Ingredient guide

What Can I Make with Rice?

The rice already in your pantry decides which dishes will turn out best. Long, dry grains like basmati stay separate in layered biryani; sticky short-grain rice gives Korean fried rice its chew; parboiled rice holds up to jollof's long, slow simmer in tomato sauce.

Find your rice below to see what you can cook with it tonight.

27 recipes

Photo: Pierre Bamin on Unsplash

With basmati rice

Long, fragrant grains that cook up fluffy and separate — the classic choice for biryani.

Bowl of saffron-orange biryani rice topped with a chicken leg, with small bowls of raita and curry behind

Non-vegIndian

Chicken Biryani

2 hr 45 min Medium Serves 5

VegetarianIndian

Vegetable Biryani

2 hr 15 min Medium Serves 5

Plate of chicken biryani with long-grain rice, mint and lime slices, with small bowls of raita and gravy

Non-vegIndian

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

6 hr Hard Serves 5

White plate of spiced rice with pieces of meat and potato on a dark cloth

Non-vegIndian

Lamb Biryani

4 hr 20 min Medium Serves 6

Plate of jollof rice with salad beside a bowl of fried plantain on a blue surface

Non-vegGhanaian

Ghana Jollof Rice

1 hr 40 min Medium Serves 6

Stainless steel pan filled with layered yellow and white biryani rice and herbs

Non-vegIndian

Instant Pot Chicken Biryani

1 hr 30 min Easy Serves 5

Platter of meat biryani with boiled eggs, potatoes and cucumber slices on a red cloth

Non-vegIndian

Mutton Biryani

5 hr 40 min Medium Serves 6

Bowl of yellow spiced rice with peas, carrots and soft cubes of paneer

VegetarianIndian

Paneer Biryani

1 hr 50 min Medium Serves 5

Contains eggIndian

Egg Biryani

2 hr Medium Serves 4

Clay pot of biryani garnished with mint beside a bowl of raita, whole spices and green chillies on a red cloth

Non-vegIndian

Lucknowi Dum Biryani

2 hr 55 min Medium Serves 5

Copper bowl of meat biryani with herbs and fried onions on a linen napkin

Non-vegIndian

Goat Biryani (Pressure Cooker)

2 hr 55 min Medium Serves 6

Wide white plate of spiced rice topped with prawns in a thick masala and fresh coriander

Non-vegIndian

Shrimp Biryani

1 hr 45 min Medium Serves 5

With jasmine rice

Soft, fragrant long-grain rice from Southeast Asia.

Dark bowl of fried rice topped with shrimp, with chopsticks and a spoon on a woven mat

Non-vegChinese

Shrimp Fried Rice

27 min Easy Serves 4

Contains eggChinese

Egg Fried Rice

15 min Easy Serves 3

Fried rice served in a hollowed pineapple half with a dipping sauce and fresh vegetables

Non-vegThai

Pineapple Fried Rice

35 min Easy Serves 4

Plate of Thai-style fried rice with shrimp, lime wedge, cucumber and herbs

Non-vegThai

Thai Fried Rice (Khao Pad)

30 min Easy Serves 4

Non-vegGhanaian

Ghana Jollof Rice

1 hr 40 min Medium Serves 6

With long-grain parboiled rice

Parboiled rice keeps its shape through long cooking in sauce.

Non-vegWest African

Jollof Rice

1 hr 45 min Medium Serves 6

Non-vegNigerian

Nigerian Jollof Rice

1 hr 40 min Medium Serves 6

Plated jollof rice with grilled chicken breast and red onion on a patterned mat

Non-vegWest African

Chicken Jollof Rice

2 hr 15 min Medium Serves 6

Three plates of jollof rice with grilled chicken and salad on a patterned tablecloth

Non-vegNigerian

Party Jollof Rice

2 hr 55 min Medium Serves 20

With short-grain rice

Slightly sticky, chewy grains.

Non-vegKorean

Kimchi Fried Rice

28 min Easy Serves 3

With leftover cooked rice

Cold, day-old rice is the secret to great fried rice.

Contains eggChinese-American

Fried Rice

22 min Easy Serves 4

Non-vegChinese-American

Chicken Fried Rice

30 min Easy Serves 4

Non-vegKorean

Kimchi Fried Rice

28 min Easy Serves 3

Non-vegChinese

Shrimp Fried Rice

27 min Easy Serves 4

Overhead view of a dark plate of fried rice with minced ham, egg and greens on a wooden table

Non-vegChinese-American

Pork Fried Rice

24 min Easy Serves 4

Contains eggChinese

Egg Fried Rice

15 min Easy Serves 3

Plate of fried rice mixed with browned meat and shredded cabbage

Non-vegChinese-American

Beef Fried Rice

45 min Easy Serves 4

Non-vegThai

Pineapple Fried Rice

35 min Easy Serves 4

Non-vegThai

Thai Fried Rice (Khao Pad)

30 min Easy Serves 4

VeganChinese-American

Vegetable Fried Rice

40 min Easy Serves 4

Dome of Japanese-style fried rice topped with roe on a white plate with a black spoon

Contains eggJapanese-American

Hibachi Fried Rice

30 min Easy Serves 4

Frequently asked questions

What can I make with just rice and eggs?

Egg fried rice needs little more than cold cooked rice, eggs, oil, scallions and seasoning, and it is ready in about 15 minutes.

What can I make with leftover rice?

Fried rice is the classic use for leftover rice, because cold rice has firmed up and fries into separate grains instead of turning mushy. Make sure the rice was refrigerated promptly after cooking.

Can I use basmati rice for fried rice?

Yes. Cooked and chilled basmati makes light, separate fried rice. Jasmine or regular long-grain rice work too.