5 Ways To Turn Leftover Rice Into An Exotic Dish: Quick & Healthy Recipes

Are you tired of throwing away leftover rice after a meal? Don’t let it go to waste! With some creativity, you can turn that plain rice into an exotic and delicious dish your whole family will love.

This article will show five ways to turn leftover rice into an exotic dish. These healthy recipes will indeed transform your leftover rice into something special.

5 Ways To Turn Leftover Rice Into An Exotic Dish

The best thing about leftover rice is that it leaves much room for creativity and can use simple ingredients to make it exotic. Here are 5 easy and healthy recipes to make something delicious from your leftover rice. You can find more recipes here if the recipes here do not appeal to you.

Fried Rice with Veggies and Egg (China)

Fried rice is a classic dish that is easy to make, and it’s up to you how versatile you want it to be. Here we have a relatively simple egg fried rice with vegetable recipe for you. But you can add as many ingredients as possible to make it more enjoyable.

Ingredients

• 2 cups leftover rice
• 1 cup mixed veggies (carrots, peas, corn, etc.)
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• Soy sauce (to taste)

Instructions

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil.
• Add mixed veggies to the skillet and stir-fry for 3-5 minutes until tender.
• Add leftover rice to the skillet and stir-fry with the veggies for another 2-3 minutes.
• Crack an egg into the skillet and scramble it with the rice and veggies until the egg is cooked.
• Season with soy sauce to taste and serve hot.

Rice and Bean Burrito Bowl (Mexico)

You can combine the leftovers to make a delicious burrito bowl if you have some canned beans. Here is the complete recipe-

Ingredients

• 2 cups leftover rice
• 1 can of black beans or kidney beans
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• Cilantro (optional)
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

• Warm the beans up in a small pot over medium heat.
• Season the beans with salt and pepper to taste.
• Layer the leftover rice on the bottom of a bowl.
• Add the beans on top of the rice.
• Add sliced avocado, diced tomato, and cilantro to the beans.
• Squeeze lime juice over the bowl and serve.

Rice and Chicken Curry (India)

You can come up with a bowl of delicious rice and chicken curry with a little effort. To top it off, you can do this with minimal ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2 cups leftover rice
• 1 cup cooked chicken, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. curry powder
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

• Add oil to a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for 3-5 minutes until tender.
• Add curry powder to the skillet and stir for 1 minute.
• Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and chopped chicken to the skillet.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve the curry over the leftover rice.

Rice Salad with Veggies and Feta Cheese (Middle East)

You can quickly make a healthy and delicious rice salad with leftover rice and fresh veggies. This could be the comfort food for vegans and can work as a hangover cure.

Ingredients

• 2 cups leftover rice
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

• Mix the leftover rice, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion in a large bowl.
• Add crumbled feta cheese to the bowl and mix well.
• Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Drizzle the dressing over the rice salad and mix well.
• Chill the salad in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

Nasi Goreng (Indonesia)

Nasi Goreng, originating from Indonesia, is one of the world’s most delicious fried rice recipes. It is packed with flavors and a lot of protein. This meal could easily be your favorite if cooked correctly.

Ingredients

• 2 cups leftover rice
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 red chilies, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1/2 cup green beans, chopped
• 1 tbsp. sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup cooked chicken, shredded
• 1/2 cup cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup scallions, chopped
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat.
• Add garlic, onion, and red chilies, and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
• Add carrots and green beans to the skillet and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until tender.
• Add sweet soy sauce, fish sauce, salt, and pepper to the skillet and stir-fry for another minute.
• Add the leftover rice to the skillet and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, breaking up any clumps of rice.
• Push the rice to one side of the skillet and crack the eggs onto the empty side. Scramble the eggs and then mix them into the rice.
• Add cooked chicken and shrimp to the skillet and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes until heated.
• Add scallions to the skillet and stir-fry for another minute.
• Serve the Nasi Goreng hot with lime wedges on the side.

Conclusion

Leftover rice doesn’t have to be boring. With these five quick and healthy recipes, you can transform your leftover rice into an exotic and delicious dish that your whole family will love. So next time you have leftover rice, try one of these recipes and enjoy a new culinary experience!