How To Make Crispy Rice with Leftover Rice

by Sarah Harper MS, RD, LDN | Jun 25, 2024 | Lunch & Dinner, Recipes | 0 comments

In this article, I review How To Make Crispy Rice with Leftover Rice. Try it with roasted veggies, sliced cucumber, sliced avocado, and your favorite protein.
Hi, I’m Sarah Harper, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist passionate about cooking, eating, and sharing all things food! At The Addy Bean, you’ll find a variety of flexitarian recipes designed to inspire and empower you to explore the delicious world of plant-based eating. My mission is to make plant-forward meals approachable, enjoyable, and part of your everyday life!

How To Make Crispy Rice with Leftover Rice

In this article, I will talk all about my version on How To Make Crispy Rice with Leftover Rice!

This Crispy Rice Bowl recipe is a fun and different way to serve up that side of rice with dinner. I also found this is a game changer and a great way to use up leftover rice. For example, serving baked chicken, rice, and broccoli for dinner on Tuesday? Save some of your leftover rice and on Wednesday, make Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice.

Another neat thing about this recipe, it can be made with quinoa, farro, white, brown, or wild rice. I’ll even combine quinoa and rice for my grain at dinner because they have the same cooking time and water-to-grain ratios!

This recipe and post are heavily influenced by one of my favorite cookbooks, Bottom of the Pot: Persian Recipes & Stories by Naz Deravain. One of my photos was even inspired by the cookbook cover!

 

 

Crispy_Rice_topdown_fluffy

Ingredients for Crispy Rice

You only need 2 ingredients to make this delicious dish.

Leftover Rice: I use leftover jasmine rice in this recipe. If you do not have long-grain rice you might choose to substitute it for basmati, or any other short grain rice such as leftover sushi rice. Really whatever rice you have thats leftover. 

Oil: I use avocado oil for this recipe. With its high smoke point and neutral flavor, avocado oil is my “go-to” for everything I sautee and pan-fried.

Other Flavors: I keep things simple by adding a little rice wine vinegar. You could also add some chili oil, sesame oil, or other seasonings like pepper, paprika, onions, hot sauce fresh herbs, a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

How to Make Easy Crispy Rice

Prepare the Rice:

  • If the leftover rice is clumped together, break it apart with your fingers or a fork. Cold rice directly from the refrigerator works best as it’s drier and less sticky.

Heat the Oil:

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Make sure there’s enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.

Crisp the Rice:

  • Add the rice to the skillet in a single even layer, pressing down lightly with a spatula to ensure the rice is compact. This helps in forming a nice crispy bottom.
  • Let the rice cook undisturbed for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until the bottom turns golden brown and crispy. The key is not to stir it too soon; patience is crucial for achieving that desired crunch.

Serve:

  • Once the rice is crisped to your liking, remove it from heat and serve immediately.

 

Crispy_Rice_topdown

 

How to Serve Crispy Crunchy Rice

When I am feeling extra this is my go-to method of serving up leftover rice. Make this a complete meal by serving this crispy rice recipe in easy Spicy Tuna Bowls.

Check out my suggestions for serving this crispy rice recipe below:

Condiments and Sauces

  • Soy Sauce
  • Flavored Salt
  • Toasted Sesame oil
  • Kewpie Mayo or a Japanese Mayonnaise
  • Spicy Mayo sauce
  • Lime Juice
  • A little Rice Vinegar
  • Toasted Sesame Seeds

Think Veggies

  • Sliced Green Onions
  • Thinly Sliced Avocado
  • Thinly Sliced Pickled Veggies
  • Roasted Veggies like carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, eggplant, and mushrooms
  • Raw Sliced Cucumber
  • Kimchi

Protein

 

 

spicy_tuna_with_crispy_Rice_sriacha

 

Like This Recipe? You Will Love These Too!

Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice

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Crispy_Rice_topdown_fluffy

Easy Crispy Rice

Sarah Harper MS, RD, LDN
This recipe takes simple cooked rice and adds crispy flair. Easy Crispy Rice is quick to whip up and a fun new way to eat a bowl of rice.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Breakfast, dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cup cooked white rice option to include quinoa as well - see recipe notes
  • 3 tbsp avocado oil

Instructions
 

Prepare the Rice

  • If the leftover rice is clumped together, break it apart with your fingers or a fork. Cold rice directly from the refrigerator works best as it's drier and less sticky.

Heat the Oil

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Make sure there's enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.

Crisp the Rice

  • Add the rice to the skillet in a single even layer, pressing down lightly with a spatula to ensure the rice is compact. This helps in forming a nice crispy bottom.
  • Let the rice cook undisturbed for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until the bottom turns golden brown and crispy. The key is not to stir it too soon; patience is crucial for achieving that desired crunch.

Notes

For these images, I chose to use 75% sushi rice and 25% quinoa. You may also use basmati or jasmine rice. Because quinoa and rice have the same water-to-grain ratio and cook time, I choose to cook rice and quinoa together in the same pot often! 
I use a dish towel to wrap the lid while the rice cooks. This step is to ensure the condensation does not drip back into the rice. If you choose to include this step, do not leave the kitchen, and be very careful not to burn the dish towel (especially if you have a gas stove burner). Wrapping the towel around the lid is not essential. 

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 4gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gCalcium: 16mgIron: 0.3mg
Keyword crisp, rice
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Sarah Harper in her kitchen with a cutting board, broccoli, carrots, and a fruit bowl.
Registered Dietitian at Addy Bean LLC | Website | + posts

Hi, I’m Sarah Harper, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist passionate about cooking, eating, and sharing all things food! At The Addy Bean, you’ll find a variety of flexitarian recipes designed to inspire and empower you to explore the delicious world of plant-based eating. My mission is to make plant-forward meals approachable, enjoyable, and part of your everyday life!

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