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: 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

Broccoli and Mushroom Risotto

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
  • ¼ cup rice
  • Garlic, pepper and basil
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. Sauté onion in a small saucepan
  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
  • ¼ cup rice
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon (optional)
  • ¼ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Garlic and parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Olive or canola 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 or canola oil

 

  1. Liquidise diced tomatoes in small cup of a bullet blender with chilli, garlic and stock powder
  2. Sauté chopped onion in a small saucepan
  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 3 tbsp. rice and 1 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
  • 1/3 cup rice
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1–2 portions frozen spinach (or 1 cup spinach leaves, chopped)
  • Pepper and parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onions with pepper
  2. Add diced bacon and sauté
  3. Add rice and sauté until translucent
  4. Add 1 cup boiling water with stock powder 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 a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional)

Variation: substitute 2–3 sliced mushrooms for the diced bacon

 

Broccoli and Mushroom Risotto

  • ¾ cup (frozen) broccoli florets
  • 1–2 mushrooms, sliced
  • ¼ cup rice
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Garlic, pepper and parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. Allow broccoli to thaw and chop into small florets
  2. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and pepper
  3. Add vegetables and sauté until wilted
  4. Add rice and sauté until translucent
  5. Add ¾ cup boiling water with chicken stock powder and parsley
  6. Simmer for 15 minutes
  7. Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional)

Variation: substitute 1–2 tbsp. diced bacon for the mushrooms and add before Step 3

 

Rainbow Rice

  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • ½ cup frozen peas, chopped capsicum and/or carrot
  • ¼ cup rice
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Olive or canola oil
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

  1. In a small saucepan, 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
  • substitute frozen mixed vegetables for the fresh vegetables

 

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. In a small saucepan, 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

Variation: substitute (frozen) stir fry mix for the vegetables

 

Kitchri with Vegetables

  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp. rice
  • 2 tbsp. red lentils
  • ¾ cup frozen peas, chopped capsicum and/or carrot
  • Mild curry powder
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, 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

Variations:

  • substitute frozen mixed vegetables for the fresh vegetables
  • 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. In a small saucepan, 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 red capsicum, carrot and mushrooms, chopped
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Dried onion and garlic granules
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • Chinese 5 spice (or pepper and cinnamon)
  • Canola oil

 

  1. Place rice in a wide bowl and break up
  2. Heat a little oil in a wok and stir fry diced bacon
  3. Add vegetables and stir fry to heat through
  4. Add garlic, onion, spices, stock powder and soy sauce with 2 tbsp. water
  5. Stir fry until vegetables are cooked to your taste
  6. Stir in rice and continue to stir fry until heated through and most of the water is absorbed

Variation: substitute frozen mixed vegetables or stir fry mix for the fresh vegetables

 

Scrambled Egg with Rice

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ¼ cup rice
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Parsley and pepper
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, 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
  • ¼ cup rice
  • ½ cup frozen peas, chopped capsicum and/or carrot
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • Dried onion, garlic granules and pepper
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, 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

Variation: substitute frozen mixed vegetables for the fresh vegetables

 

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

  • 1 x 85gm can shredded chicken in water
  • ¼ cup rice
  • ½ cup mushrooms, sliced
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Dried onion, pepper and parsley
  • Olive or canola oil
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

  1. In a small saucepan, 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
  • ¼ cup 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. In a small saucepan, 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
  • 2 tbsp. rice
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt
  • Parsley and pepper

 

  1. Drain oil from tuna into a small saucepan and sauté onion with pepper
  2. Add rice and stir until translucent
  3. Stir in tuna
  4. Add ½ cup boiling water with parsley
  5. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, adding a little more water if required
  6. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted
  7. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt

Variation: add in 1–2 tbsp. frozen peas at Step 3

 

Tuna Risotto

  • 1 x 95gm can tuna in oil
  • ¼ cup 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 a small saucepan
  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

  • ¼ cup 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
  2. Drain oil from tuna into small saucepan and sauté onion with spices
  3. Add diced tomatoes with an additional ¼ cup water and basil
  4. 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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