A lot of us eat rice. In fact, according to Statista, between 2021 and 2022, Americans consumed about 4.8 thousand metric tons of rice. If my math is correct, that’s about 8 million pounds of rice. That’s a lot!
Rice is not only for eating but it’s also for making things like wine, milk, vinegar, and even bread! So, when it comes to rice, we use it in a variety of different ways. As we can see, it’s a staple dish in a lot of our lives, but plain rice can get a bit boring, right? So here are a few rice recipes to add to your list of things to try!
1. Spinach Rice
This recipe is filled with protein, carbohydrates, and lots of vitamins, and it only takes about 30 minutes total from prep to the cooking time! This is a perfect side dish for any meal.
2. Arroz con Gandules, a.k.a. Puerto Rican Rice
For all my Spanish food lovers, this is another fantastic rice recipe! Made with yellow rice and gandules (pigeon peas), this recipe goes perfectly with something like baked or rotisserie chicken!
I actually tried this at a Vietnamese restaurant one time and it was so good. It has a really nice light taste to it and the garlic isn’t too strong either. If you add some veggies on the side, like sugar snap peas or string beans, you’ve got a really tasty dish on your hands.
Rice & peas is something I can eat as a stand-alone dish! With hints of coconut, pepper, and thyme, this recipe is an all-time favorite of mine. It goes really well with barbecue chicken, oxtail… anything really. Or you can do it like me and just eat it by itself. Enjoy!
If you love Chipotle, then you’re definitely going to love this recipe! With the flavor of lime and cilantro, this is an amazing recipe to go with any dish! Grilled chicken, pico de gallo, or even some veggies, this rice recipe will leave you satisfied!
Arroz Con Pollo is a very popular dish amongst the Latino community. Literally rice and chicken, it is a dish that can be eaten by itself and taste absolutely amazing. Made with ingredients like tomato sauce, vegetables, and sazón, this recipe will definitely have you going back for more. Try it for yourself!
7. Black Rice, a.k.a. Diri Djon Djon
This recipe is actually a Haitian recipe. Even though this rice has a different color, according to the recipe, you can still use regular white rice, particularly jasmine rice. This recipe has lots of spices including thyme, bell peppers, and onion. It seems really fun to cook!
Seasoned rice is basically rice with a bunch of different spices in it like paprika, thyme, salt, pepper, oregano… it’s fancier than regular rice. But it’s actually pretty good and can go well with salmon or some vegetables!
I’ve honestly never thought about combining cauliflower and rice. It doesn’t seem like the best combo, but when I tried it, I was not disappointed! It’s also a good alternative if you’re not a fan of traditional rice. You can even add butter, soy sauce, salt, or pepper to get it to your taste!
Last but not least, we have Southwestern Rice. This recipe reminds me of a taco but with rice! Filled with beans, peppers, corn, and onions… it seems delicious! Some of the comments said that adding some sort of meat to this makes it an amazing meal! So make sure you check it out and start cooking!
Who knew that rice had so much variety? Now you have some delicious recipes to try the next time you are feeling for something different. Happy Cooking!