14 Ways To Make Instant Rice Taste Way Better
Instant rice was a pretty marvelous invention. Instead of it taking the 20-plus minutes that would be necessary to cook a pot of white, brown, or other types of rice, instant rice can be cooked and ready to go within a few minutes. It can be a true lifesaver on those nights when you simply don't have much time to get dinner ready or get so caught up in something else that you forget to start your rice on time.
However, as much of a lifesaver as it can be, you can taste the difference between instant rice and other varieties that take longer to cook. Fortunately, there are things you can do to make instant rice taste better. Making a few tweaks to the way you cook the rice, adding some new toppings or flavors once it has finished, or choosing the best recipes to add it to will allow you to benefit from how quickly instant rice is ready to eat without feeling like you're sacrificing on taste.
1. Cook it in broth
One of the easiest ways to make instant rice taste better is to cook it in broth instead of water. When you cook rice in broth, you're instantly adding a little flavor to it. You can decide whether chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth will offer the better flavor combination for the meat and/or side dishes that you're serving with the rice. If you don't have any broth, you could add a chicken or beef bouillon cube (or 1 or 2 teaspoons of Better Than Bullion) to the water for a similar flavoring.
In addition to adding a hint of chicken, beef, or vegetable flavor to your rice, cooking it in the broth will also make it a bit saltier, which many people enjoy. If you want the taste without the added sodium, consider a low-sodium broth option or only replace about half of the water with the broth. Homemade chicken broth is typically lower in sodium than the cans you buy at the grocery store, but chances are if you're looking for a quick meal with instant rice, you aren't going to have the time to make your own chicken stock.
2. Add herbs
Adding either fresh or dried herbs is another easy way to instantly transform a bowl of plain instant rice. The herbs will help to elevate the flavor of the rice and make you feel like you're eating a gourmet meal. You can really add any herbs that offer a flavor that you enjoy, but a few options you may want to experiment with include rosemary, basil, oregano, parsley, and thyme. Adding some pressed fresh garlic or a few shakes of onion powder can also take the flavor up a notch.
If you want to try adding herbs to instant rice, it is best to add them before the rice is cooked. Put them in the boiling water at the same time that you add the rice. This way, there will be more time for their flavors to be released and imparted into the rice. For even more flavorful rice, consider combining this idea with the one shared earlier about cooking the rice in chicken broth.
3. Don't forget butter
If you haven't been adding a little bit of butter to your instant rice, then it's no wonder you're searching for ways to make it taste better. Butter is a staple in most kitchens for a reason: It adds a little fat to the foods we like, making them taste more enjoyable.
Beyond the flavor that butter can add to your instant rice, it can also enhance its texture. Creamy butter melted over a bowl of hot rice nicely coats each grain, making it nice and smooth and enjoyable. Butter is also salted, so it will impart a hint of saltiness to your rice along with the slightly fattier taste it delivers.
While there is nothing wrong with adding a bit of regular butter, you could even further enhance the taste of rice by adding compound butter. Compound butter incorporates other flavors and ingredients, such as garlic or herbs. As you can imagine, using compound butter can deliver a bit of an extra punch, depending on the specific additions to it.
4. Turn it into fried rice
Why eat plain instant rice when you can easily turn it into delicious and satisfying fried rice? Fried rice is also pretty quick and easy to make, so it won't take that much longer to get dinner cooked and on the table. To make fried rice using instant rice, start by cooking the rice according to the package directions, then set it aside. Crack an egg (or more, depending on the quantity you're making) into a warm frying pan and scramble it.
Set the egg aside and cook the vegetables of your choice in a little soy sauce. Once tender, add in the cooked instant rice and stir to combine all of the ingredients. Take the pan off the heat, cover it, and let the rice absorb the excess liquid (about 5 minutes). Finally, mix in the scrambled eggs, and your fried rice creation is ready to serve and enjoy.
You can pair the fried rice with your favorite Asian-inspired sides or main dishes. You could even make a meal out of it and eat it by itself or mix in some cubed chicken or steak to increase the protein content.
