One Pot Rice Dishes from the Pantry

Quick Meals from the Pantry

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The cultivation of rice can be traced back more than 8,000 years to the Yangtze River basin in China. From there, it was carried through migration, trade and cultural exchange to other parts of Asia, including India, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. With its ability to grow in a range of climates and its high nutritional value, rice has become one of our most important and diverse grain crops and a staple food for more than half the world’s population.

risi_e_bisiRice offers many health benefits. It’s an excellent source of carbohydrates which provide a quick and sustained release of energy. It’s low in fat and contains no cholesterol, is naturally gluten-free and easily digestible. Brown rice, in particular, is high in dietary fibre. Rice also contains essential vitamins and minerals, such as thiamine (vitamin B1), niacin (vitamin B3), iron, magnesium, and phosphorus, which are important for metabolism, nerve function and bone health. And finally, it’s highly versatile, having been adopted by most of the world’s cuisines in both sweet and savoury roles.

The following recipes reflect rice’s cultural diversity, but can all be made with Pantry Essentials.

Eating rice has become even easier since the invention of microwave rice, as you’ll find in the entry Quick and Healthy Snacks: Instant Couscous and Microwave Rice.

Rice is included in many recipes on this website. Just enter ‘rice’ or ‘risotto’ in Search to find them all.

 

Recipes:

Riso e Fagioli

Risi e Bisi

Tomato Risotto

Rice with Spinach

Rainbow Rice

Oriental Rice

Kitchri with Vegetables

Pilau

Fried Rice

Scrambled Egg with Rice

Savoury Chicken and Rice

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

Quick Chicken Curry

Tuna Mornay

Tuna Risotto

Tuna and Tomato Risotto

 

Riso e Fagioli

  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ¼ cup diced tomatoes (or 2 tsp. tomato paste with ¼ cup water)
  • 125gm can four bean mix
  • 3 tbsp. rice
  • Garlic, pepper and basil
  • Olive oil

 

  1. Sauté onion
  2. Add diced tomatoes with spices and sauté
  3. Add beans with liquid and simmer for 5 minutes
  4. Add 1 cup water, return to the boil and add rice
  5. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally

 

Risi e Bisi

  • 1/3 cup frozen peas
  • 3 tbsp. rice
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon (optional)
  • ¼ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Garlic and parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Olive oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan sauté onion with garlic
  2. Add diced bacon and sauté (optional)
  3. Add peas and sauté
  4. Add a little water and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes
  5. Add rice and stir through
  6. Add 2/3 cup of boiling water with stock powder and parsley
  7. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes
  8. Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Tomato Risotto

  • 1/3 cup rice
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • Chilli (or paprika) and garlic
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • Parsley and basil
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil

 

  1. Liquidise diced tomatoes in small cup of a bullet blender with chilli, garlic and stock powder
  2. Sauté chopped onion
  3. Add rice and sauté until translucent
  4. Add tomatoes with ¼ cup water, lemon juice, parsley and basil
  5. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often
  6. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese

Variations:

  • substitute 2 tbsp. rice and 2 tbsp. red lentils for the 1/3 cup rice
  • add ¼ cup frozen peas at Step 4

 

Rice with Spinach

  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon (or ½ tsp. chicken stock powder)
  • 1/3 cup rice
  • 2–3 portions frozen spinach (or 1 cup spinach leaves, chopped)
  • Pepper and parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil

 

  1. Sauté onions with pepper
  2. Add diced bacon and sauté (optional)
  3. Add rice and sauté until translucent
  4. Add 1 cup boiling water with stock powder (optional) and parsley
  5. Place frozen spinach on rice, cover and simmer for 15 minutes (Alternatively simmer rice for 12 minutes before adding spinach leaves)
  6. Stir spinach into rice and continue stirring until the water is absorbed
  7. Stir in Parmesan cheese

 

Rainbow Rice

  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • ¼ cup rice
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Olive or canola oil
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

  1. Sauté onion with diced bacon
  2. Add vegetables and stir until heated through
  3. Add rice and stir until translucent
  4. Add ¾ cup boiling water with stock powder
  5. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
  6. Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional)

Variation: substitute ¼ cup chopped red capsicum for the diced bacon

 

Oriental Rice

  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • ½ cup red capsicum, carrot and mushrooms, chopped
  • ¼ cup rice
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • Chinese 5 spice (or pepper and cinnamon)
  • Canola oil

 

  1. Sauté onion with diced bacon
  2. Add vegetables and sauté
  3. Add rice and stir until translucent
  4. Add ¾ cup water with stock powder, soy sauce and spices
  5. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally

 

Kitchri with Vegetables

  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp. rice
  • 2 tbsp. red lentils
  • ¾ cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • Mild curry powder
  • Canola oil

 

