Healthy Rice Side Dish Recipes

A quick and easy rice dish has the bright colors and zesty flavors of peppers, tomatoes, and olives.

Slowly adding hot broth to arborio rice helps release the starch from the rice, giving risotto its characteristic silky, creamy texture. We add a splash of wine along with each addition of broth to give the dish a more pronounced wine flavor. If you'd prefer the wine to be more subtle, add the entire cup at the end of Step 2 and cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed, then begin adding the broth. If you prefer to omit wine, use more broth in its place.

Use up leftover rice and make it into something delicious with this healthy Indian recipe. Because cooked rice refrigerated overnight dries out a little, it's better suited to absorb all the flavors in this dish without getting sticky or mushy. In a pinch, use frozen or shelf-stable precooked basmati rice, available in many stores. Urad dal and roasted chana dal add texture and authenticity to the rice--look for both types of dal in Indian markets or online.

This corn-flecked rice pilaf has a distinctive Indian flavor, thanks to the addition of cumin seeds, cinnamon and cardamom. It makes a delicious accompaniment to grilled meats and poultry.

Mixed frozen vegetables make this healthy fried rice recipe quick, easy and economical. If you don't have leftover cooked rice on hand, be sure to thoroughly cool your rice before adding it to the wok--if it's too warm, it creates too much steam and sticks to the wok. To quickly cool warm rice, spread out on a large baking sheet and refrigerate while you prep the rest of your ingredients, about 15 minutes.

Grated butternut squash adds color and nutrients to this brown rice pilaf. This is a riff on a traditional Greek dish that calls for Greek pilaf rice and pumpkin; here we've substituted instant brown rice and butternut squash.

Japanese short-grain rice is sweet, pearly and sticky enough to pick up with your chopsticks. (Look for the excellent Nishiki brand of rice, available in most Japanese markets.) Do not skip the rinsing and soaking process: the initial rinsing rids the rice of the powdered bran and polishing compound, while the soaking plumps the grains with water to render them tender and slightly tacky.

This quick rice pilaf recipe gets bright flavor from Thai-inspired ingredients: lime juice, fish sauce, peanuts and plenty of fresh herbs. Serve it with roast pork tenderloin or pan-seared fish.

Black sticky rice, a delicious whole-grain alternative to white rice, is purplish black in color and has a chewy texture. This recipe gives you a simple method for how to make black sticky rice. Look for it in natural-foods stores in the bulk department or with other whole-grain rice.

Great-tasting whole-grain pilafs are available these days, and they are a step up (nutritionally speaking) from the original San Francisco treat, but unfortunately they are usually loaded with sodium. Our version combines whole-wheat pasta, onions and brown rice for delicious results with less sodium.

The flavors of fresh mint and feta enliven this instant brown rice. Toss any leftovers with some cooked shrimp for a satisfying, easy lunch.

Colorful apricots, scallions and pistachios make this vibrant dish worthy of any holiday table. Since wild rice (really a grass) does not absorb liquid to the extent that true rice and other grains do, cook it in boiling water and saute the vegetables separately so they stay tender-crisp.

Many variations of this dish use oregano as the main herb, but we like the flavor of cilantro a bit better with the earthy taste of the black beans.

All the vegetables that go into this ratatouille salad get a touch of smoke from the grill, then are mixed with farro and black rice in this delicious ratatouille, black rice and farro salad recipe. Any black rice will work, but we like nutty-flavored, medium-grain Forbidden rice the best. This whole-grain rice is commonly available where other whole-grain rice is sold.

This amazing wild-rice stuffing recipe is bursting with rustic fall flavors, including rye bread, sausage, apples, dried cherries, pecans and fresh herbs.

Although white sushi rice is traditional, this brown sushi rice base is blended with other grains and lentils. Traditional vinegar and sugar seasoning are omitted in this whole-grain brown sushi rice recipe so that the natural taste of the whole grains shines through. Any lentils work--French green lentils hold their shape best.

Turn everyday brown rice into delicious brown rice pilaf with the addition of currants and sliced almonds.

These traditional Lebanese lamb-and-rice stuffed grape leaves are fragrant with mint, marjoram, cinnamon, cumin and allspice. Serve with lemon wedges and plain yogurt for dipping.

Sizzled pancetta gives this creamy leek risotto great flavor and a bit of added crispy texture. We add a splash of wine along with each addition of broth to give the dish a more pronounced wine flavor. If you'd prefer the wine to be more subtle, add the entire cup at the end of Step 3 and cook, stirring, until the liquid is gone, then begin adding the broth. You can substitute more broth in place of the wine.

Serve this pretty, pesto-flavored risotto alongside roasted chicken or pork roast or serve with a big salad for a light dinner. We add a splash of wine along with each addition of broth to give the dish a more pronounced wine flavor. If you'd prefer the wine to be more subtle, add the entire cup at the end of Step 3 and cook, stirring, until the liquid is gone, then begin adding the broth. You can substitute more broth in place of the wine.