It has happened to the best of us. We cooked a delicious meal for our family just to have more leftovers than we intended.
However, leftovers are a blessing because it means we don’t have to cook the next day. And sometimes, leftovers can be used to make a delicious meal. When it comes to leftover rice recipes, there are tons of delicious options.
Wondering what to do with leftover rice? You can make so many cooked rice recipes that will delight your family and they will taste like you made a batch of rice just to make leftover rice recipes.
From fried rice to stuffed burritos, stuffed peppers, and savory soups, you can find something on this list of leftover rice recipes that will please the crowd.
Source: sprinklesandsprouts.com
1. Most
dedicated carnivores love bacon, and if that’s you, you know we’ve got you covered. Frittata is a classic main dish that you can enjoy for breakfast, brunch, lunch or a light dinner.
This frittata recipe is made with leftover rice and has plenty of vegetables, including corn, zucchini, and carrots. Do this with the cheese you love: cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, or grated gouda cheese.
Source: ketchupwithlinda.com
2. Crispy Thai
rice
A leftover rice recipe doesn’t have to include soft rice. Why not shape leftover rice into pies or balls and fry them for a satisfying treatment?
For this rice recipe, you need curry paste or curry powder. Other ingredients include fish sauce, finely chopped shallot, a little sugar and chopped scallions. The fried egg adds the perfect finishing touch.
Source: merrimentdesign.com
3. Even the
most demanding eaters will usually go ga-ga on a plate full of pancakes. With this leftover rice recipe, you can add some nutritious grain and fiber with your rice pancakes.
You still need all-purpose flour to make these rice pancakes, but it’s much less than for traditional pancakes. Garnish with sliced bananas and real maple syrup.
Source: theplantbasedschool.com
4. Risotto cakes
Want a healthy air fryer recipe for your rice scraps? Try these crispy risotto cakes. Fried risotto cakes can be a wonderful side dish or a main course meal to serve on top of a green salad.
The condiments for this recipe are freshly ground black pepper, dried oregano and garlic powder. Make these risotto cakes with plant-based milk for a vegan recipe.
Source: 12tomatoes.com
5. Parmesan
cheese Rice
cakes Rice cakes are delicious regardless of the ingredients you use to make them, but Parmesan cheese adds a lot of flavor
.
For this recipe, you can use cooked white rice or cooked brown rice. You also need some seasoned bread crumbs to make these rice cakes. Vegetables include red pepper and green onions (spring onions).
Source: indianveggiedelight.com
6. Rice chops
These rice chops are another recipe that can be prepared with your air fryer. You can serve these little golden gems as a light lunch or as a welcome snack for guests.
Tons of flavor come from turmeric, red chili powder, grated ginger, garam masala powder, chaat masala powder and cilantro. Vegetables are potatoes, carrots, onions, spinach and chopped green beans.
Source: eatingwell.com
7. Fried
chicken and waffles are a Southern classic, but when you use wild rice or a wild rice mix, you have a fancy meal with plenty of hearty flavor
.
These healthy waffles are made with whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and oatmeal. Rice can be a mixture of wild rice or all wild rice.
Source:
thewoksoflife.com 8. Fried rice recipe with egg and bacon Fried rice
for breakfast? Sure! When you combine your leftover fried rice with scrambled eggs and crispy bacon, you have a meal that goes well with any time of day.
The secret of this fried rice recipe is in the sauces used. In addition to two types of soy sauce, you also need Shaoxing wine.
Source: theseasonedmom.com
9. Stuffed peppers
What’s one of the best things you can do with a fresh garden pepper? Stuff it! If you have an excellent pepper harvest, you’re ready for a delicious main course meal that you can prepare in advance.
We’ve tried many different stuffed pepper recipes over the years, and this is one of our favorites because it requires leftover rice.
