Microwave rice is pre-cooked rice packaged in a small plastic container or a pouch that is designed to be heated quickly and easily in the microwave. To prepare it, you just need to follow the instructions which will usually consist of partially opening the package and microwaving it for two minutes or less. However, as the rice is fully cooked it can be eaten cold straight from the package. Microwave rice can be white or brown, come in different varieties, mixed with other grains such as quinoa or wild rice, or flavoured. It comes in various sized packages from family-size, down to single-serve, which is perfect for our needs. The following recipes are designed for the single-serve size, and for plain white or brown rice, but they can be adapted to your tastes.
Microwave rice can be prepared so quickly that it is perfect for a quick snack at home or at work (or between Zoom meetings if you WFH). For a snack that’s even quicker than the recipes below, you can top the heated microwave rice with a small can of tuna in any flavour, flavoured shredded chicken, baked beans, or Snack Time beans or chickpeas.
If you have a little more time, you could even top the rice with some of the sauces you’ll find in the entry Quick and Easy Sauces from the Pantry.
Family size packets of microwave rice are also used in the make ahead salads in the entry: Cooking in Bulk: Salads.
Recipes:
Quick Rice Salad
- 1 single-serve microwave rice
- ¼ cup frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 tbsp. diced bacon
- 1 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- Pepper and parsley
- Microwave mixed vegetables in a little water on high for 90 seconds
- Drain and rinse to cool
- Empty microwave rice into a 1 litre bowl and break up with a fork
- Add diced bacon and vegetables to rice
- Whisk lemon juice, pepper and parsley into mayonnaise
- Stir mayonnaise into rice
Quick Fried Rice
- 1 single-serve microwave rice
- ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
- ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- Chinese 5 spice (or pepper and cinnamon)
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 1–2 tsp. canola oil
- Place vegetables in a 1 litre bowl with 2 tbsp. water, stock powder and Chinese 5 spices
- Microwave on high for 2 minutes
- Microwave rice according to the instructions
- Stir rice into vegetables with soy sauce and oil
- Microwave for 60 seconds and stir well
Quick Risi e Bisi
- 1 single-serve microwave rice
- 1/3 cup frozen peas
- ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
- Place peas in a 1 litre bowl with 1 tbsp. water and stock powder
- Microwave on high for 3 minutes
- Microwave rice according to the instructions
- Stir rice into peas and microwave on high for 60 seconds
- Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
Quick Rice and Spinach
- 1 single-serve microwave rice
- 1–2 portions of frozen spinach
- Garlic granules, dried onion
- 1–2 tsp. olive oil
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
- Place frozen spinach in a 1 litre bowl with garlic, onion and olive oil
- Microwave on high for 90 seconds and stir
- Microwave rice according to the instructions
- Stir rice into spinach and microwave on high for 60 seconds
- Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
Variation: substitute ½ cup chopped spinach leaves for the frozen spinach and microwave for 30 seconds at Step 2
Rice Soup-in-a-Mug
- 1 single-serve microwave rice
- ½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
- Pepper and parsley
- Microwave rice according to the instructions and place in a mug
- Add stock with pepper and parsley
- Cover with a saucer and microwave on high for 2 minutes
- Stir and top up with boiling water
Quick Rice Pudding
- 1 single-serve microwave white rice
- ½ cup low-fat milk
- 1 tsp. cornflour
- 1 tsp. sugar or vanilla sugar
- Cinnamon (optional)
- Microwave rice on high for 20 seconds more than instructed
- In a large mug, whisk together cold milk, cornflour, vanilla sugar or sugar and cinnamon (optional)
- Stir the rice into the milk
- Microwave covered on high for 60 seconds
- Let stand for 5 minutes
- Stir and microwave covered on high for 30 seconds
- Stir and let stand for 5 minutes