Healthy Vegetarian Rice Recipes

Find healthy, delicious vegetarian rice recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

Rating: 5 stars 13
To make this 20-minute vegan curry even faster, buy precut veggies from the salad bar at the grocery store. To make it a full, satisfying dinner, serve over cooked brown rice. When shopping for simmer sauce, look for one with 400 mg of sodium or less and check the ingredient list for cream or fish sauce if you want to keep this vegan. If you like a spicy kick, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at the end.
Katie Webster
By Katie Webster

Spinach, Feta & Rice Casserole

Rating: 4 stars 12
This one-pan recipe is the casserole version of spanakopita! It's hearty enough to enjoy as a vegetarian lunch or dinner, yet versatile enough to serve alongside just about any protein. To make it extra creamy, top each serving with a dollop of sour cream.
By Carolyn Casner

Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage

Rating: 3.5 stars 7
Though traditional stuffed cabbage recipes are made with meat, here Savoy cabbage leaves are stuffed with a combination of rice, mushrooms, onions, garlic and herbs for a healthy vegetarian stuffed cabbage recipe. The stuffed cabbage leaves gently bake in a simple tomato sauce. This easy stuffed cabbage recipe can be made ahead of time and baked just before serving.
Kathy Gunst
By Kathy Gunst

Pumpkin Risotto with Goat Cheese

Rating: 5 stars 1
This easy pumpkin risotto with goat cheese uses sweet and earthy canned pumpkin as a flavor base and creamy goat cheese to add creaminess and tang. Toasted pumpkin seeds add texture and nutty notes. Parsley adds mild fresh flavor, but any chopped fresh herb would work just as well.
headshot of Laura Kanya in a blue shirt against a pink background
By Laura Kanya

Easy Cauliflower Fried Rice

This vegetarian faux fried rice uses riced cauliflower in place of white or brown rice to pack in extra veggies and cut down on carbs. Chile-garlic sauce pumps up the heat, and fresh ginger adds a bright, warm bite. If you don't like the heat of the chile-garlic sauce, leave it out and add a bit more tamari or soy sauce for a rich, fermented tang.
Hilary Meyer
By Hilary Meyer

Creamy Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup

Rating: 4.5 stars 3
Mushrooms add earthiness and umami flavor in this creamy, one-pot soup recipe. This vegetarian soup will thicken as it sits, so be mindful that the consistency may change when you're done cooking.
By Carolyn Casner

Edamame & Veggie Rice Bowl

Rating: 4.5 stars 3
The ingredients in this vegan grain bowl recipe can be prepped ahead for an easy lunch to pack for work. The tangy citrus dressing is a refreshing flavor with the sweet caramel of the roasted sheet-pan veggies.
Katie Webster
By Katie Webster

Savory Bean Spinach Soup

Rating: 5 stars 3
Let a slow cooker complete this vegetarian soup. Serve it in cups as a sandwich side or ladle it into bowls for a light meal.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Easy Brown Rice

Rating: 4 stars 4
Here's the only recipe you need to make perfect brown rice every time! This healthy whole grain is great on its own as a side dish, or use it in your favorite recipes calling for cooked brown rice.
Eating Well Bio Page
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

One-Pot Beans & Rice with Corn & Salsa

Rating: 5 stars 4
This one-pot dinner is like a deconstructed burrito bowl--especially when topped with salsa, sliced avocado or a dollop of Greek yogurt for a cool, creamy accent. You can also enjoy it as a meal on its own, or as a vegetarian taco or burrito filling or a side dish on taco night.
By Carolyn Casner

Roasted Veggie & Tofu Brown Rice Bowl

Rating: 2 stars 4
A healthy and satisfying vegan lunch for one, featuring roasted butternut squash, broccoli, peppers and onions with simple brown rice, lime-marinated tofu and creamy cashew tahini sauce.
Katie Webster
By Katie Webster

Meal-Prep Roasted Vegetable Bowls with Pesto

Rating: 5 stars 4
Your co-workers will be jealous when you pull out this healthy lunch of roasted veggies and brown rice. Put together 4 lunches when you have time and you will have packable lunches (or ready-to-eat dinners) for several days--just grab a container on your way out the door in the morning.
Hilary Meyer
By Hilary Meyer
Advertisement

Inspiration and Ideas

Turmeric Rice Bowl with Garam Masala Root Vegetables & Chickpeas
Rating: Unrated 8
This fragrant turmeric rice bowl topped with leftover spiced roasted root vegetables and chickpeas is inspired by flavors from India for an easy, vegetarian dinner.
Tofu & Snow Pea Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce
A fast dinner recipe perfect for busy weeknights, this easy stir-fry recipe will quickly become a favorite. To save time, use precooked rice or cook rice a day ahead.
Vegetarian Taco Salad
Rating: 4.5 stars 31

Nobody will miss the meat in this colorful, zesty vegetarian taco salad. The rice and bean mixture can be made ahead and the salad quickly assembled at mealtime. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.