Source:
spicysouthernkitchen.com 10. Few
leftover rice recipe ideas are as timeless as creamy and comforting rice pudding. This recipe shows you how to make an old rice pudding recipe, and you won’t be disappointed!
This rice pudding recipe is made with leftover rice, whole milk, white granulated sugar, a little sea salt and vanilla extract. Sprinkle cinnamon on top if you want.
Source:
jocooks.com 11.
Korean Rice Bowl (Bibimbap)
Korean recipes have become increasingly popular, and one of our favorites is Bibimbap, also known as Korean rice bowl. This recipe has tons of vegetables, and is made with marinated meat and topped with a fried egg.
The secret to this recipe is Bibimbap hot sauce, which is made with sesame oil, Korean chili paste, honey, soy sauce, garlic and rice vinegar.
Source:
anaffairfromtheheart.com 12. Risotto balls (Arancini)
How about creamy, cheesey, crispy fried risotto balls? Also known as Arancini, fried risotto balls are made with leftover arborio rice, garlic, fresh herbs, and three types of cheese.
The cheese you need for this recipe is Pecorino Romano cheese, mozzarella cheese and ricotta cheese. The coating is made with Italian seasoned breadcrumbs and grated Romano cheese.
Source:
thecozycook.com 13. Chicken casserole and rice broccoli
In the past, we have made this chicken and broccoli rice casserole recipe on the stove with Minute Rice. However, our cooking skills have definitely improved, and now we love baking this baking pot of rice in the oven.
This casserole gets a lot of creamy goodness from chicken soup cream, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and milk.
Source: hebbarskitchen.com
14. Rice Pakoras
For a tasty snack or a light lunch, these rice pakoras are perfect to serve to children, and are elegant enough for company. To make this delicious little snack, you need leftover rice and vegetables.
Vegetables are shredded cabbage and grated carrots. For seasoning, use chaat masala, cumin powder, cashmere chili powder and coriander.
Source:
krollskorner.com 15. Mushrooms stuffed
with wild rice
Every time we can make a wild rice recipe, we know it will be an amazing dinner. Many people only use wild rice to make chicken and wild rice soup, but these vegetarian stuffed mushrooms are to die for!
You can make these mushrooms stuffed with wild rice with a wild rice mixture or just wild rice.
Source:
simple-veganista.com 16. Vegan and gluten-free
lentil bread
Meatloaf is an American classic, but if you’re a vegetarian, you can enjoy this lentil bread instead. Best of all, this recipe is made with pantry staples that you probably already have in your kitchen.
In addition to lentils, vegetables in this recipe include red pepper, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic.
Source:
healthylittlefoodies.com 17. Rice salad
with tuna
Leftover rice is not only great for tasty soup, stuffed burritos and rice pudding. You can also use leftover rice to make this tuna rice salad recipe.
Sometimes you just want something light for lunch or dinner, and a salad fits perfectly. You can use brown rice or fluffy basmati rice to make this salad recipe.
Source:
soulfullymade.com 18. Ground
beef is a staple in most American cuisines because it is so versatile. You can brown a pound of ground beef and use it to make everything from spaghetti to careless Joes.
For a hearty main course, you can’t go wrong with this ground beef casserole that’s made with leftover rice. French onion soup adds a lot of delicious flavor.
Source:
tablespoon.com 19. Hot Dog Fried Rice Fried Rice
with hot dog is the best fusion food! With classic American hot dogs and leftover rice, this fried rice recipe is a treat for the public that is super affordable to cook.
For vegetables, you have frozen sweet peas and diced carrots. Garnish this fried rice recipe with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
Source:
lemonblossoms.com 20. Paella salad
We love a Spanish rice
recipe, and we also love having leftover Spanish rice. Why? So we can make this easy paella salad that is mixed with garlic vinaigrette dressing and loaded with protein-rich shrimp and chicken.
You can make this paella recipe with chicken leftovers, or you can cook chicken breast from scratch in the oven or on the grill.
Source:
somethingnutritiousblog.com 21.
