7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (2024)

By: Denise Bustard54 Comments
Posted: 5/28/21Updated: 10/21/20

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No more boring white rice...these SEVEN easy rice recipes are changing the game! With just a few simple ingredients, you can transform your rice into a flavor-packed side dish.

7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (1)

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Rice is such a blank canvas that is so fun to play around with! This post shows you how to add different flavors to your rice without the need to chop or sauté anything...simple seasonings and jarred ingredients can go a long way here!

Cook it on the stove, or in a rice cooker, and enjoy.

These 7 easy rice recipes

  • require no chopping or sauteeing (so you can just measure things out and be done!)
  • can be made on the stove top or in a rice cooker
  • are perfect for meal prep
  • are so much more delicious than plain rice!

Recipe video

Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped four of my favorite rice recipes from this post. With no sauteeing, they are so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

Step by step directions

NOTE- these rice recipes were tested with basmati rice (not brown basmati). For brown rice or other type of rice, you may need to adjust the liquids and cook time according to the package.

7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (2)

1. Rinse rice- Rinse rice in a colander under the tap, or cover with water in the pot, swirl, and carefully decant the water, repeating until water runs clear.

TIP- rinsing the rice removes starch from the surface of the grains, yielding fluffier results.

7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (3)

2. Combine all ingredients in a pot or a rice cooker. Make sure the rice is submerged in water and not sticking to the sides of the pot or rice cooker.

TIP- I recommend a 4L/ 4 quart pot, or an 8 cup rice cooker.

7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (4)

3. Cook! If you are using a rice cooker, just press the 'white rice' button. If you are using the stove top method, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand (covered) for another 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

TIP- see Instant Pot basmati rice if you want to use a pressure cooker.

Rice FAQ

What kind of rice can I use for these recipes?

These rice recipes were tested with white basmati rice (not brown basmati), but you can swap for any long grain white rice. You could also swap for brown rice, although you'll need to adjust the cook time. I do not advise using short grain white rice or par boiled/pre cooked rice in these recipes.

Can I cook these recipes in the Instant Pot?

That should work fine, but you'll need to reduce your liquids to a 1:1 liquid to rice ratio. See: Instant Pot Basmati Rice, Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, Instant Pot Brown Rice for cook times.

Can I omit the coconut oil?

Yes! You can either swap for butter or just leave it out. We really loved the texture the coconut oil gave to the rice. I recommend refined coconut oil to avoid coconut flavor.

Can you eat leftover rice?

Despite it's bad rep, rice keeps well in the fridge, and we enjoy our rice for up to 4 days after cooking. To avoid risk of contamination, make sure you don't let the rice sit out for a long time after cooking it. When serving leftovers, re-heat it until it is steaming hot, and do not re-heat more than once.

Storage & food safety

If not handled properly, rice can be at risk of growing harmful bacteria that can make you sick. If you follow the following steps, you will be perfectly fine:

  • Get it into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking- do not let it sit at room temperature for too long as this is the temperature at which harmful bacteria can replicate
  • Store in an air tight container for up to 4 days
  • Reheat until steaming hot (add 1 tablespoon of water to the container, and fluff it up halfway through)
  • Do not reheat more than once

Read more aboutrice & food safety here!

Freezing

Rice freezes well. You can freeze it in meal prep containers or in freezer bags (I lovethese re-usable silicone freezer bags!). Some people add a little bit of water when re-heating freeze/thawed rice, as it does end up slightly drier than fresh rice.

7 rice flavors

  • 7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (5)
  • 7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (6)
  • 7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (7)
  • 7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (8)
  • 7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (9)
  • 7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (10)

Scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card

  • 1. Herb Lemon Rice- 1 cup basmati rice, 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or butter), ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ lemon zested, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 cups stock (chicken or vegetable), ½ lemon juiced (after cooking)
  • 2. Coconut Rice- 1 ½ cups basmati rice, 13.5 oz coconut milk (400 mL; full fat), 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (or brown sugar), ½ teaspoon salt, 2 ¼ cups water
  • 3. Saffron Rice- ¼ cup boiling water, pinch saffron threads (roughly ⅛ tsp), 1 cup basmati rice rinsed, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 ¾ cup stock (veggie or chicken)
  • 4. Mexican- inspired Rice- 1 cup basmati rice rinsed, 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or butter), 1 cup salsa, ½ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 5. Cilantro Lime Rice- 1 cup basmati rice rinsed, 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or butter), ¼ teaspoon salt, zest of 1 lime, 2 cups water, ½ cup cilantro leaves chopped, juice of ½ a lime (after cooking)
  • 6. Pesto Green Rice- 1 cup basmati rice rinsed, 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or butter), ¼ cup pesto, 2 cups stock (veggie or chicken), fresh basil leaves (to serve), sliced almonds (to serve)
  • 7. Turmeric Yellow Rice- 1 cup basmati rice (rinsed), 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or butter), ½ teaspoon turmeric, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 2 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)

More easy dinner recipes

  • Perfect Cauliflower Rice (+ 7 Flavors!)
  • 7 Basic Vinaigrette Recipes
  • 7 Chicken Marinade Recipes You Can Freeze
  • 7 Easy Stir Fry Sauce Recipes

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (15)

7 Easy Rice Recipes

5 from 36 votes

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Print Rate

No more boring white rice...these SEVEN easy rice recipes are changing the game! With just a few simple ingredients, you can transform your rice into a flavor-packed side dish.

