80 Best Rice Recipes & Ideas

Inspired by the popular Japanese onigirazu, this is like a cross between sushi and a sandwich. We filled ours with spicy salmon, seasoned sushi rice, cucumber, pickled cabbage, carrot, and avocado—then wrapped it in nori to make it extra portable. Serve it with plenty of the sriracha-soy mayo on the side!

Get the Sushi Sandwich (Onigirazu) recipe.

Textures are the key to giving this dish complexity: A crunch from the almonds, a freshness from the herbs and lemon, and a sharp, briny punch of feta all combine for the perfect bite. This pilaf recipe has enough going on to be the main event, but is also great as a side for chicken or fish.

Get the Lemon-Herb Rice Pilaf recipe.

To make these, ground beef gets simmered in hearty spiced tomato sauce, then layered into a flour tortilla with refried beans, rice, and a blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese. Even though the goal is to get these wrapped and in the freezer for a future snack, we won’t judge if you eat one right away.

Get the Freezer Burritos recipe.

Here at Delish, we’re big fans of stuffed peppers—they’re the perfect vessel for countless combinations and ingredients. While we love to experiment with countless variations, this classic recipe is hard to beat.

Get the Stuffed Peppers recipe.

Paella might seem intimidating, but it’s not! As long as you have your mise en place—meaning all your ingredients are prepped and ready to go before you start cooking—it’ll be smooth sailing. Just whip up a pitcher of red sangria, and you’ve got a killer Spanish meal in the comfort of your own home. Salud!

Get the Paella recipe.

All Creole cuisine packs a flavor punch that keeps you coming back for seconds, but red beans and rice are in a league all their own. The red beans soak up the smoky, porky, spicy, and earthy flavors and release some starch to create a rich gravy that’s perfect for spooning over steamed white rice.

Get the Louisiana-Style Red Beans & Rice recipe.

Why grill your stuffed peppers? Because it’s summer and we want to be outside! Don’t stay indoors and turn on the hot oven. Instead, step outside to the grill and take advantage of the great weather and the nice smoky charred flavor grilling brings to this classic comfort dish.

Get the Grilled Stuffed Peppers recipe.

You could make basic burgers for your cookout, but where’s the fun in that? When we’re looking for a standout recipe for our BBQ, we turn to these paella-inspired party packs. Filled with Spanish rice, chicken thighs, chorizo, frozen peas, and roasted red peppers, these packs take inspiration (with many creative liberties) from one of our favorite centerpiece meals—paella. If you’re craving the classic meal but need something more hands-off, then these foil packs are here for you.

Get the Paella-Inspired Party Packs recipe.

Jambalaya is a wildly popular dish that originated in New Orleans and was inspired by flavors from around the world—Spanish, West African, and French to name a few. It’s spicy, hearty, and incredibly flavorful. And as with most things, the better the ingredients, the better the end result will taste.

Get the Jambalaya recipe.

We know everyone has a soft spot in their heart for their favorite type of fried rice (we see you, shrimp fried rice-heads), so this recipe is as classic as you can get, perfect for personalizing however you like.

Get the Fried Rice recipe.

Packed with simple, everyday ingredients, this dish brings together chili-spiced rice, black beans, corn, peppers, and a salsa-and-cheese-topped chicken for a complete meal, all neatly wrapped up and grilled. For best results, use small chicken breasts to guarantee they’ll cook all the way through in the same time as all your other ingredients.

Get the Santa Fe Chicken Foil Packets recipe.

While we’ve included many risotto recipes, this is our basic, how-to guide when it comes to cooking up the creamy dish. All you need is an hour, some arborio rice, good-quality chicken broth, a little butter, cheese, and wine, along with your favorite aromatics like onion, garlic, and basil.

Get the Risotto recipe.

The rice here reminds us of the cheesy and creamy filling for a burrito, made weeknight-friendly. The green chiles add a slight pickled flavor to the dish, making it bright and kind of tangy. It’s a great meal when you’re feeling lazy but craving something cozy and flavorful.

Get the One-Pan Green Chile Chicken & Rice recipe.