What Is Rice, cooked and How Can I Use It?

Wondering what to do with rice, cooked? This guide covers how to pick it, cook it, store it, and swap it, plus 162 recipes to put it to work.

What is rice, cooked?

Cooked rice is exactly what it sounds like: rice that has already been boiled or steamed, called for as a ready ingredient rather than a raw grain you start from scratch.

Recipes list it this way when the rice is folded into something else, like a casserole or a stuffed pepper.

It is most often leftover rice, and that is a feature. Knowing how to cool and revive already-cooked rice safely is the whole skill here.

Cooking With Already-Cooked Rice

When a recipe calls for cooked rice, it usually wants the grains to hold their shape and not turn to mush. That points to day-old rice, which has dried and firmed in the fridge.

Fried rice is the clearest case. Fresh, hot rice is too moist and clumps and steams in the wok, while cold day-old rice fries up loose and separate. The same firmness helps in stuffed pepper cups, where wet rice would slump.

Cooked rice also stretches a dish. A scoop stirred into a hearty bean and vegetable stew thickens it and turns a side into a meal, and it is the natural partner under saucy braises like creole beans and rice.

The Food Safety Part

This is the one thing worth getting right.

Uncooked rice can carry spores of Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that survives boiling. If cooked rice sits at room temperature, those spores grow and produce a toxin that reheating does not destroy.

Cool leftover rice quickly, ideally within an hour, by spreading it on a tray or shallow dish rather than leaving a deep pot to cool slowly. Refrigerate it promptly and use it within a day or two.

When you reheat, get it steaming hot all the way through, and never reheat rice more than once. If rice has been left out for hours, throw it away rather than risk it.

Substitutes

If a recipe needs cooked rice and you have none, cook some: white long grain rice is done in about 20 minutes, or instant rice in 5. Spread it on a tray and chill it in the freezer for 20 minutes to mimic day-old rice in a pinch.

Frozen cooked rice, thawed, works just as well and is worth keeping on hand. For a low-carb swap, cooked riced cauliflower stands in for shape, though it stays wetter and brings its own flavor.

Storing and Reheating

Cooked rice keeps three to four days in a sealed container in the fridge, and freezes well for up to a month. Freeze it in a thin, flat layer or portioned bags so it thaws fast and evenly.

To revive fridge-cold rice, sprinkle on a tablespoon of water per cup, cover, then microwave or steam until steaming hot. The added moisture rehydrates grains that stiffened as they cooled.

A handful of frozen rice can also go straight into a hot stir-fry or Mariachi beefballs and rice without thawing first.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find rice, cooked: Rice, cooked is usually found in the rice & beans section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Rice, cooked is a member of the Cereal Grains and Pasta US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

大米，煮熟

British (UK) term

Rice, cooked

en français

riz cuit

en español

arroz cocido

How much does rice, cooked weigh?

Related

Cereal Grains and Pasta

Recipes using rice, cooked

There are 162 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Surprise Rice

Surprise your family with this super simple side dish. This tasty dish is a fusion of fluffy rice and savory cocktail sausages hidden within a non-descript casserole. Drop this on the family dinner table, and once your unsuspecting patrons dig into an otherwise plain-looking rice casserole - boom, surprise!

Papoutsakia with Meatballs

Greek-style meatball and tomato soup with oregano, garlic, optional zucchini, and rice or pasta. Hearty, herby beef meatballs in a rich tomato broth.

Thai Curry Squash Soup

This delicious Thai curry soup is packed with goodness and great flavour. It warms you up instantly. Perfect for a cold winter supper when served with a bowl of rice.

Almond Rice Pilaf

A simple quick and easy rice side dish. A great way to quickly dress up plain rice.

Glazed Meatloaf

Glazed turkey meatloaf bound with cooked rice and bread crumbs, finished with a sweet ketchup-honey glaze that lacquers the top in the last five minutes. A leaner, lighter take on the diner classic.

Best Vegetarian Broccoli Casserole

A hearty vegetarian broccoli rice casserole with brown rice, two cream soups, melty American cheese, and tender broccoli florets. The Sunday dinner casserole made meat-free without the fuss.

Easy Korean Cucumber & Bok Choy Kimchi

There are so many kinds of kimchi. Cucumber and bok choy together make a delicious and crunchy kimchi that goes well with any Korean dishes.

Korean Daikon Kimchi

Make this classic and delicious Korean kimchi with daikon. It's crunchy, a bit spicy and packed with ginger, garlic and all these yummy Asian flavors.

Korean Cucumber Kimchi

Cucumber kimchi is refreshingly delicious, and it's so easy to make at home. Follow this simple recipe to make your own cucumber kimchi that goes well with all the Korean dishes.

Easy Korean Cucumber Kimchi

Making your own kimchi at home is totally easy, and the best of all is that you can adjust the seasonings to your own taste. Serve it with any your favorite Korean or other dishes.

Pineapple Vegetarian Fried Rice

Definitely a dish that is easy to make and impresses your family! Also a great way to use up your leftover rice.

Creamy Shrimp Curry

Make this creamy yet tasty shrimp curry for dinner, serve it with some steamed rice, top with yogurt, and/or some toasted cashew nuts, raisins, cilantros or scallions.

Ginger Pork

An easy and tasty Chinese stir-fry will for sure satisfy your palate.

Crockpot Swedish Meatballs

Time saver Swedish meatballs in a creamy sauce that you can turn into a meal with some mashed potatoes or rice.

Curry Chicken Casserole for Two

A modernize and healthified version of this quick and easy reduced fat casserole that has been sized for two servings.

Indian Fried Rice

It's a delicious recipe to cook up your leftover cooked rice with some fresh vegetables and Indian spices. Quick, easy and tasty.

Veggie & Rice Salad with Soy-Maple Dressing

This colorful yet flavorful salad is made with assorted vegetables and cooked rice, tossed with a light and tasty soy-maple dressing. It's a refreshing summer salad that can be served with any BBQ. Make it a day ahead, put in the frige, it tastes even better next day.

Easy Kimchi

If you are a big fan of kimchi and looking for an easy yet delicious kimchi recipe, this is the one. It's simple, it's easy to do at home, and you will be satisfied.

Mom's Rice Pudding

This recipe is my Great Grandmother Thorn's recipe. (GG's mother) So that would make it your Great Great Grandmother.

Chicken Olivia

A comforting, creamy chicken casserole with a crunchy cornflake and almond topping, perfect for family dinners or potlucks. This easy-to-make dish combines tender chicken, rice, and water chestnuts with a zesty lemon kick.

Best Vegetable Burgers

A selection of root vegetables and herbs gives these veggie burgers excellent flavor and bits of hazelnuts and oats helps provide good texture.

Chinese Roasted Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts

This easy and tasty dish will for sure satisfy your pickiest eater, and this time they will actually enjoy these deliciously roasted brussels sprouts.

Caribbean Rice

Tropical rice side dish loaded with mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, toasted coconut, slivered almonds, and mango chutney. Ready in 30 minutes.

Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

Used snow peas, mushrooms and red peppers for the veggies, and didn't add any cashews. It still came out delicious.

Asian Chicken, Peppers, Pineapple & Rice

Quick and easy, great for a fast weeknight meal. Nice balance of flavours!

Mandarin Orange Chicken

This is my rendition of a recipe from an old Campbell's Soup cook book.

Creamy Chicken & Rice Bake with French Onion Rings

Creamy Chicken and Rice Bake with French Onion Rings recipe

Creole Beans & Rice

Creole beans and rice layers a tomato-spiced kidney bean stew over fluffy rice, finished with a fresh cucumber-tomato salsa for crunch. Vegan, high-fiber Louisiana classic.

Pepper Rainbow Soup

Late-summer pepper rainbow soup with multicolored bell peppers floating in a lemon-and-egg-yolk thickened broth. Greek avgolemono technique meets a confetti of red, yellow, and green peppers.

Mom's Broccoli-Rice Quiche

Microwave broccoli-rice quiche with a cooked rice and cheddar cheese crust, filled with broccoli, mushrooms, onions, and egg custard. A crustless quiche that skips the pie dough entirely.

Cowboy Pintos

Dried pinto beans simmered from scratch with carrots, celery, Roma tomatoes, fresh thyme, oregano, and cilantro. A nourishing bean soup served over rice or barley that's worth the overnight soak.