4

Ingredients

1. Herb Lemon Rice

  • 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil refined recommended
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • zest of ½ a lemon
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 cups stock chicken or vegetable
  • juice of half a lemon after cooking

2. Coconut Rice

  • 1 ½ cups basmati rice rinsed
  • 13.5 oz coconut milk 1 can; 400 mL
  • 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 ¼ cups water

3. Saffron Rice

  • ¼ cup boiling water see note 1
  • pinch saffron threads note 1; roughly ⅛ teaspoon
  • 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil refined recommended
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¾ cup stock veggie or chicken

4. Mexican-Inspired Red Rice

  • 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil refined recommended
  • 1 cup salsa
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder regular chili powder works, too
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups stock veggie or chicken

5. Cilantro Lime Rice

  • 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil refined recommended
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • zest of 1 lime
  • 2 cups stock veggie or chicken
  • ½ cup cilantro leaves after cooking
  • juice of ½ a lime after cooking

6. Pesto Green Rice

  • 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
  • ¼ cup pesto more to serve, if needed
  • 2 cup stock veggie or chicken
  • fresh basil leaves after cooking
  • sliced almonds after cooking

7. Turmeric Yellow Rice

  • 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil refined recommended
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 cups stock veggie or chicken

Instructions

  • Rinse rice- Rinse rice in a colander under the tap, or cover with water in the pot, swirl, and carefully decant the water, repeating until water runs clear.

    7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (16)

  • Combine- Combine all ingredientsnot labelled 'after cooking' in a pot or a rice cooker. Make sure the rice is submerged in water and not sticking to the sides of the pot or rice cooker.

    7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (17)

  • Cook-

    Rice cooker- press the 'white rice' button.

    Stove top- bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand (covered) for another 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

    7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (18)

Tips:

1- mix together the boiling water and saffron threads and let them sit for 5 minutes before adding to the remaining ingredients

Storage

Store rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating

Add a tablespoon of water, then reheat in the microwave until steaming hot, stirring and fluffing it up once halfway through.

Food safety

  • Get rice into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking
  • Do not let rice sit at room temperature for extended amounts of time
  • Do not reheat more than once
  • Discard rice that develops an 'off' smell

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/4 batch of lemon herb rice, Calories: 206kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 617mg, Potassium: 53mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 250IU, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 0.8mg

Author: Denise Bustard

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Shop This Post

  • Saffron Rice
  • Herb Lemon Rice Recipe
  • Cilantro Lime Rice (stove + rice cooker)
  • Weeknight Coconut Rice
  • Easy Mexican-Inspired Rice
  • Pesto Green Rice
  • Turmeric Yellow Rice

Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

Read more...

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Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment

  1. Lynda says

    7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (32)
    Thank you for all of your work in putting together the rice recipes. Wow!

    Reply

    • Ben says

      You are very welcome, Lynda

      Reply

  2. Jennifer Buck says

    7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (33)
    Made the herb lemon rice and it was TO DIE FOR!! Served with baked fish with cherry tomatoes & steamed broccoli. It is so good I want to eat that whole pot of rice today. Can't wait to make the other versions. Thanks for the tip about adjusting the liquid to the back of the rice package as I may try it with brown basmati in the future. You are a very good cook!!

    Reply

    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Hi Jennifer, we are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the lemon herb rice! That sounds delicious. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review!

      Reply

  3. Annie says

    7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (34)
    I tried the turmeric rice recipe in the rice cooker and it was lovely. We will try the saffron one tonight. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Hi Annie, we are so glad to hear you enjoyed! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review.

      Reply

  4. Rajan says

    You've brought rice back to life. Just wonderful.

    Reply

    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Hi Rajan, we're so glad you enjoyed these options for making rice more flavourful and fun! If you try any of these recipes, be sure to come back and leave a rating and review, we'd love to know how it turns out!

      Reply

  5. Persistent A says

    7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (35)
    I made the coconut rice and it was amazing served with lime and cilantro marinated chicken thighs. I toasted unsweetened coconut flakes and sprinkled it on top of the rice. Delicious!

    Reply

    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Hi there! What a great pairing of recipes, great idea! It sounds like you love coconut as much as we do!! Thanks so much for taking time to come back and leave a review.

      Reply

  6. Freyja says

    Thank you very much for these recipes, they sound delicious!
    Is a rice cooker needed or would low heat on top of stove suffice?! 🙂

    Reply

    • Freyja says

      Apologies, have just re-read instructions as you say stove is fine! So sorry....

      Reply

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7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker) (2024)

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