How To Make The Best Crispy Rice Bowl
This Crispy Rice Bowl recipe is a fun and different way to serve up that side of rice with dinner. I also found that it is a great way to turn leftovers into something completely new. 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!
Ingredients for Crispy Rice
Crispy Rice: I use jasmine rice in this recipe. This long-grain rice provides a fluffy and delicate texture. If you do not have long-grain rice you might choose to substitute it for basmati, or any other short-grain rice.
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, or herbs.
How to Make Easy Crispy Rice
- Add oil to a medium-high heat pan or pot. Using already cooked rice, once the oil is heated, scoop the rice overtop. You can use jasmine, basmati, sushi rice, or other short-grain rice.
- Press the rice down with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Finally, drizzle rice wine vinegar over the rice. Cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. I use a lid wrapped in a dish towel to ensure the towel absorbs excess steam. Take care not to burn the towel if you include it in this step (especially if you have gas burners).
Again, if you think you might light the towel on fire, do not use it! A lid should suffice.
If you are using the towel stand by and wait. This is a quick process, I repeat do not light the towel on fire.
How to Serve Crispy Rice
When I am feeling extra this is my go-to method of serving up leftover rice. I love to serve this in an easy Spicy Tuna Bowl in my Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice. However, I also like to make an easy Crispy Rice bowl with ingredients I have on hand. Below are some of my favorites!
Condiments and Sauces
- Soy Sauce
- Flavored Salt
- Toasted Sesame oil
- Kewpie Mayo
- Spicy Mayo sauce
- Lime Juice
- 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
- Fish Cakes
- Sushi-grade Tuna or Ahi Tuna
- Baked Salmon or Grilled Salmon Burgers
- Jalapeno Pickled Eggs
- Baked Tofu
- Grilled Shrimp
- Black Bean and Mango Salad
Personal Opinion:
Why I choose white over brown rice
Rice is a cereal grain and one of the most important staple foods in the world. In fact, over 50% of the world’s population depends on rice for the majority of their food consumption.
Many who know me already know my opinion on white vs brown rice. From a nutritional aspect, white rice and brown rice are pretty similar, especially if you are only consuming 1/2 to 1 cup during your meal.
Below I dive into my top three reasons why I choose white rice over brown rice when preparing my meals.
Three Reasons I choose White Rice over Brown Rice 9/10 times
- I prefer the flavor and texture of white rice
- White rice has a delicate, soft, and neutral flavor and texture. To me, white rice tastes cozy and warm, not to mention it’s a great food to eat if you have bowel issues from time to time. Furthermore, I love that it compliments any flavor it’s paired with.
- White Rice Cooks Faster
- Quick cooking times have a big influence on the meals I choose to prepare. White rice cooks faster. If I want to bump up the fiber, I will include a bit of quinoa during cooking. Pro tip: Quinoa and white rice have the same water-to-grain ratio and cooking time!
- Nutritionally, White and Brown Rice are pretty similar.
- Technically, brown rice has slightly more nutrients. However, when white rice is paired with fibrous foods like legumes and veggies that meal can be loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
The bottom line is whether you choose brown or white rice, either can be a part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle. The key is to look at nutrition as a whole. Review your entire day or even the past few days, and do not demonize a single ingredient.
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Easy Crispy Rice
Ingredients
- 4 cup cooked white rice option to include quinoa as well - see recipe notes
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
Instructions
- Add oil to a medium-high heat pan or pot. Once the oil is heated, scoop rice over top.
- Press the rice down with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Drizzle rice wine vinegar over the rice. Turn the heat down to medium, cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
- You may check the rice after 5 minutes to check for the desired coloring. (The thinner your layer of rice on the pot, the easier it will be to check the coloring).
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sarah Harper. I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves to cook, eat, and talk about food! Here at The Addy Bean, you'll discover an array of flexitarian recipes. My mission is to inspire and encourage others to eat and explore the world of plant-based foods!
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