25 Simple Leftover Rice Recipes To Try At Home

Throwing out your leftover rice is not an option. So what can you do with your leftover rice? Simple, turn any leftover rice into lovely, tasty, and healthy meals for your friends and family.

We have compiled a list of leftover rice recipes you can use to create lovely meals at home. Our recipes use everyday pantry staples and don’t require any fancy five-star Michelin culinary experience.

Follow our indepth recipe guide to prepare fresh and creative leftover rice dishes at home.

Quick Table: Leftover Rice Recipes

Recipes	Calories Per Serving	Total Preparation Time
Leftover Rice Casserole	679	10 Minutes
Leftover Rice Fritters	350	30 Minutes
Rice Pudding With Leftover Rice	366	25 Minutes
Parmesan Rice Cakes	285	5 Minutes
Baked Italian Rice Balls	309.4	25 Minutes
Spanish Rice Recipe	211	5 Minutes
Tumeric Rice Salad	544	10 Minutes
Leftover Rice Pancake	254.85	5 Minutes
Rice Patties	140	10 Minutes
Leftover Rice Rotti	147	15 Minutes
Filipino Garlic Fried Rice	231	10 Minutes
Pork Fried Rice	627	10 Minutes
Mushroom Congee Rice Porridge	160	5 Minutes
Ham Fried Rice	521	10 Minutes
Instant Dosa Rice Recipe	55	30 Minutes
Shrimp Fried Rice	201	20 Minutes
Chicken and Rice Casserole	911	10 Minutes
Spicy Dirty Rice	274	10 Minutes
Kimchi Fried Rice	368	5 Minutes
Breakfast Rice Porridge	120	1 Minute
Mushroom Rice Pilaf	220	3 Minutes
Cooked Rice Idlis	42	45 Minutes
Vegetable Gharvada	120	10 Minutes
Rice Cutlet	76	15 Minutes
Easy Japanese BBQ Chicken Fried Rice	485	10 Minutes

1. Leftover Rice Casserole

Do you need a classic leftover rice recipe to dazzle your guests? Try the exquisite leftover rice casserole dish.

This delicious and straightforward rice platter will only take ten minutes of prep while providing unrivaled culinary pleasure.

To prepare this meal, you’ll need cooked rice, milk, eggs, mustard, ham, cheese, vegetables, and seasoning.

Calories Per Serving: 679

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

2. Leftover Rice Fritters

Crunchy, delicious, and easy to make best describe the leftover rice fritters. This simple yet filling leftover rice plate meal is perfect for using any leftover cooked rice.

To prepare this vegan delight, you’ll need leftover rice, grated ginger, chopped nuts, corn starch, green chilies, cayenne powder, chopped garlic, and chopped onions.

Calories Per Serving: 350

Preparation Time: 30 Minutes

3. Rice Pudding With Leftover Rice

Have you ever tasted this heavenly rice pudding? If you haven’t, then you’re missing a lot. This exotic, oriental dish full of natural ingredients and flavors is the perfect way to reuse any leftover rice.

To prepare this simple yet hearty oriental culinary delight, you’ll need white rice, granulated sugar, milk, golden raisins, butter, nutmeg, ginger, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and eggs. 

Calories Per Serving: 366

Preparation Time: 25 Minutes

4. Parmesan Rice Cakes

Parmesan rice cakes are a culinary delight that will dazzle your friends and families. Full of natural and healthy ingredients, this simple yet delicious cake will only take five minutes of your time.

To whip up savory parmesan rice cakes, you’ll need leftover rice, breadcrumbs, eggs, parmesan cheese, and finely minced onions. Enjoy parmesan rice cakes with a hot cup of chocolate, tea, or your favorite fruit drink.

Calories Per Serving: 285

Preparation Time: 5 Minutes

5. Baked Italian Rice Balls

Italians are excellent chefs, and their baked Italian rice balls doesn’t disappoint. These delectable bites of culinary heaven are simple to make, nutritious, and filling.

The crispy and flavorful Italian rice balls require moist rice, shredded mozzarella, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, beaten eggs, dried oregano, basil, pine nuts, and sun-dried tomatoes.

Enjoy baked Italian rice balls with tasty marinara sauce.

Calories Per Serving: 309.4

Preparation Time: 25 Minutes

6. Spanish Rice Recipe

Quick, delicious, healthy, and full of flavor best describes the Spanish rice recipe. This recipe uses leftover steamed rice and other everyday pantry staples to create a meal worth your time and effort.

To prepare the tasty Spanish rice, you’ll need leftover steamed rice, yellow onions, cloves, chicken broth, smoked paprika, chicken broth, cumin, and tomato paste. Enjoy your Spanish rice with tasty guacamole or black beans.