5. Use it to make burritos
Instead of eating the instant rice plain, consider combining it with other ingredients to make some delicious, hearty burritos. You can add practically any variety of ingredients to your burritos based on what you have available in your home and the different foods and flavors that you're craving. Some pulled chicken or pork, cubed steak, or even sliced tofu could all be a great addition alongside the instant rice.
When planning out your tortillas, don't forget to think about adding black beans or pinto beans, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or shredded cheese. Don't forget to warm up the tortillas in your oven. Everything will taste better if it is warm and toasty. After you wrap up your burrito and take a bite, you'll forget that it started with just some boring old instant rice. You may even be able to convince yourself that you're eating a burrito from one of your favorite Mexican restaurants.
6. Cook it in coconut milk to pair with Thai dishes
Do you enjoy Thai green curry, sweet and spicy Thai chicken, or other Thai dishes that are often served with rice? If you've ordered Thai food from a restaurant or have a friend or family member that cooks traditional meals, then you probably already know that the rice served with most dishes has a creamier consistency than the standard white or brown rice.
Coconut milk is the ingredient responsible for giving Thai rice this creamier texture. So, if you're looking to make your own Thai food at home, try cooking the instant rice in coconut milk.
Simply use the same amount of coconut milk as the water that is called for in the recipe. You can also try seasoning the coconut milk and rice with some cilantro, basil, garlic, parsley, onion powder, or any of your favorite herbs or seasonings.
7. Make a quick gumbo
Gumbo is a thick stew made with onion, peppers, celery, and other vegetables. It is often made with sausage but can also include different types of protein, such as chicken, beef, or seafood. If you associate gumbo with Louisiana, you're not entirely wrong.
Though its origins trace farther back, the dish was popularized in New Orleans and other areas of Louisiana. While many gumbo recipes take 1 hour or more to cook, working with instant rice can help you bring a quick and easy gumbo to your dining room table in just about 30 minutes.
Just sauté your vegetables in oil and flour for a few minutes until they become fork-tender. Then add sausage or another protein of your choice, a can of diced tomatoes, okra, Cajun seasoning, thyme, and any other desired seasonings. Then simply simmer until fully cooked and blended. Finally, add some shrimp and cook for about 5 additional minutes. Once finished, serve the stew over your instant rice.
8. Add texture
One reason you may be looking for ways to make your instant rice taste better is due to the lack of texture. Let's face it, a bowl of plain rice just isn't going to offer any variety for your mouth. Each bite is the same, and there is hardly anything to chew. What your mouth really might be searching for is some novel textures to break up the monotony of the slightly sticky rice.
Adding texture to instant rice is, fortunately, something that is not very difficult to do. You can give your rice a little crunch with the addition of some seeds or nuts. Try roasting a few flax seeds, sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, pecans, or walnuts and adding them to your rice. Not only will it give your mouth a new flavor, but it will help satisfy its desire to enjoy something crunchy. Adding some dried fruit is another way to up the flavor and texture at the same time.
9. Stir in some cheese
Some say that cheese makes everything better. When it comes to elevating instant rice, they may not be wrong. A bowl of cheesy rice is creamier than plain rice and so much more enjoyable to eat, especially if you consider yourself a cheese fanatic. Pulling out a forkful of rice and seeing the trail of melted cheese is certain to bring a smile to your face.
Possibly even better than how delicious cheesy rice is, is how easy it is to make. All you need to do is stir cheese into your rice. You can also add in some butter or other seasoning, but the key ingredient is definitely the cheese.
Just be sure to mix it in while the rice is still hot. This way, the cheese will melt quickly, and you won't need to try to warm up the rice on the stovetop or in the microwave. You can also customize the flavor by using your favorite type of cheese. From American to cheddar to muenster, you really can't go wrong.
10. Turn it into rice pudding
Did you know that you can also use instant rice to make a delicious dessert? Well, you can make a pretty scrumptious rice pudding to share or keep all to yourself. If you've never had rice pudding before, it is a dessert made using rice. But don't worry, other ingredients are added to the rice to make it thick, creamy, and sweet. These additional ingredients typically include eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla. Raisins are also a common addition to rice pudding to give it a little color and texture.
