish made in an electric pressure cooker. This instant pot rice recipe uses just 4 ingredients and comes together in under 15 minutes. Coconut rice is fantastic for meal prep and makes an easy weeknight meal. It’s also a great side for curries, stir-fries, or stews. Let me show you how to prepare this effortless coconut rice so it’s fluffy and full of separate grains.
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Looking for a fast and simple dessert you can enjoy hot or chilled? This instant pot rice pudding is exactly what you need. Ready in 10 minutes!
This easy classic pressure-cooker rice pudding is quick, hassle-free, wonderfully creamy, and tastes absolutely incredible—almost heavenly. Warm cinnamon and nutmeg make it even more irresistible. You won’t be able to resist this quick treat’s goodness and richness. So good!!!
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Simple sauce for rice recipe
Instant pot Korean beef bowl—from your pressure cooker straight to the table in 15 minutes. It’s straightforward, fast, sweet, and packed with flavor. This recipe needs minimal to no prep time, and you’ll end up with tender ground beef that practically melts with every bite.
This pressure-cooker Korean beef dish is tasty not just with plain boiled rice—you can also serve it in wraps, lettuce cups, and veggie-style as a salad.
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This sweet, sticky, easy teriyaki chicken recipe is a perfect weeknight dinner. I sauté diced chicken breast until it turns golden brown, then cook it in my homemade teriyaki sauce until it becomes glossy, sticky, and caramelized. This Asian-inspired meal comes together quickly and is loaded with umami flavor. Enjoy it over steamed white rice and steamed broccoli.
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Ground beef stir fry is incredibly simple to make, especially when you’re busy on a weeknight. This stir fry features juicy, melt-in-your-mouth ground beef, lots of veggies, and my homemade all-purpose stir-fry sauce.
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Do you enjoy chips with curry, and have you ever been curious about how that well-known Chinese curry sauce is made? This homemade version will teach you how to create a tasty, thick, velvety sauce you can pour over your chips whenever the craving hits.
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An ideal Instant pot chicken curry prepared from scratch and ready in under 30 minutes, with only 6 minutes of cooking time. This pressure-cooker chicken curry recipe blends coconut curry with creamy butter-chicken-style flavor—without using butter. It’s fast, easy, filling, and bursting with delicious Indian flavors.
Serve it with fluffy white basmati rice, brown rice, and warm naan.
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In just 15 minutes, you can make the best shrimp stir fry you’ve ever had. It’s definitely better than your usual Chinese takeout. It’s simple, quick, and makes for a healthy weeknight meal everyone in the family will enjoy.
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FAQs
What goes well with white rice?
When it comes to what you can eat or serve alongside white rice, the options are truly limitless. Some of my go-to pairings include simple grilled meats or fish, flavorful curries, stir-fries, and hearty stews.
Can I prepare these rice dishes in advance?
Most of these rice recipes can be prepared ahead of schedule. That said, proper storage is key to preventing foodborne illness. Once the rice is finished cooking, allow it to cool completely before placing it in an airtight container or a freezer bag. Keep it in the refrigerator for 3–5 days, and be sure your cooked rice doesn’t remain at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
Can I freeze cooked rice?
Absolutely—you can freeze cooked rice for as long as 3 months. Still, when you reheat frozen rice, you may need to mix in a little extra moisture (broth, water, milk) to help bring back the ideal texture.
Whenever you’re set to eat, let it thaw overnight in the fridge for the best outcome. Warm it up in the microwave or on the stovetop according to the directions in the recipe.
Is rice good for you?
Yes! Rice can absolutely fit into a healthy diet when you enjoy it in moderation. It provides a solid amount of carbohydrates and works well alongside nutrient-rich vegetables to create a well-rounded meal.
What’s the difference between white rice and brown rice?
White rice is a processed grain where the bran and germ have been removed, whereas brown rice is a whole grain that keeps both the bran and germ. As a result, brown rice contains more fiber, vitamins, and minerals than white rice.
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Easy Rice Recipes For Dinner
- 1 ½ cups uncooked basmati rice
- 2 ½ cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic cloves chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup Chopped green onions
- Salt to taste
Stop your screen from dimming
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Wash the rice until the liquid turns clear; then drain it in a colander and keep it aside.
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Set a pan over medium heat, pour in the olive oil, and warm it until hot. Add the chopped garlic and cook, stirring, until it becomes tender; then add the butter and stir just until it melts
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Add the rinsed rice and toast it for 2 minutes, mixing constantly to prevent sticking to the pan.
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Add the vegetable broth (or stock) to the rice and stir to combine. Season with salt to taste, cover with the lid, and keep cooking on low heat for roughly 15 minutes. Taste-check the rice for doneness; if it seems dry at this stage, don’t rush to add water—sample it first and see whether it’s tender enough for your liking.
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When 15 minutes are up, fold in the chopped green onions, stir well, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat (there should be no liquid remaining in the rice at this point), and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. Fluff the rice with a fork, then serve as you like.
Calories: 339kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 5gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 55mgPotassium: 97mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 237IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg
Nutritional data: Please be aware that the nutrition panel shown is a projection derived from an online nutrition calculator. Actual results may differ depending on the particular ingredients and brands you choose. In no scenario will thedinnerbite.com assume any responsibility for losses or damages tied to your reliance on the nutritional information.
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