Do you always seem to have leftover rice on hand? If you've got some leftover rice that you'd rather not go to waste, here are some easy ways to turn your plain steamed leftover white or brown rice into a fabulous new meal or side dish! Read on for some uses for leftover rice.
1. Vegetable Fried Rice
Use your leftover rice to make Chinese fried rice!
Toss some garlic, onions, soy sauce and sesame oil in your frying pan, add your leftover rice and whatever veggies you have on hand, and voila - you have a new meal: vegetable fried rice! For variation, try adding pineapples, cashews, scrambled eggs, tofu and different sauces and spices. I always add a dash of sea salt and fresh lime juice too. Fried rice can be served either as an entree or as a side dish.
Fried rice recipes:Easy Vegetable Fried Rice Chinese Cashew Fried Rice Vegetable Fried Rice with Spinach (pictured)
Fried rice recipes:
2. Rice Salad
This is another great way to use up your rice if you've got lots and lots leftover, and is a low-fat and healthy way to include some veggies into your diet. Toss your leftover rice with your favorite vinaigrette or other salad dressing, some fresh herbs or spices and your favorite diced vegetables. Or, try one of the rice salad recipes below.
Rice salad recipes:
3. Rice and Bean Burritos
Burrito photo courtesy of Kashia, stock.xchng
Heat up a can of beans, add some hot sauce and your leftover rice, and you've got yourself a quick bean and rice burrito! Add in whatever burrito toppings you happen to have on hand, such as salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or maybe even some leftover cooked veggies. If you prefer to follow a recipe, here are a few rice and bean burrito recipes to try:
Rice and bean burrito recipes:Easy Bean and Cheese Burrito Vegan Bean and Rice Burrito
Rice and bean burrito recipes:
4. Stuffed Tomatoes with Leftover Rice
Season your leftover rice and use it to make vegetarian stuffed tomatoes for a main dish or healthy side. Slice off the tops of your tomatoes, fill with a seasoned rice mixture, drizzle with olive oil and bake. It's that easy! This recipe would also work well for making stuffed bell peppers instead of stuffed tomatoes.
Rice stuffed tomatoes:Stuffed Tomatoes with Leftover Rice (pictured) Stuffed Tomatoes with Veggies and Rice Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes with Mushroom Soup More stuffed tomatoes recipes
Rice stuffed tomatoes:
5. Rice Soup
Use your leftover rice to make a rice soup! Pop open a canned soup and heat it over the stove, stirring in your leftover rice and some extra spices for a quick home cooked meal suitable for the whole family.
Rice soup recipes:Quick and Easy Tomato Rice Soup Rice and Poblano Pepper Soup
Rice soup recipes:
6. Rice Quiche
Wild rice quiche recipe courtesy Linda, About.com Guide for Busy Cooks
You can use your leftover rice to make a gluten-free bottom "crust" for a breakfast quiche as with the wild rice quiche recipe below, or, you can just toss the leftover rice in with the eggs and other ingredients before baking. Use about one cup of pre-cooked rice in your quiche.
Rice quiche recipes:Vegetarian Lentil and Rice Quiche Wild Rice and Vegetable Quiche Artichoke and Olive Rice Quiche
Rice quiche recipes:
7. Dolmas - Stuffed Grape Leaves
Vegetarian dolmas photo courtesy of Nancy, About.com Guide to Greek Food
If you've got just a bit of leftover rice on hand, try making dolmas - Middle Eastern stuffed grape leaves! Combine your pre-cooked rice with some fresh parsley or other herbs, and boil in some water with lemon juice and olive oil. For extra tangy dolmas, drizzle them with a bit of fresh lemon juice, just before serving.
Stuffed grape leaves recipes (dolmas):Greek Dolmas with Fresh Herbs Stuffed Dolmas with Rice and Vegetables
Stuffed grape leaves recipes (dolmas):
8. Leftover Rice Pudding
Photo by Michael Law
Rice pudding is a great way to use up lots of leftover rice all at once, and everyone loves rice pudding, kids and adults! You can add some cinnamon and nutmeg, or some raisins and dried fruit for a breakfast rice pudding. If you've got a large amount of leftover rice you need to use up, try turning it into rice pudding.
Rice pudding recipes:Rich and Creamy Leftover Rice Pudding Orange and Raisin Leftover Rice Pudding
Rice pudding recipes:
