What to cook with rice: 8 reliable dishes.
Rice is the most-cooked grain on earth and the one most cooks get wrong. Method depends on the variety. Here are 8 rice-forward dinners with the right technique for each, plus the 4 fundamental rice methods every kitchen should know.
The 8 dishes
1. Chicken and rice (one-pot)
Brown chicken thighs skin-down in oil. Soften onion, garlic, red pepper. Add long-grain rice, toast 1 min. Pour in stock, return chicken on top. Simmer covered 25 min. Rest 5. Uses: chicken thighs, long-grain rice, onion, garlic, red bell pepper, chicken stock, olive oil, paprika.
2. Risotto Milanese (saffron)
Toast Arborio in butter and olive oil. Splash white wine, reduce. Add hot stock one ladle at a time, stirring, until rice is creamy and al dente, about 18 min. Off heat: butter, parmigiano, saffron threads bloomed in stock. Uses: Arborio rice, white wine, chicken stock, saffron, butter, parmigiano, onion.
3. Egg fried rice
Day-old refrigerated rice (this is non-negotiable). Hot wok, neutral oil, scramble eggs aside. Stir-fry rice hard, breaking apart. Soy, sesame oil, scallion, white pepper. Uses: cold cooked rice, eggs, soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions, white pepper, neutral oil.
4. Jambalaya
Brown andouille and chicken. Holy trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper) and garlic. Long-grain rice, smoked paprika, cayenne, thyme, bay. Tomatoes and stock. Simmer 25 min, fold in shrimp last 5 min. Uses: long-grain rice, andouille, chicken thighs, onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne, thyme, bay, San Marzano tomatoes, chicken stock, shrimp.
5. Bibimbap
Steamed short-grain rice in a hot stone bowl. Top with seasoned vegetables (spinach with sesame, julienned carrot, bean sprouts, mushrooms), soy-marinated ground beef, fried egg, gochujang. Mix at the table. Uses: short-grain rice, ground beef, soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, spinach, carrot, mushrooms, bean sprouts, eggs, gochujang.
6. Coconut rice with grilled shrimp
Jasmine rice cooked in 1:1 coconut milk:water with a pinch of salt and sugar. Shrimp marinated in lime, garlic, fish sauce, grilled 90 sec per side. Cilantro, lime, chili. Uses: jasmine rice, coconut milk, shrimp, lime, garlic, fish sauce, cilantro, fresh chili.
7. Stuffed peppers (rice-and-beef filling)
Brown ground beef with onion, garlic. Mix with cooked rice, tomato sauce, smoked paprika, parsley. Stuff peppers, top with cheddar. 375°F for 35 min. Uses: long-grain rice, ground beef, bell peppers, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, smoked paprika, parsley, cheddar.
8. Hainanese chicken rice
Poach a whole chicken in stock with ginger and scallion. Cook rice in chicken-fat-toasted ginger and a few cups of the poaching stock. Plate sliced chicken over rice with dipping sauces (chili-lime, soy-ginger). Uses: whole chicken, jasmine rice, ginger, scallions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, lime, cilantro.
How to store rice
Dry rice keeps indefinitely. Cooked rice keeps 4 days refrigerated, but watch for Bacillus cereus — cool quickly after cooking and don't leave at room temperature for hours. Frozen cooked rice keeps 2 months and revives perfectly in the microwave with a sprinkle of water.
What to substitute for rice
Long-grain ↔ basmati ↔ jasmine (jasmine is slightly stickier). Short-grain (sushi rice) is non-substitutable for risotto, sushi, or bibimbap — those depend on the starch profile. Brown rice subs for white in any recipe but needs ~50% longer cooking time.
FAQ
- Should I rinse rice before cooking?
- Yes for jasmine, basmati, sushi, and bibimbap rice — rinse 3-4 times until water runs clear. Removes surface starch that makes rice gluey. Don't rinse Arborio or carnaroli for risotto — you need that surface starch to make the dish creamy.
- What's the right water-to-rice ratio?
- Long-grain white: 1.75:1 water-to-rice. Jasmine and basmati: 1.5:1 (after rinsing). Short-grain sushi: 1.1:1. Brown rice: 2.25:1. Arborio for risotto: not measured — you ladle stock progressively until done.
- Why does my rice always come out mushy?
- Three causes: too much water, too high heat, or peeking. After bringing to a boil, drop heat to lowest and cover. Don't lift the lid for 18 minutes (long-grain) or 25 (brown). Rest covered 10 minutes off heat — that's the part everyone skips.
- Can I make fried rice with fresh rice?
- Technically yes but it'll be gummy. Fried rice depends on rice that's been refrigerated overnight — the cold dehydrates the surface starches and lets each grain stay separate when stir-fried. If you must use fresh rice, spread it on a sheet pan and freeze for 30 minutes first.
Cook with what you already own.
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