  1. Sauté onion with curry powder
  2. Add vegetables and sauté until heated through
  3. Add rice and lentils and stir until translucent
  4. Add ¾ cup boiling water
  5. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally

Variation: substitute diced sweet potato for the mixed vegetables

 

Pilau

  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup carrot and red capsicum, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. sultanas
  • ¼ cup rice
  • Mild curry powder
  • Canola oil

 

  1. Sauté onion with curry powder
  2. Add vegetables and sauté
  3. Add rice and stir until translucent
  4. Add ¾ cup boiling water with sultanas
  5. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally

 

Fried Rice

  • 1 single-serve microwave rice
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables or stir fry mix
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Dried onion and garlic granules
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • Chinese 5 spice (or pepper and cinnamon)
  • Canola oil

 

  1. Sauté diced bacon with dried onion and spices
  2. Add vegetables and sauté
  3. Dissolve stock powder in a little hot water and add to vegetables with soy sauce
  4. Sauté until vegetables are cooked
  5. Microwave rice for 30 seconds
  6. Break up rice and stir in until heated through and most of the water is absorbed

 

Scrambled Egg with Rice

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 3 tbsp. rice
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Parsley and pepper
  • Olive oil

 

  1. Sauté onion in olive oil
  2. Add rice and stir until translucent
  3. Add 2/3 cup boiling water with chicken stock powder
  4. Set to simmer covered for 15 minutes
  5. Beat an egg with Parmesan cheese, parsley and pepper
  6. When the rice is cooked stir in the beaten egg until the egg is lightly cooked

Variation: Place a portion of frozen spinach on the rice during Step 4 and stir in before adding the egg at Step 6

 

Savoury Chicken and Rice

  • 1 x 85gm can shredded chicken in water
  • 3 tbsp. rice
  • ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • ½ tsp. soy sauce
  • Dried onion, garlic granules and pepper
  • Canola oil

 

  1. Sauté mixed vegetables with onion, garlic and pepper
  2. Add rice and stir until translucent
  3. Add 2/3 cup boiling water with stock powder and soy sauce
  4. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes
  5. Stir in shredded chicken and continue to simmer for a further 5 minutes

 

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

  • 1 x 85gm can shredded chicken in water
  • 3 tbsp. rice
  • ½ cup mushrooms, sliced
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Dried onion, pepper and parsley
  • Olive oil
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

  1. Sauté mushrooms with pepper
  2. Add rice and stir until translucent
  3. Add 2/3 cup boiling water with stock powder, dried onion and parsley
  4. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
  5. Stir in shredded chicken and continue to simmer for a further 5 minutes
  6. Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Quick Chicken Curry

  • 1 x 85gm can shredded chicken in water
  • 3 tbsp. rice
  • ½ cup carrot and red capsicum, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Chilli, garlic and mild curry powder
  • Canola oil

 

  1. Sauté onion with spices
  2. Add carrot and capsicum and sauté
  3. Add rice and stir until translucent
  4. Add 2/3 cup boiling water with stock powder
  5. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
  6. Stir in shredded chicken and continue to simmer for a further 5 minutes

 

Tuna Mornay

  • 1 x 95gm can tuna in oil
  • 3 tbsp. rice
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup low-fat milk
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Parsley and pepper

 

  1. Drain oil from tuna into pan
  2. Sauté onion with pepper
  3. Add rice and stir until translucent
  4. Stir in tuna
  5. Add ¼ cup water with parsley
  6. Add milk and bring to the boil.
  7. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes
  8. Stir in Parmesan cheese
  9. Simmer for a further 5 minutes

Variation: stir in 1–2 tbsp. frozen peas, cooked and drained, after Step 9

 

Tuna Risotto

  • 1 x 95gm can tuna in oil
  • 3 tbsp. rice
  • 1 tbsp. frozen peas
  • 1 portion frozen spinach
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Dried onion, pepper and parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

  1. Drain oil from tuna into pan
  2. Add peas and sauté
  3. Add rice and stir until translucent
  4. Add 2/3 cup boiling water with stock powder, dried onion, pepper and parsley
  5. Bring to the boil and add frozen spinach
  6. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
  7. Stir in tuna with lemon juice and continue to simmer for a further 5 minutes
  8. Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Tuna and Tomato Risotto

  • 3 tbsp. rice
  • 1 x 95gm can tuna in oil
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • Garlic, chilli or paprika, pepper and basil
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

  1. Liquidise diced tomatoes in the small cup of a bullet blender with tomato paste (optional)
  2. Drain oil from tuna into saucepan and sauté onion with spices
  3. Add diced tomatoes with tomato paste and basil and heat through
  4. Add ¼ cup water, bring to the boil and stir in rice
  5. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
  6. Stir in tuna and continue to simmer for a further 5 minutes
  7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)
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