Top 15 Best Ways to Use up Leftover Rice
Too frequently, leftover rice is kept in the refrigerator and subsequently thrown out. You can use leftover rice in a variety of ways as a side dish or main ... read more...course the next day. Rice is used in a variety of delectable ways in cuisines all over the world and is possibly the most popular dish in the world. Although there are countless possibilities, this list can help you get started when deciding where to take your fridge-bound pot of rice. The finest methods for using up your leftover rice are listed here.
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A bland meal can be transformed into a tasty experience by adding spicy seasonings and sauces, but too much can be overbearing. Not everyone desires to become breathless while eating dinner. Consider serving your food with something bland, like leftover rice, if you're desiring something that's high on the Scoville scale but yet want to preserve your taste buds.
The chemical responsible for the tingly flavor and scent of spicy meals is called capsaicin. Typically, fatty, greasy foods that can combine with capsaicin are the greatest choices to make if you're looking to reduce or complement that burning sensation. Added choices? starch, as that in rice. The extra moisture that leftover rice will have acquired while being stored in the refrigerator makes it the ideal combination dish. The starchiness of rice, whether it is paired with stir fry or curry, will give a cooling touch to a hot and spicy dinner.
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Fried rice is one of the very few dishes that benefit greatly from leftover ingredients. In fact, rather than using freshly cooked grains, many fried rice recipes actually call for leftover grains. You are doing your future dinners a favor and achieving that unique, crave-worthy crispy texture by allowing your rice to rest in the refrigerator.
Leftover rice is the secret to the best homemade fried rice, whether you use shrimp, chicken, or just plain vegetables. You should have your rice cold because when you fried heated, freshly cooked rice, moisture is released. Look no further than the leftover rice in your refrigerator for a cheap at-home lunch that tastes just like your favorite Chinese takeout.
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Soup is always a good idea, whether you're making it from the family recipe or to empty the produce crisper. It is a simple alternative for both the novice home cook and the seasoned chef, and a hot bowlful will always come in handy when you're hungry. The best part about soup is how adaptable it is in terms of flavor and ingredients. As there are people in the world, there are an equal number of soups. Regardless of your preference for soup, most people can agree on one thing: Better soups are heartier soups.
This is where you can use the remaining rice. Do you need something to warm your soul and stomach? Soup with chicken and rice will work. Looking for a dish with strong flavors? Give each bowl of steaming chicken and sausage gumbo a scoop of those leftover grains of rice from the previous day. Rice can give nutrition and solidity to your vegetable and vegan stylings in addition to bulking up soups with meat as the main ingredient. Your taste senses will like it if you add some rice to practically any soup.
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You might be viewing leftover rice in the wrong way if it doesn't immediately scream "dessert possibilities". There is one sweet delicacy in particular that tops the list of simple homemade sweets, and it unquestionably calls for the grains from yesterday night. Making rice pudding is a straightforward snack that maximizes your prior cooking efforts without requiring much more.
There aren't many things that can genuinely go wrong when preparing rice pudding, and most of the components are usually already in your kitchen. Pot of cream, as much sugar (or as little) as you desire, a dash of cinnamon, and a good appetite: Your family might believe that you are about to don a chef's hat. In addition, homemade rice pudding is undoubtedly healthier and more environmentally friendly than store-bought plastic single-serve cups.
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There is a proverb in Italy that refers to the location of the kitchen. "La cucina piccola fa la casa grande", or "The small kitchen makes the house big", is how it is said. It means that there are more opportunities to socialize and cook with your loved ones when the kitchen is busy. Although it's a cute expression, a small kitchen can also refer to having little room for leftovers like a pot of rice. If so, here's some more sage advice from the Italians: make risotto out of it.
In markets outside of Italy, pre-cooked risotto is frequently offered alongside packaged meals like mac & cheese or instant mashed potatoes. If you eat risotto like that in Italy, you might be expelled from the nation. Putting jokes aside, using leftover rice in this creamy dish is a great idea. Making this might be an easy, creative solution for a quick dinner. Serve your risotto as a delicious main dish or side by combining the remaining rice with some herbs, stock, and butter. Make the Italians happy.
