Healthy Brown Rice Recipes
Brown Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms
The wonderfully nutty and chewy brown rice in this simple pilaf is a great source of fiber.
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Sweet Brown Rice Risotto with Kale and Cremini
"Despite its name, sweet brown rice isn't sweet," says chef Marco Canora. Instead, this short-grain glutinous rice resembles whole-grain sushi rice. Here, Canora uses it to make a hearty vegetarian risotto.
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Chicken Burrito with Brown Rice
Instead of beans, add healthy brown rice to this delicious chicken burrito.
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Edamame Fried Brown Rice
Edamame is a great addition to this simple fried brown rice dish, which works beautifully if you use day-old rice.
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Stir-Fried Brown Rice and Cabbage with Toasted Nori
Adding lots of shredded cabbage and toasted nori to this dish make for an amazing umami-packed brown rice stir fry.
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Nutty Brown-Rice Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern salad typically made with bulgur (dried and ground or crushed wheat berries that are parboiled). Here, warm brown rice takes bulgur's place.
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Brown Rice Pilaf with Green Olives and Lemon
Alain Coumont makes this creamy (yet cream-free) rice dish with lemony Lucques olives and nutty organic Camargue red rice, but almost any green olive or short-grain brown rice would be terrific. Vegans should leave out the tangy goat cheese shavings.
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Herbed Brown Rice Salad with Corn, Fava Beans and Peas
Cyril Renaud, who grew up in Brittany, had brown rice for the first time when his Irish-American wife, Brigette, introduced him to it. Now he loves this heart-healthy, nutty-flavored grain, especially because its chewy texture holds up beautifully in salads, like this slightly spicy one full of vegetables and herbs.
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Curried Brown Rice with Roasted Cauliflower
This Indian-inspired brown rice dish is full of flavor and healthful spices.
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Brown Rice Salad with Roasted Green Beans and Mustard Vinaigrette
This brown rice salad is healthy, delicious, and the beans and dressing can be prepared in advance.
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Breakfast Fried Brown Rice
A great way to use leftover cooked brown rice, this delicious fried rice made with thinly sliced scallions, chopped spinach and egg takes just 15 minutes.
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Brown Rice Pilaf with Toasted Almonds and Parsley
Toasted almonds and chopped parsley are healthy additions to this super-simple, gluten-free brown rice dish.
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Brown Rice Pilaf with Leeks and Wild Mushrooms
While this recipe calls for shiitake mushrooms, you can use any combination of wild mushrooms (oyster, chanterelle, porcini, crimini, etc.), and white button mushrooms will work fine in a pinch.
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Brown Rice with Truffle and Chive
White truffle oil is a wonderful but assertive flavor, and a little goes a long way. If you're unsure of how much truffle flavor you prefer, start with 1 teaspoon and add more to your own taste.
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Quinoa and Brown Rice Bowl with Vegetables and Tahini
"While in Los Angeles filming the second season of Top Chef Just Desserts last year, I discovered Cafe Gratitude, a vegan cafe with a cult following," Gail Simmons says. "For me, its fresh, simple food was the perfect antidote to all that sugar. I became addicted to aptly named dishes like I Am Fortified--a bowl of whole grains with lots of cooked vegetables. When I got back to New York, I developed my own version."
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Brown Rice Salad with Cranberries, Walnuts, Mint, and Feta
This bright brown rice dish can be served warm, or chilled and served as a salad or side.
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Smoked Tofu Fried Brown Rice with Sweet Peas
This fried rice can be served alongside some garlicky braised greens for a full vegetarian meal.
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Brown Rice Salad with Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella
This Italian-inspired brown rice dish is a great gluten-free alternative to pasta.
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Butternut Brown Rice with Brown Butter and Sage
This surprisingly-sweet brown rice dish screams fall, but you'll want to eat it all year long.
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Saffron Brown Rice
This easy stovetop saffron brown rice is a wonderful base for roasted chicken, braised lamb, or Indian and Thai curries.
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Lemon Brown Rice with Garlic and Thyme
This tangy brown rice dish can be served warm, or chilled as a salad or side.
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Fried Brown Rice with Scallions and Eggs
This fast dish is great for using up leftover rice; made with eggs, it's a delicious vegetarian meal.