Calories Per Serving: 211

Preparation Time: 5 Minutes

7. Tumeric Rice Salad

Try the turmeric rice salad recipe for a Mediterranean twist to your leftover rice recipe. This savory, colorful and hearty leftover rice delight packs a world-class culinary punch that will tickle your taste buds.

This culinary masterpiece requires everyday ingredients, including kalamata olive, cherry tomatoes, turmeric rice, English cucumbers, crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley, and chickpeas.

Calories Per Serving: 544

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

8. Leftover Rice Pancake Recipe

The crispy and delicious leftover rice pancakes are an excellent way to kickstart your morning.

This simple, healthy, and delicious rice pancake requires everyday pantry staples, including vanilla extracts, cinnamon, eggs, salt, and pepper.

Whip up this savory breakfast option in less than five minutes and kickstart your day with a huge flavor and energy boost.

Calories Per Serving: 254.85

Preparation Time: 5 Minutes

RELATED: What To Serve With Fried Rice

9. Rice Patties

Crunchy and tasty rice patties are a healthy and simple way of reusing leftover rice.

Rice patties only require ten minutes of your time and will provide an exquisite shot of flavor.

Prepare rice patties using cooked rice, chopped onions, red pepper flakes, shredded cheese, ground pepper, and chopped parsley.

Calories Per Serving: 140

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

10. Leftover Rice Rotti

Imagine a mouthful of crispy, delicious akki roti for breakfast. This flavorful leftover rice roti recipe uses standard pantry staples and takes a short time to prepare.

Akki roti uses cooked rice, grated carrots, finely chopped ginger, cumin seeds, idiyappam rice flour, green pepper, and spring curry leaves.

Calories Per Serving: 147

Preparation Time: 15 Minutes

11. Filipino Garlic Fried Rice

Sinagang is a unique Filipino leftover rice dish that pairs perfectly with fried eggs, dried fish, and tapsilog (cured meat).

This healthy and hearty Filipino cuisine packs a bucketload of flavor and boasts perfect texture. To prepare the perfect sinangag dish, you require leftover rice, garlic, green onions, olive oil, and seasonings.

Calories Per Serving: 231

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

12. Pork Fried Rice

Here is a quick leftover rice recipe for those busy weekdays or lazy weekends. Unlike other recipes that may taste bland, the pork fried rice recipe is highly flavorful.

Enjoy the pork fried recipe that uses everyday pantry ingredients, including carrots, cloves, broccoli, green peas, red pepper, soy sauce, chopped pork, and cold-cooked rice.

Calories Per Serving: 627

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

13. Mushroom Congee Rice Porridge

All porridge is healthy and tasty, but the mushroom congee rice porridge takes everything a notch higher. Full of flavor, this healthy leftover rice recipe will soon become your go-to breakfast option.

The healthy mushroom congee porridge uses different ingredients, including dried shiitake mushrooms, leftover rice, and chicken bullion. Serve with green onions, chili oil, or fried shallots.

Calories Per Serving: 160

Preparation Time: 5 Minutes

14. Ham Fried Rice

Dazzle your family with the colorful and tasty ham fried rice recipe that will take less than five minutes to prepare.

This delicately flavored leftover fried rice recipe features delectable ham, toasted sesame oil, frozen peas, carrots, garlic granules, butter, and eggs.

Calories Per Serving: 521

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

15. Instant Dosa Rice Recipe

Dosa is a famous south Indian breakfast pancake with leftover rice as its main ingredient. Apart from being simple to prepare, this flavorful breakfast delight is also quite filling.

To prepare this unique south Indian cuisine, you’ll need wheat flour, semolina, cooked rice, curd, baking soda, rice flour, and cooking oil.

Calories Per Serving: 55

Preparation Time: 30 Minutes

16. Shrimp Fried Rice

Here is another excellent Chinese leftover rice dish that will dazzle your taste buds. To prepare this oriental delight, you’ll need leftover rice, mixed vegetables, shrimp, onions, garlic, eggs, seasoning, and soy sauce.

The shrimp fried rice is a simple, healthy, addictive, and filling oriental culinary delight perfect for any occasion.

Calories Per Serving: 201

Preparation Time: 20 Minutes

RELATED: How To Cook Rice Noodles

17. Chicken And Rice Casserole

The flavorful chicken and rice casserole is an excellent lunch and dinner favorite that will hook you in no time. This simple yet delectable vegan meal requires minimal prep while providing exquisite flavors and textures.

A platter of delicious chicken and rice casserole features cooked rice, oat milk, vegan chicken, french fried onions, potato chips, vegan mayo, smoked paprika, vegan mozzarella, parmesan cheese, and pepper.

Calories Per Serving: 911

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

18. Spicy Dirty Rice

Spicy dirty rice is one of the most underrated yet explosively flavorful leftover rice recipes.

This simple, tasty, affordable cajun delight features cooked rice, ground beef, small red beans, and spices, including dried oregano, chili powder, and pepper.

Add vegetables to your dirty rice to increase its color and flavor. Consider preparing this whole meal in one pan to lock in the flavors.

Calories Per Serving: 274

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

19. Kimchi Fried Rice

Do you wish to make a Korean rice special with a unique and flavorful recipe twist? The kimchi fried rice is a straightforward, tasty Korean rice special bursting with flavors.

The simple kimchi fried rice recipe only requires five minutes of prep and features everyday ingredients.

To prepare this delicious meal, you’ll need bok choy, vegetarian kimchi, sliced mushrooms, soy sauce, rice, green onions, sesame seeds, and eggs.

Calories Per Serving: 368

Preparation Time: 5 Minutes

20. Breakfast Rice Porridge

For a quick and nutritious breakfast option, try the breakfast rice porridge. This delicious breakfast drink, full of creamy coconut milk, ginger, cardamom, and rice, is the perfect way to start your day.

Spice your vegan rice porridge with nuts, seeds, berries, mashed bananas, and cocoa nibs. Prepare your vegan rice porridge with everyday pantry staples

Calories Per Serving: 120

Preparation Time: 1 Minute

21. Mushroom Rice Pilaf

You can never go wrong with the wildly aromatic and insanely flavorful mushroom rice pilaf dish. The simple mushroom rice pilaf recipe means you’ll produce high-quality mushroom rice meals every time.

To prepare the mushroom rice pilaf, you’ll need shallots, butter, cremini mushrooms, rice, and other simple ingredients. Serve rice pilaf with roasted veggies, pork chops, or grilled chicken.]

Calories Per Serving: 220

Preparation Time: 3 Minutes

22. Cooked Rice Idlis

If you’re a fan of Indian cuisine, this exciting and creative south Indian leftover rice recipe is for you! The cooked rice idlis is a simple yet tasty dish full of creamy yogurt, idli, and poha flattened rice.

This simple meal doesn’t require fancy culinary skills, and even a complete amateur can hack it quickly using everyday pantry staples.

Calories Per Serving: 42

Preparation Time: 45 Minutes

23. Vegetable Gharvada

Here is yet another Indian rice cuisine that is bursting with flavor. This vegan delight is tasty and straightforward, requiring only 10 minutes of prep.

To prepare this excellent vegetable gharvada, you’ll need rice, chickpea flour, lemon juice, zucchini, ginger, sugar, and cabbages.

Enjoy the vegetable gharvada with a spicy vegan dip, guacamole, or toppings of choice.

Calories Per Serving: 120

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

24. Rice Cutlet

Rice cutlets are crunchy, delicious, and filling fritter-like culinary creations made from leftover rice, spices, onions, potatoes, and herbs. The simple cutlet recipe is fast and easy to follow with guaranteed results.

Enjoy the delicious rice cutlets with mint, tomato chutney, or a hot mug of tea or coffee.

Calories Per Serving: 76

Preparation Time: 15 Minutes

RELATED: Make Your Own Restaurant-Worthy Mexican Rice With This Recipe

25. Easy Japanese BBQ Chicken Fried Rice

Enjoy the perfect game day or night out with a steaming Japanese BBQ chicken fried rice platter. Preparing this flavorful dish is simple and requires everyday kitchen ingredients.

The Japanese BBQ fried rice dish features boneless chicken, eggs, Japanese BBQ sauce, smoked paprika, dry mustard, and black pepper.

This simple recipe requires little prep time and culinary experience and is perfect for all occasions. 

Calories Per Serving: 485

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Can Leftover Rice Stay In The Fridge Without Going Bad?

The amount of time leftover rice can safely stay in the fridge without going bad varies depending on various factors.

On average, cooked rice will last three to four days in the refrigerator. Frozen cooked rice has an even longer shelf life, averaging between 26-32 days. Ensure that you properly thaw your frozen rice before cooking.,

What Are The Best Leftover Rice Recipes To try?

With the correct technique and knowledge, you can quickly turn leftover rice into delectable dishes that will wow your friends and family.

Popular leftover rice dishes include rice salad, rice cutlets, chicken and rice casserole, vegetable gharvada, rice idlis, risotto rice balls, kimchi fried rice, and mushroom rice pilaf.

What Are The Best Ways Of Cooking Tasty Leftover Rice Dishes?

Besides rice soups and puddings, leftover rice is perfect for casseroles, stir-fries, and rice pies.

Some popular leftover rice cooking methods include baking, boiling, steaming, and frying. Always observe the highest high hygiene standards at all times.