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Italian cuisine is by no means the only one that finds inventive ways to use up leftover rice. There are many recommendations for wonderful ways to use up your already cooked grains in Tex-Mex, the Americanized version of Mexican cuisine. Although adding rice to a burrito may not be the most authentic way to recreate a dish from the south of the border, it is a clever, savory use for leftovers.
Before stuffing your burrito, try reheating the rice by steaming it with some chopped cilantro. You'll leave with a burrito base that resembles what you may get at Chipotle, but without having to shell out a lot of money for a filling lunch. A Mission-style burrito, the big, heavy variety that will fill you up for the entire day, is made by using the leftover rice to stuff your rolls. Rice will go great with beans and vegetables in vegan burritos. It can also give a scrambled egg and cheese burrito more bulk. That's a quick breakfast that won't make you ravenous right away.
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Italians have other fantastic applications for pre-prepared rice in addition to the basic elegance of risottos, and these dishes are prepared in a manner that is very familiar to most Americans. In Italy, deep-fried rice balls are a popular street dish. You can prepare these crispy dishes in a variety of unique ways, but whichever method you choose to use, your leftover rice will never taste as nice.
Arancini and suppli, two of the most popular fried rice balls, are these terms. Suppli is a bit easier to make than arancini and is frequently seen in Rome's tiny lanes. Also, it is smaller. A piece of mozzarella is placed in the center of the suppli, which is then snugly encased in a rice ball. The Mediterranean equivalent of a mozzarella stick, suppli are rolled in flour before being dropped into the oil. According to culinary manufacturer Mama Napoli Foods, the procedure is comparable to manufacturing arancini, but the filling is different. Even while arancini also contains cheese and rice, the specific ingredients are frequently up to the cook.
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Rice cakes are the thing to try if you want to be a little more inventive. Frying rice is a simple method to reimagine your leftovers. The rice's carbohydrate properties are used by many civilizations to make flour, which is then used to make bread, crackers, or occasionally cakes. Additionally, gluten-free baking usually makes use of rice flour. There are a few methods that use the idea of rice flour but don't require you to have a grain mill on hand. Making rice into flour is a labor-intensive operation.
Idli is the name of a popular rice preparation in Indian cuisine. This meal is a lightly cooked rice cake that is often eaten for breakfast and is topped with chutney. The results of some fermentation experimentation are required for in-depth, authentic idli recipes, but the journey is worthwhile (source: World Traveling Chef). There are also quick recipes that instruct you to make an idli-like shape by forming pre-cooked rice into a paste. Come to the kitchen ready to work; this delicate cake will probably require the most effort of any dish using leftover rice.
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The usage of leftover rice in South Asian cuisine extends beyond simply turning it into soft cakes. In reality, there are a few locally popular meals that provide an alternative to the textured idli. Pakora is one meal that will transform your rice into something you can dig your teeth into. They also rival the crispy street delicacies of Italy.
Indian cuisine frequently calls for mixing a variety of finely chopped veggies with flour before pan-frying them in oil to make these crispy fritters. You may utilize your leftover rice as a binder by combining pakora recipes with the methods used to make suppli or arancini, resulting in a crusty fritter that is dippable and delicious. Within no time, you'll have a new go-to side dish for supper after seasoning it with the nuanced and flavorful Garam spices.
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Sometimes simple comfort food is exactly what you're in the mood for. When that happens, rice stuffing is a fantastic choice for a hearty meal. There are other options besides gluten-heavy bread stuffings for making your dinner plate cozier. For a straightforward, filling recipe, stuff your favorite vegetables with leftover rice and aromatics (such as garlic, shallots, or green onions).
There are an infinite number of ways to prepare rice stuffing. Mix your rice with finely chopped celery and onions, then reheat it with a little chicken stock to recreate a traditional Christmas dish. As far as Christmas fare goes, you can stuff roasted winter squash or pumpkins with leftover rice. Acorn squash cooked in the oven is especially delicious when stuffed with chopped mushrooms and a rice dressing. Another popular website? Bell peppers packed with rice, frequently require a creamy melted cheese. Load a Cornish hen, fill some cabbage rolls, then shove some substantial rice stuffing into your stomach.
