Recipes and Cooking Quick and Easy Recipes Make-Ahead Recipes & Meal Ideas 8 Flavorful Rice Recipes to Complete Your Dinner Menu By Samantha Lande Samantha Lande Instagram Twitter Website Samantha Lande has been contributing food, wellness and health content for over a decade. She spent the decade prior as an account executive at firms focusing on innovation in health care. Samantha's writing has been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, Allrecipes, Good Housekeeping, AARP, and The Food Network. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan and a M.A. in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on October 20, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Blaine Moats Don't underestimate rice recipes. Rice is a perfect vehicle for spices and herbs, and even fruit and nuts. There are so many fantastic make ahead rice side dishes, from Asian-style fried rice to Mexican recipes, that it's hard to choose. Once you've read these recipes, you'll want to try adding pomegranates or orange slices. And we're not just talking white rice recipes, we have brown rice, wild rice, and more. 01 of 08 Spiced Rice with Pickled Quince and Pomegranate View Recipe Blaine Moats This flavorful rice recipe has it all with a blend of spices including cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, and turmeric, along with tangy pickled quince and a smattering of pomegranate seeds (arils) and pistachios. It would make an incredible side dish for a potluck. Prepare the pickled quince up to a week in advance, so you can save time when you're creating the full dish. Pickled Recipes That Go Way Beyond Cucumbers 02 of 08 Mexican Green Rice View Recipe Blaine Moats For a side dish that's almost as impressive as your main course, try our green Mexican rice, sauced with homemade salsa verde. The jalapeño-spiced salsa, loaded with avocado and tomatillos, also makes a tasty dip. This easy recipe is the perfect addition to taco night or any Mexican-style dinner. 03 of 08 Coconut Rice View Recipe Carson Downing Coconut rice is a stunner of a side dish, with minimal ingredients. The coconut milk adds a nice richness. Toast the coconut flakes or scallions on the grill if you've got it fired up, or simply toss the them in a dry skillet until they're brown and fragrant. 04 of 08 Mexican Red Rice View Recipe Andy Lyons This Mexican rice recipe is easy, flavorful, and packs just the right amount of heat. Use store-bought salsa to make it a quick weeknight dinner, or try your hand at our roasted salsa roja. Snip cilantro for the perfect garnish. 05 of 08 Asian-Style Fried Rice and Beans View Recipe Emily Hemmingsen and Jake Sternquist This stir-fry rice recipe can certainly be a side dish, but with the addition of fiber-loaded garbanzo beans, it's also hearty enough to be an entrée. The juicy sautéed pineapple adds a hint of sweetness. Try freezing fresh ginger so you always have some on hand when you need it. Speedy Stir-Fry Recipes to Try for Dinner Tonight 06 of 08 Rice Pilaf with Oranges and Walnuts View Recipe Kritsada Panichgul This one-pot rice dish, studded with bright citrus and crunchy toasted walnuts, is the perfect pairing for fish or poultry. To create a super-simple dish, use a long grain or wild rice mix that's complete with seasonings. 07 of 08 Vegetable Fried Rice with Red Curry Nut Sauce View Recipe Andy Lyons Transform either white or brown rice with the addition of some red curry paste. Thanks to eggs, peanuts, and edamame, this dish is as satisfying as an entrée. If you're looking for something less filling, simply omit some ingredients or use smaller servings (a ½ cup instead of the 1-⅓-cup servings called for). 08 of 08 Pomegranate Rice View Recipe Andy Lyons Cinnamon and ginger-laced jasmine rice is paired with pops of colorful pomegranate seeds, salty pistachios, and lemon zest, creating a colorful side dish that's sure to impress. To make it easy, purchase already separated pomegranate arils. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit