Leftover Rice Recipes

Day-old rice fries better than fresh. Use these recipes to turn the container of rice in your fridge into a proper meal.

Day-old rice is drier, so it fries and crisps better than fresh. The easiest routes are fried rice, a rice bowl, crispy rice cakes, a rice soup or congee, and rice pudding for dessert.

Have rice plus other ingredients? Find recipes with what you have

What can I make with leftover rice?

Fried rice
The classic use — high heat, a beaten egg and whatever else is in the fridge. Try Chicken Fried Rice.
A rice bowl
Reheat the rice and top it with vegetables, protein and sauce. Try Bean and Rice Bowl.
Crispy rice cakes
Press the rice into patties and pan-fry until golden. Try Crispy Rice Cakes.
Rice soup or congee
Simmer rice in broth until it turns soft and comforting. Try Greek Lemon Rice Soup.
Rice pudding
Cooked rice, milk and sugar make dessert out of the last cupful. Try Rice Pudding.

Got more than rice to use up? Find recipes with what you have.

How to decide what to make with your leftover rice

The right dish depends on the state the rice is in, not on the recipe you feel like cooking. Find yours below.

Cold and clumped: This is the best possible state for fried rice. Break the clumps with wet fingers before it hits the pan and every grain fries separately.
A single small portion: Not enough for a stir-fry? Press it into patties and pan-fry, or simmer it into congee, where one cup of rice feeds two people.
Plain white or jasmine: Neutral rice takes on whatever you give it: a rice bowl with vegetables and sauce, or rice pudding with milk, sugar and cinnamon.

How long does cooked rice keep, and how to store it

Cool it within an hour: Cooked rice can carry Bacillus cereus spores that survive cooking and multiply at room temperature. Spread it thin on a plate or tray to drop the temperature fast, then refrigerate.
Eat it within one to two days: Rice gets a shorter fridge window than most leftovers for exactly that reason. If it smells faintly fermented or feels slimy, bin it.
Freeze in flat single portions: Rice freezes very well. Flatten it in a bag, freeze, then reheat straight from frozen with a splash of water under a lid.

The best way to reheat leftover rice

Steam, or fry — do not gently warm: Add a tablespoon of water per cup, cover, and heat until steaming hot all the way through. Lukewarm rice is the one outcome to avoid.
For fried rice, use high heat and no lid: You want the surface moisture gone. A hot pan, a thin layer of rice and minimal stirring gives you toasted grains instead of a sticky mass.

Mistakes worth avoiding with leftover rice

Leaving cooked rice on the stove overnight, even covered.
Reheating rice twice.
Adding cold rice to a lukewarm pan — it steams and turns gluey instead of frying.