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In many cuisines, rice is a staple dish, but in others, it frequently takes center stage. Sometimes, whether in Spain or Japan, the perceived quality of seafood is influenced by the causative rice. Even though you may not be preparing a Michelin-starred meal that calls for your leftover rice to shine, there are many dishes around the globe that can be improved by pairing with day-old grains and fresh fish.
According to Encyclopedia Brittanica, saffron is required to make this Spanish dish traditional. You can quickly transform your leftover rice into a fully European lunch by adding that yellow spice to it and topping it with any seafood you like. Put your eyes closed and visualize Valencia. Mussels, shrimp, and meaty white fish make excellent food combos. Why not attempt making sushi at home if you've created rice with certain sticky characteristics? The correct piece of fish or tuna will pair perfectly with the neutral flavors of this grain. Give your old rice a new twist with a straightforward ocean combination rather than throwing it out to sea.
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A creamy casserole is one of the simplest ways to breathe fresh life into that bowl of rice from last night. There are so many possibilities here. Seriously, if you Google "rice casseroles", you'll get pages and pages of recipes with a vast array of possible ingredients. broccoli with rice. chicken, rice, and artichokes. Peas and rice. rice, meat, and carrots. A hearty marriage of protein and substantial carbohydrates that you can devour by the scoopful is a rice and tuna dish. Each of these bizarre (or common) combinations of grains and cupboard ingredients might be your go-to option for a quick meal on a hectic night.
Also, don't be scared to get inventive; among the vegetable cans you have stacked on your shelves may be hiding the next family favorite dinner. No matter what you serve rice with, you can bet that the dish will taste better if you add some cheese, cream, and milk (or a substitute). After all, casseroles are intended to be comfort foods.
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A crisp lettuce wrap is a good option if you want to reduce your carb intake. There are countless options, with contents ranging from cheese and nuts to meats and vegetables. The use of leftover rice will enhance your wrap even more while reducing food waste and the price of your lunch.
In addition to the colorful fruit, one of the best things about lettuce wraps is the variety of sauces that frequently go with them. The addition of rice just heightens the appeal of drenching your wrap in a flavorful bath. Consider sushi: It is a particular delight to drizzle salty sauces over clean, cold rice. However, whether saline soy or sweet and spicy, rice pairs well with all flavors, especially when tucked between thick lettuce leaves.
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Although the popular Korean rice roll kimbap resembles sushi in appearance, there are no other similarities. Spruce Eats claims that sushi rice gets a clean tang from vinegar dressing while kimbap rice is treated with the toasted nuttiness of sesame oil. Look for different kinds of kimchi in place of soy sauce or wasabi. The sauces and supplementary ingredients are also varied.
The fillings are another important distinction. Kimbap often uses cooked components rather than raw ones, and you can frequently get or prepare buns with extras like ham, cheese, eggs, radishes, and even Spam. Favorites from Korean barbecue, including beef bulgogi, are another scrumptious way to use up leftovers. To finish off the meal, don't forget the nori. While freshly made rice is preferred, leftovers can also be used. Follow Foodie Baker's suggestion and pan-fried your kimbap after dipping the roll in an egg wash to help soften those grains.
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If you're not currently producing it, curd rice ought to be among the easiest uses for leftover rice in your own home cooking. publishing in India The Hindu waxes lyrical over the dish's significance to South Indian cuisine, adding that the traditional dish has many different names and shapes. The Hindu even mentions that thayir saadham (another name for curd rice), takes its best shape when made from leftovers. Each variant carries with it the ability to transform from a plain base to a seasoned pleasure.
What is curd rice then? It's a straightforward mixture of basic yogurt and cooked rice, claims MasterClass. Although it can occasionally be seen with pomegranate seeds or chunks of mango, curd rice mostly has savory characteristics. You can include items like minced carrots, curry powder, cumin seeds, and even ketchup. Don't worry if rice, probiotic yogurt, and a splash of Heinz 57 don't agree with you. You are in charge of selecting the flavors to use while preparing this dish with leftover rice.