30 Recipes for Rice, Your One True Love

Every pantry needs rice. Alt-grains like quinoa and freekeh have their place, but rice is a global staple for a reason. And sometimes, we all need a reminder that rice dishes go far above and beyond your coworkers' sad Tupperware desk lunches of chicken and broccoli. Rice can be so much more than that. Rice can be crispy (fried!), creamy (risotto!), soupy (congee!), and even sweet (pudding!). Basically, rice is magic and it’s cheap, reliable, and easy to find.

For a food that’s used in nearly every culture the world over, there’s no shortage of inspiration for how to incorporate it into your weekly meal plan in ways that don't leave you bored. We rounded up a whole bunch of our favorite rice recipes from the MUNCHIES archives, and we’re hoping it will inspire you to grain greatness for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even dessert.

Two never-fail hangover foods—fried rice and cheeseburgers—combine for one super recovery food that'll also make you wonder why you haven't thought of it sooner.

Korean American chef Deuki Hong recommends making this kimchi fried rice with rice that’s at least a day old, so it’s perfect for those leftover pints from this weekend’s takeout.

For a quick and easy one-pan brunch dish, bake leftover rice with spices, Linguiça, and eggs. Now you can spend more time sipping mimosas.

Bet ya can't feel too crabby with a big bowl of this quick and easy crab fried rice. The magical ingredient is crab paste, which is basically a big, golden spoonful of super-concentrated crab goodness.

When a three-Michelin-starred chef tells you how he makes fried rice, you can be damn sure it’s a winner. You can also watch sushi legend Masa Takayama make this fish fried rice recipe over on VICE Video.

What’s the most logical ingredient to pair with Rice-a-Roni and Spam? Edible gold leaf, of course, in this just-right combo of high-brow/low-brow from Andy Milonakis.

What makes this rice so "special" is that before frying, you’ll dry it out ever so carefully by laying it out in an even layer in front of a fan so that the end product is just the right amount of crunchy. (Don’t overdo it, or you’ll chip a tooth.)

Trust LA’s Kris Yenbamroong, chef of Night + Market, to make a dish called "strip club fried rice" so utterly delicious. Be sure to use a pork hot dog for the "wiener blossoms"—Chef Kris says beef dogs just don’t work here.

The effort behind this Azerbaijani dish makes it fit for your dinner guests of honor. Shakh plov, or "crown pilaf," is a bit labor intensive, but it's worth the time to make your friends feel like princes.

Chef Sohui Kim from Brooklyn’s Korean BBQ hot spot INSA cooked these rice cakes in a spicy sauce as a liquor mop for her crew when we spent the night following them around New York on Chef’s Night Out. Watch her episode here.

With fava beans, English peas, and a pesto of tender dandelion greens, this wild rice is like spring on a plate. (But you could use frozen veggies any time of year, too.)

This aromatic basmati rice—with shiitake mushrooms, lemongrass, and a Middle Eastern spice blend called baharat—makes for the base for whatever vegetables you have on hand for an easy vegetarian weeknight dinner.

Congee’s not just for winter time, although its stick-to-your-ribs quality does make it an ultimate comfort food. This is a dish for any time you’re feeling like eating your feelings, no matter the weather.

Chef Michael Solomonov of the award-winning Zahav in Philly says rice pilaf is "is the perfect thing to make when you have absolutely nothing to eat in your kitchen." And with some finely chopped kale mixed in here, its an easy and tasty way to get your greens in.

This congee with blue crab and Old Bay is the perfect Maryland-meets-Asia comfort food for a dreary rainy day. Especially while blue crabs are at their peak during summer.

Deep-fried onigiri-style rice balls are like a sushi-inspired croquette—perfectly crunchy on the outside, but soft and flavorful on the inside and topped with all the flavors of a California roll.

Makloubeh literally translates to "upside down" in Arabic, and everyone will fight for a piece of the layer of crispy rice from the bottom of the pot that ends up on top of the dish when it’s turned out.

What would a collection of rice recipes be without a classic paella? This one, from Boston chef Jamie Bissonnette, has shellfish, chicken, and chorizo, and you can watch him make it over on our How-To series.

Did you forget that horchata was made with rice milk? We highly recommend throwing in a splash of rum for a truly tasty cocktail.

A cousin to the Italian arancini with the flavors of chop suey, by way of Canadian chef Evelyn Wu, these croquettes would make for a perfect party appetizer.

If the standard risotto feels a little too creamy for your taste, try this riff with chunks of salt cod and artichoke for texture.

Be sure not to skimp on the fat—the oil at the bottom of the pan is supposed to be an aphrodisiac. In Uzbekistan, the quality of this rice pilaf dish can supposedly make or break your marriage.

Everyone loves a grain bowl nowadays, but what’s a good grain bowl without extra delicious condiments? Seventeen ingredients might seem like a lot, but this high-grade sauce takes a basic brown rice bowl from boring to delicious.

As Nonna Marijuana suggests, if you don’t care for the saffron, be sure that the broth you’re using is strong enough to give the risotto a flavorful taste. You can watch more of her cannabis-infused Italian specialties in her full episode of Bong Appetit.

These are the crunchy, cheesy fried rice balls that your frozen mozzarella sticks told you not to worry about. Dunk 'em in a good marinara just the same.

Not quite a rice cake and a little more filling thank your average fritter, these crispy brown rice patties are our new favorite way to turn boring leftover brown rice into something a little more fun.

No shade to the boxed stuff, but this classic jambalaya comes from New Orleans-based meat master Isaac Toups. The secret to that crazy rich flavor? A dark, toasty roux.

The "eight treasures" in this Chinese dessert are the fruits, nuts, and seeds for garnish. This pudding is traditionally made with lard, but this vegetarian- and vegan-friendly version uses coconut oil.

Risamalande is a Danish dessert that’s really popular at Christmas time, but it’s served cold, so it makes for a creamy, sweet end to a meal even in the warmer months.

Prunes get a bad rap—so redeem them in this sweet and simple rice pudding. Top it with fresh fruit and remember that a prune is actually just a dried plum, after all.

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