Truth is, when it comes to cooking rice, there’s no such thing as too much! If you find yourself with some extra rice, there are plenty of cooking tips and tricks you can master. After all, there are some great benefits to saving the remaining rice. Freshly-cooked rice is hot and fluffy, but often too moist; repurposed rice doesn’t have that problem.
Plus, the amount of delicious possibilities are endless! In fact, a lot of chefs actually prefer using leftover rice because it has a texture more suitable for the recipe. Some recipes include fried rice recipes, soups and stews, rice puddings, rice cakes and rice salads.
Also, no matter how much a home chef loves being in the kitchen – time management is an important skill to master. With leftovers, you just take the already-cooked rice out of its container and use it for Efficient Meal Prep!
Let's jump right in with some tips for upcycling those leftover grains.
Quick Tips for Preparing Leftover Rice
How to store leftover rice
- Make sure you allow your leftover rice to cool down to room temperature.
- Put it into an airtight container.
- Place the container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Reheat Leftover Rice
- On the stovetop: Put the rice into a saucepan and add a little water. Cover on low heat, and occasionally give it a stir, until the rice is heated through.
- In the microwave: Put the rice into a microwaveable dish. Add a splash of water. Cover and microwave it for a couple of minutes. Stop after every 30 seconds to give the rice a quick stir.
- In the oven: You can also reheat rice in the oven, on an oven-safe dish with a splash of water on top. Cover it with foil and bake at 350°F. Give it an occasional stir. When it’s heated through, it’s ready.
How to add moisture to reheated rice
- When reheating, you can add some water, broth, oil, or even butter and stir it in.
- However you reheat the rice, keep it covered. This stops too much moisture from leaving.
What now? Let’s look at some of the delicious meal options you can cook up with your reheated rice.
Fried Rice
To cook up those leftovers to the highest possible quality, learn how to make gourmet fried rice– these culinary secrets will make your rice stand out from the crowd. Once you’ve got your reheating rice skills on point, you can make this RiceSelect® Texmati® Filipino Fried Rice with fish sauce, longanisa sausage, eggs and other ingredients.
Try making this Filipino Pork Sisig with Garlic Kimchi Fried Rice Recipe for a Filipino and Korean fusion of flavors. Or you may prefer to indulge in a blend of snow peas, soy sauce and shrimp, chicken or pork in this Jasmati® Fried Rice Recipe.
Stews and Soups
This Brown and Wild Rice Soup Recipe is a creamy dish that is best with Royal Blend® Whole Grain Brown and Wild Rice, and the extra touch of minced ham and carrots. But for Mediterranean flavor, you can’t go wrong with our Royal Blend Italian Soup. With savory pork, fresh spinach and your repurposed rice, you’ll have a delightful dish in no time.
One of the great things about repurposing rice is that it is so versatile and can be used in so many different styles of cuisine. If you’re an Asian food lover, you can put your leftover black rice into this Thai Chicken and Black Rice Soup. That way, you can enjoy nutty flavors combined with peppery ginger and lemongrass.
Rice Pudding
When you’ve finished the main course, it’s nice to finish with a rich, creamy dessert. That’s where this Dulce De Leche Rice Pudding Recipe comes into the picture. For a tangy alternative that’s just as sweet, this Jasmati® Coconut Lime Rice Pudding Recipe is just the ticket.
This RiceSelect® Crème Brûlée Rice Pudding Recipe, however, offers some extra crunch along with caramelized sugar and vanilla. Licking your lips yet?
Rice Cakes
Who doesn’t love rice cakes? They’re tasty snacks that can be eaten by hand and make fantastic appetizers for dinner parties. These Herbaceous Arancini Cakes have a cheesy and garlicky taste, and pair fabulously well with marinara sauce as a dip.
Most of the time when we hear the word cake, we think of birthdays, right? So how about those cakes for special occasions such as this Amaretto Rice Cheesecake? It’s creamy, sweet, and makes an irresistible dessert.
Can’t get enough dessert? Try making this Arborio Silk Torte Recipe; This cake tastes particularly tasty when paired with fresh fruits that are in season.
Rice Salads
Rice salads provide perfect opportunities for home chefs to get creative in the kitchen! They are easy to customize with so many different ingredients. That means it’s easy to please all kinds of guests, including those fussy eaters. Finally, just because it tastes so good, this Apricot Chicken Rice Salad deserves a mention. Dried apricots, tender chicken, and tasty rice is an irresistibly delicious combo.
Find some inspiration from some international flavors:
Italian: The best thing about this Pesto Rice Salad Recipe is that – as those who love Mediterranean flavors know – pesto makes everything taste so much better!
Greek: For a Greek twist with the flavors of feta cheese and olives, try this Athenian Salad Recipe and transport your taste buds to the Aegean Sea.
Thai: However, rice salads don’t have to be limited to bowls. How about these Thai Pork Larb and Rice Salad Wraps? With savory pork, fresh herbs and plenty of flavors, you can delight in every bite.
Now that you know what to do with your leftover rice, there’ll be no need for food waste. Make the most of these tips and expand the horizons of your kitchen skills with RiceSelect®.