Check out these easy rice side dish recipes that use pantry ingredients to make a simple addition to your weeknight dinner or special meal.
Rice side dishes are the perfect addition to a dinner plan that includes chicken, fish, shrimp, turkey, and pork.
I especially love to serve a rice side dish when my main meal has a delicious sauce that the rice could soak up.
Stock up on a big budget-friendly bag of rice at the store and you can turn it into several easy side dishes for dinner that will keep things delicious and interesting.
I pulled together some of our very favorite easy rice side dish recipes that use items you likely have in your pantry right now! These are the recipes our family turns to again and again.
Easy Rice Side Dish Recipes
Whether you are using your Instant Pot or making the rice on the stovetop, these easy rice side dish recipes are so tasty you'll be looking for ways to use them again and again.
Use water or chicken stock to boost the flavor. Add a tablespoon of butter or olive oil for a little bit more flavor. Season with salt and pepper.
We love using our Instant Pot to make rice in a pinch. You can find all the instructions in this Instant Pot jasmine rice recipe.
I make the rice in the Instant Pot earlier in the day and then just assemble the final dish in minutes at dinnertime. If you don't have an IP, just make the rice however you prefer but leave enough time to get it done. The final recipe is super quick and easy.
I love fried rice because you can add whatever veggies you have on hand. You can toss in some cooked shredded chicken from leftovers or a little bit of diced pork, or even some roasted shrimp. This can be a side dish or a main dish. Whatever you need.
There's a pineapple-cashew fried rice recipe in my cookbook, too.
If you want an all-in-one rice casserole, this alfredo chicken version is one of my family's favorites. We love the sweet peas and red peppers in the mix.
Skip the chicken and the recipe works great as a side dish.
This southern classic is a great way to sneak in a few more veggies for the picky eaters. The red color comes from canned tomatoes and you mix in celery, onions, and peppers.
You can add bits of ham or bacon to the recipe to make it a heartier dish or leave it meatless for a simple side.
If you run out of tortillas, a big batch of Mexican rice will help you make burrito bowls for the family instead.
It's also a great way to bulk up the taco dinner so you can stretch the tortillas you do have a little farther. If you don't have fresh veggies, you can absolutely use frozen or canned. Just throw in whatever you have.
You can upgrade your plain white rice to this easy herb butter rice with a mix of my favorite dried herbs and some butter. It's a simple rice pilaf that pairs well with delicate fish or chicken recipes.
If you don't like making rice in a pot, you'll love this recipe. You mix plain white rice with a can of French Onion soup, beef stock, and butter and then you BAKE it.
The end result is a slightly crispy rice dish that is comfort food in a pan. This is one of my very favorites.
I have an Instant Pot variation for this recipe, too.
[…] Easy rice recipes using things from your pantry you have on hand right now […]