One of our favorite ways to use leftover rice is by making crispy rice fritters. This is the perfect light recipe for busy nights of the week, and when served with a spoonful of sour cream, you have a main course meal or a tasty little snack.
This recipe is a great way to strain some vegetables into your kitchen because it’s loaded with shredded zucchini and carrots.
Source:
dishingouthealth.com 22. Vegetarian rice and bean burrito
Does your family love Spanish rice? If so, use your leftover Spanish rice or Mexican fried rice to make these tasty stuffed burritos. But we’re also big fans of cilantro and lime rice, which you need for these tasty black bean and rice burritos.
This burrito recipe calls for three types of hot and sweet peppers: red pepper, chipotle peppers, and poblano peppers.
Source:
spendwithpennies.com 23. Chicken and rice soup
If you love the comforting chicken noodle soup, you’ll be delighted with this hearty chicken and rice soup. This is a healthy meal that is filling enough to stand on its own with nothing else.
You can use leftover roast chicken to make this soup. Vegetables include garlic, carrots and onions.
Source:
bakedambrosia.com 24. Kale, turkey and brown rice soup
If you love rice but feel a little guilty about carbs, go with brown rice instead. Yes, brown rice also has carbohydrates, but it’s a healthier option and a healthy grain.
For this hearty soup, you need carrots, onion, kale and red pepper. The amazing flavor comes from red pepper flakes, turmeric, crushed tomatoes roasted over the fire and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Source:
pallavibhat.com 25. Rice Toti (Ubbu Rotti) Ubbu rotti
is an Indian flatbread recipe that is usually made from rice flour. However, you can also use leftover rice to make this unique recipe.
For a truly unique flavor, serve your ubbu rotti with powdered chutney or spicy chutney.
Source:
acouplecooks.com 26. Rice and chickpea
soup
Almost everyone loves chicken and rice soup, but what if you’re vegan or vegetarian? With this chickpea and rice soup recipe, you can enjoy the same salty taste.
Lemon zest (fresh lemon juice is also used) gives this soup a bright taste and delicious taste. The flavor comes from fresh ginger, garlic powder, ground turmeric and lots of garlic. This soup is also loaded with vegetables, including onions, spinach, carrots, and celery.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will cooked rice stay fresh
in the refrigerator?
In most cases, you can store your cooked rice overnight in the refrigerator. It will last about four days. This includes most types of rice, including brown rice, basmati rice, and white rice.
To help rice stay fresh longer, experts recommend storing rice in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container. Any of these methods will prevent the rice from being exposed to airborne bacteria. When you have leftover cooked rice, pack it in an airtight container and in the refrigerator within a couple of hours.
How long can you store leftover cooked rice in your freezer?
Like most foods, leftover cooked rice will stay longer in the freezer than in the refrigerator. If your cooked rice is frozen in a freezer bag or airtight container, it will keep well for about 4-6 months.
After the six-month period, the rice will still be fine to eat, but the quality begins to decline. Rice can become soft if it freezes for too long.
How do you know if your leftover rice has gone bad?
You can’t cool and reheat leftover rice too many times because it gives rice the ideal environment for bacterial growth. If your rice is bad, it’s probably spoiled and needs to be thrown away. Don’t eat leftover rice that has a rancid or unpleasant odor.
If the rice grains become dry and hard, it is also a sign that they spoil. When rice starts to get crispy or dry when you reheat it, don’t eat it. Like most spoiled foods, leftover rice can cause food poisoning, so be sure to throw it away if you’re concerned about quality.
Can you eat cold rice?
As long as it is handled properly, cold rice is totally fine to eat. To make sure your rice doesn’t spoil, store it in the refrigerator within an hour after cooking. Then, keep it refrigerated in a refrigerator with the correct temperature. If you take these precautions, your leftover rice is safe to eat.
Watch this video for more ideas for cooking leftover rice recipes.
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