We’ve gathered 50 leftover rice recipes to provide delicious ideas to use the leftover rice in your fridge or freezer. These recipes are all gluten-free and kid-friendly.
If you have ever wondered what to do with leftover rice, look no further than this recipe round-up! Included you will find simple rice recipes that all use cooked rice.
Leftover cooked rice is good for up to 5 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer, which makes it easily accessible to use any night of the week. Feature in soups, casseroles, tacos, chimichangas and more!
Quick Rice Recipes
From learning how to flavor rice to what to make with rice, these rice dinner ideas have everything you need to create a family friendly meal.
The versatility of rice is the top reason you’ll find rice on our dinner table many nights. Rice can be served as a side dish or as the main entree depending on the recipe.
Ready to get started? Let’s get scrolling! We hope you find a recipe (or two) that your family will enjoy.
50/50 Cauli-Brown Rice Fried Rice! An easy fried rice made of 1/2 cooked brown rice and 1/2 cauliflower rice. One of my go-to healthy dinners! Easy, kid-friendly, yummy.
This Shrimp Fried Rice recipe can be prepared much faster than picking up takeout! It’s packed with juicy shrimp, veggies and plenty of flavor for a quick and easy weeknight dinner!
Curry Rice Salad is a delicious blend of wild rice, pecans, apricots, green onions and golden raisins tossed with a savory curry dressing. You'll love this wild rice salad recipe that can be served cold at summer picnics or warm at your holiday table.
This homemade vegan bean burrito is easy to make in only 15 minutes or less! It’s such a healthy, satisfying and filling lunch or dinner idea full of delicious Mexican flavors and exciting textures. Make with gluten free wraps to easily turn gluten-free!
A healthier alternative to the beloved dish, this recipe uses Boursin cheese to add a pop of flavor to a super creamy and comforting sauce. Gluten free ingredients included.
This carnivore-approved black bean lentil burger recipe is hearty, crowd-pleasing and easy to make in under 30 minutes. Serve on a gluten-free bun to turn into a celiac safe recipe!
Fragrant, spicy, and bold, this delicious Indian fried rice will be your next favorite meal! It is naturally vegan, gluten-free, and packed with colorful veggies. An easy weeknight dinner that is low-effort and is ready in 15 minutes.
Can you say cheese y’all? If you come from a cheese-centric family, this recipe is for you. These are super easy cheesy vegan stuffed peppers that are also gluten-free!
This gluten free vegan rice bowl with smoky tempeh is a delicious hot vegetarian dinner but also makes a great cold lunch on the go. Simple to make, high in protein, and topped with fresh vegetables and a creamy dressing this Asian bowl is a savory, flavorful dish that everyone will enjoy.
Leftover mushroom and rice stir-fry is a delicious, quick and easy mushroom fried rice dish based on the classic authentic Chinese restaurant favorite.
This recipe for 10 Minute Gluten-Free Chicken Fried Rice is such an easy recipe to throw together after a busy work day! It’s also the perfect recipe for using up your leftovers. Includes tips to customize to make this recipe vegetarian, make pork fried rice, or even to make it keto or paleo!
Spiked with chilies and brightened with cilantro and a squeeze of lime, this ginger chicken soup is packed with flavor. It's also a cinch to make, using leftover rice, ground chicken, broth and herbs.
Who doesn’t love brown rice pudding?! This dessert is so easy to make in your Instant Pot. Ready in just 15 minutes, it will become your go-to dessert anytime of the year.
Fried Rice that's full of apples, cinnamon, and delicious breakfast sausage flavors. A hearty meal that is easily made with leftovers!
Beef fried rice is a stir fry of tender beef, peppers, onions, garlic, and egg tossed in a sweet and savory sauce. This quick and easy one-pan meal is better than takeout!
Delicious Chinese takeaway style king prawn fried rice, ready to eat in just 15 minutes. This recipe is easy, tasty and your new go-to fakeaway meal!