When you make creamy rice pudding using instant rice, you don't have to wait several minutes for the rice to finish cooking, so you can mix together all of the ingredients. It makes it possible to create a quick and easy dessert to serve with your meals or to enjoy when you are craving sweets but don't want to stand and work forever in the kitchen to make something.
To make instant rice pudding, you'll want to cook your rice in milk, not water. You should also add the sugar, salt, and raisins to the pan before cooking and bring everything slowly to a boil. Then, cook for about 6 minutes, making sure to stir the mixture periodically to keep everything from sticking. Then, you can add some beaten eggs and vanilla to the cooked rice and continue cooking for about 1 minute. Finally, take the pan off of the heat and let the rice pudding sit for about 30 minutes before enjoying.
11. Add vegetables
You can make instant rice more healthy and delicious at the same time by adding in some vegetables. There are so many different types of vegetables that can make the rice more appetizing and enjoyable. Just a few ideas to get you started include zucchini, carrots, lima beans, broccoli, spinach, and mushrooms. You can even add a bag of frozen vegetables to a hot pot of cooked rice for a few minutes to defrost the veggies and get them ready to eat.
If you're working with fresh vegetables, try cooking them in some broth or sautéing them in some butter before adding the rice. Once the vegetables have cooked for a few minutes and become slightly tender, you can add the rice into the pot — along with broth if you chose to sauté the vegetables. Simply stir until the rice has finished cooking, and that's pretty much it. Now your vegetable medley rice is ready to eat.
12. Make a rice salad or bowl
Instant rice can also make a nice base for a salad or protein bowl. This is another idea where the possibilities are nearly endless. There are so many different flavor and ingredient combinations that you can find the perfect mix to satisfy your flavor and dietary preferences. For example, you can add tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and feta cheese to the rice to make a scrumptious Greek salad rice bowl.
Another idea is to make a sushi bowl with instant rice, sushi-grade fish, avocado, and other vegetables. You could also just add any of your favorite vegetables, proteins, and seasonings to make a fully customized meal to give you the energy you need to power through your day.
When preparing your rice bowl, take a few extra minutes to consider how you arrange the various ingredients. Making your food look more aesthetically pleasing to you can actually make your brain perceive it as more delicious. Plus, if you're serving a rice bowl to a guest, they'll be impressed with the presentation.
13. Add it to lettuce wraps
A little bit of instant rice can also be the perfect addition to lettuce wraps. Its softer texture will pair nicely with the crisp lettuce while offering a complimentary flavor to the other ingredients in your wrap. If you're adding spicier ingredients to your lettuce wraps, the rice can also help take the overall heat level down a notch or two.
To make lettuce wraps, you'll need large lettuce leaves. Some types of lettuce that work well for wraps include romaine and bibb lettuce. Once you've removed the larger leaves from the head of lettuce and washed them off, you can add the rice and the other desired ingredients, such as chunks of chicken or beef, black beans, vegetables, chopped nuts, coleslaw, and dressing. Once you've piled on the ingredients you want, grab the lettuce leaf like it is a taco, bite in, and enjoy every bite.
14. Add it to soup
You can add instant rice to your favorite soup recipes to make them a bit heartier and more tasty. Chicken soup with rice is always a popular option, but it is far from the only type of soup that can be elevated with some rice.
You can also try adding rice to tomato soup, stuffed pepper soup, or creamy vegetable soup. Rice can even be added to bulk up your chili — alternatively, you can serve your chili over a bed of rice. If you're following a soup recipe that calls for rice, just remember that instant rice cooks a lot faster than regular rice. You won't want to add the rice to the soup until it is nearly cooked. So, just keep that in mind and accommodate your recipe around the cooking time for your instant rice.
For best results, you should probably cook your instant rice in a separate pot and add it to the soup at the end. However, depending on the type of soup you're making, you might also be able to make the rice right in the pot with the broth and other ingredients during the last few minutes of cooking.