Cuban Beans & Rice

Quick Cuban black beans and rice with sautéed green pepper, garlic, oregano, and a splash of vinegar. A vegan-friendly staple that's on the table in 25 minutes.

Oriental Pork

Pork shoulder strips cook in the microwave with orange juice and soy sauce, then get tossed with water chestnuts, bean sprouts, and Napa cabbage in a cornstarch-thickened sauce. Serve over rice.

Papaya Lamb Salad

Papaya lamb salad pairs stir-fried lamb chops with sweet ripe papaya, roma tomatoes, bean sprouts, and warm rice for a tropical-meets-Asian main-course salad. Served with lemon wedges and crusty bread.

Artichoke Rice Salad

Warm rice salad with marinated artichoke hearts, mushrooms, Parmesan, and scallions in a tangy artichoke vinaigrette. A fresh, no-cook side dish.

Red Bell Pepper Picante with Rice, Beans & Turkey

Stuffed red and yellow bell peppers filled with ground turkey, rice, navy beans, and a spiced picante tomato sauce. A low-fat dinner with real depth - Madeira deglazes the wok, fennel and rosemary do the heavy lifting.

Curried Chicken Rolls

Flattened chicken breasts stuffed with curried rice, sweet raisins, and herbs, then pan-browned and simmered in white wine. An elegant weeknight main that looks fancy but comes together in about an hour.

Broccoli Delight

Broccoli rice casserole with cheddar and cream of mushroom soup, baked until bubbly. A crowd-pleasing side dish that comes together in minutes.

Tex-Mex Chili Chicken

One-skillet Tex-Mex chili chicken simmered with stewed tomatoes, rice, and peppers, then smothered in melted Monterey Jack. Dinner in 30 minutes flat.

Anasazi-Tofu Enchiladas

Bean connoisseurs will appreciate the characteristic taste and texture talents of pinto and kidney combined within this ancient Indian entrant. Versatility of this variety is limited only by your imagination: take them for a dip: enlist them for creative Mexican food construction: they even taste good straight!

Next Day Rice & Broccoli Soup

Single-serving broccoli rice soup made with leftover rice, cooked broccoli, and a surprising hint of apple. Serve chunky or puree it smooth. Ready in about 10 minutes of active cooking.

Jody's Leftover Rice Snacks

Crispy baked rice squares made from leftover rice, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and Italian herbs. A 6-ingredient snack or appetizer that uses up day-old rice.

Barb's China Chicken Rice

Barb's China Chicken Rice stir-fries ginger-sesame marinated chicken breast with mushrooms, zucchini, cilantro, and almonds over cooked rice. A fast, one-pan Asian-inspired weeknight dinner.

Paella-Stuffed Snapper

Whole red snapper stuffed with saffron rice paella filling made with smoked sausage, shrimp, serrano chiles, and almonds. A Tex-Mex showpiece baked with lime butter.

Turkey Gumbo (Franz)

Turkey gumbo built from a leftover carcass with a dark roux, okra, smoked sausage, bacon, and Cajun spices. A rich, hearty way to use your holiday turkey.

Chutney Chicken

Chutney chicken drumsticks in a quick microwave sauce of tomato, rehydrated dried apple, raisins, orange zest, and a whisper of clove. A weeknight dinner with sweet-hot chutney flavor in 30 minutes.

Shrimp Pilau

Shrimp pilau folds Worcestershire-spiked shrimp, crispy bacon, sweet bell pepper, and celery into hot rice for a Lowcountry one-pot supper. Charleston coastal classic in 30 minutes.

Beef-Cabbage Rolls in a Clay Cooker

Beef cabbage rolls baked in a clay cooker with ground beef, salt pork, cooked rice, and beef stock. The clay pot traps steam for tender, juicy rolls with a rich, meaty filling.

Chicken & Mushrooms in a Tarragon Sauce

Chicken and mushrooms in a tarragon cream sauce with just seven ingredients, served over rice. A quick French-inspired skillet dinner ready in 45 minutes.

Vege Burgers

Vintage walnut-and-rice veggie burgers with sauteed onion, celery, and carrot bound together with egg and seasoned breadcrumbs. Hearty, savory, and freezer-friendly.

All 162 recipes