Vegan shawarma rice is the easiest and most flavorful 10-minute meal, perfect for busy weeknights or make ahead lunches! This healthy vegan shawarma recipe is made with lentils, rice and shawarma spices making it budget friendly and incredibly comforting and satisfying.
Indian style Chicken fried rice, or “Chicken Chopper Rice”, is a great leftover rice recipe. It’s a type of rice commonly found on the streets of Bombay and all over India. It’s an Indian-Chinese recipe, and most people make it in a very Chinese-fried-rice type of way by adding soy sauce.
Shakshuka is one of my favorite “back pocket” recipes that always saves dinner when I need something quick and easy. This version, with rice, greens, and a sprinkle of feta cheese is healthy, hearty, and a complete meal in a pan.
Mediterranean chicken and rice is a simple, easy and incredibly flavorful recipe that is ready in under 20 minutes and perfect for weeknight meals. This healthy Italian chicken and rice will quickly become a family favorite and is delicious as leftovers as well!
Quick oven baked Stuffed Pepper Casserole, a lazy version of undone stuffed peppers (or unstuffed). Made with cooked rice, and Italian sausage.
Stuffed bell peppers is my ultimate comfort food and one of those recipes I knew I wanted to share when we canned a bunch of tomatoes a few weeks ago. It’s Mexican fare so that shouldn’t surprise you.
An easy vegetable rice soup that is vegetarian and full of flavor. This recipe uses vegetable broth, fresh vegetables, tomatoes, rice, and seasonings for a hearty vegan soup that everyone will love.
Have you hopped on board the sprouted grain train yet? I’ll admit I’m still a newbie, but I’ve been experimenting with US-grown sprouted whole grain brown rice. I added it to a Mediterranean-inspired tuna salad and stuffed the delicious mixture into crispy sweet peppers.
This restaurant-style Chinese Fried Rice Recipe is made with cold rice, scrambled eggs, peas, carrots, and simple seasonings like garlic and soy sauce. Quick and easy to make, enjoy this fragrant and super customizable rice recipe as a stand-alone weeknight dinner or as a delicious side with all your favorite Chinese-takeout recipes.
Get ready for a big surprise because this easy gluten free fried rice recipe makes an amazing dinner that the whole family will love. If you love fried rice, wait until you try it made with ground pork!! All you need is 20 minutes and some basic ingredients to make this Chinese food take-out recipe!
Here’s a fun and economical way to enjoy the flavors of vegetable sushi but not the mess of making it — a tasty vegetable sushi salad featuring rice, avocado, carrots, cucumber, and nori.
Indian fried rice is called “Vagharelo Bhaat” in Gujarati or “Fodni Bhaat” in Marathi. Fried rice is a great way to reheat leftover rice, completely transforming it into a delicious meal. I make it with leftover rice and a simple Gujarati vaghar. Many other regions of India would make it similarly.
This vegan and vegetarian avocado roll is packed with creamy avocado slices and wrapped in sticky cooked rice and a toasted nori sheet. It’s topped with sesame seeds and can be served with your favorite sauces.
You need to give this amazing tom yum fried rice a try! It is packed with flavors, delicious and fiery. This version is incredibly easy to make and is ready in 15 minutes.
The Best Rice Pudding recipe from Grandma’s recipe book. Make with leftover rice to make this recipe quick and simple.
More Leftover Dinner Ideas
Leftovers definitely do not have to be boring or bland. There are many ways to feature leftovers in fun ways that the whole family will enjoy.
From Chicken and Stuffing Casserole and Green Chili Chicken Soup to Crockpot Stuffed Pepper Soup and Chicken Bacon Ranch Tatertot Casserole you also cannot go wrong with any of these 40+ Leftover Taco Meat Recipes. Taco Quesadillas and Steak Nachos are huge hits in our home.
Be inspired to step outside the box the next time you have leftover chicken, rice, beef or another ingredient to find a recipe that takes leftover meals up a notch!
If you enjoyed any of the recipes make sure to leave a comment below! Then follow me on social media and tag #createkidsclub if you make the recipe. I love seeing what you come up with!
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