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Learn How to Season Brown Rice for a flavor packed side dish. Once you know the best seasonings to add, it is so easy to make.
We make Long Grain Brown Rice and Instant pot White Rice Recipe for an easy side dish to many of our favorite main dish recipes. Rice is easy to add in butter, favorite spices or fresh herbs to change the flavor.
Try these other 17 ways to turn bland brown rice into fluffy, fork tender, and flavorful rice.
Table of Contents
- How Do You Season Rice for Cooking?
- How Do I Make the Perfect Brown Rice
- 1. Cook in Chicken or Beef Broth
- 2. Season with Garlic Salt
- 3. Make Spanish Rice
- 4. Make Cilantro Lime Rice with Brown Rice
- 5. Make Fried Rice
- 6. Stir in Salt and pepper
- 7. Add in Ground Beef for a One pot meal
- 8. Add in Sliced Sausage
- 9. Add Garlic and Soy Sauce
- 10. Add Parmesan Cheese, milk and Garlic
- 11. Make Dirty Rice
- 12. Make Shrimp Fried Rice
- 13. Sir In Red beans and Sliced Sausage
- 14. Add Chicken and Cheese for an easy skillet dinner.
- 15. Stir in a Soup
- 16. Stir in Buffalo Sauce
- 17. Mix in Black Beans
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storage and Freezer Tips
How Do You Season Rice for Cooking?
There are several ways to do this. You can use broth instead of water to boil the rice. Other options include adding seasoning to the rice as it boils or sautéing it first in seasonings. If you brown the rice with olive oil and seasonings prior to adding the liquid and boiling, it will enhance the flavor.
Once you try these easy ways to season brown rice, you will be a fan of brown rice. It is so easy to jazz up plain rice and turn it into a really delicious side dish.
After these tasty ideas, everyone will love brown rice that is packed with nutrients, gluten free and loaded with fiber.
How Do I Make the Perfect Brown Rice
Making brown rice recipes can turn our dry or mushy if you do not add the right amount of liquid. When cooking brown rice, make sure to keep the saucepan covered with a heavy lid and keep it closed until rice is finished cooking. Fluff the rice with a fork for the best side dish.
There are many ways to prepare big batch of brown rice and these are our favorite, easy options.
1. Cook in Chicken or Beef Broth
Substitute chicken broth, beef broth or vegetable stock for the water. Just use equal parts broth to the cups of water normally used. Allow the rice to simmer in the broth or coconut milk for a family favorite side.
2. Season with Garlic Salt
Garlic really enhances the flavor of rice. You can add this to the water and rice or sauté the seasonings and dry rice prior to adding the liquid. We even love to add in fresh herbs such as ½ teaspoon of thyme, oregano, paprika and parsley.
3. Make Spanish Rice
The salsa in this recipe combined with the other seasonings makes this a flavorful side dish.
4. Make Cilantro Lime Rice with Brown Rice
You can cook brown rice with cilantro and lime juice (or lemon juice) for the perfect side dish for Mexican Monday. This rice is delicious served in Chipotle Chicken Bowls.
5. Make Fried Rice
Use leftover brown rice and quickly make Fried rice. This is an easy way to use leftover cooked rice for a stir fry with chopped onion, frozen veggies and soy sauce.
6. Stir in Salt and pepper
It may sounds simple, but a lot of salt and tons of pepper goes a long way. We call this peppered rice at my house. Like I said, lots of pepper
7. Add in Ground Beef for a One pot meal
Brown the ground beef first and add to the rice with liquid. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat until rice is tender.
8. Add in Sliced Sausage
This is a great way to add flavor to brown rice. I like to sear the sliced sausage first and then add to the rice.
9. Add Garlic and Soy Sauce
Be careful with the soy sauce. A little goes a long way.
10. Add Parmesan Cheese, milk and Garlic
Seems like a weird combination, but a little bit of milk with the parmesan cheese and garlic is a tasty cheesy combination
11. Make Dirty Rice
In less than 45 minutes, this one pot meal goes from stove to table. It is the best way to stretch your meat budget and so delicious.
12. Make Shrimp Fried Rice
Turn brown rice into a complete meal when you add shrimp and veggies. You can even make Pork Fried Rice Recipe.
13. Sir In Red beans and Sliced Sausage
Red beans and sausage make brown rice anything but bland. Your family will love this rice recipe.
14. Add Chicken and Cheese for an easy skillet dinner.
This one pot meal is really tasty with brown rice. The cheese combined with the chicken is amazing.
15. Stir in a Soup
Stirring in brown rice, instead of white, into a soup is a great way to make your soup better. The brown rice will instantly take on the flavor of the soup.
16. Stir in Buffalo Sauce
Kick up the flavor and add buffalo sauce. We normally add about ½ cup but you can reduce that for less heat.
17. Mix in Black Beans
This simple add in really bulks up brown rice and makes it so flavorful. No one will miss the white rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Brown rice is a tasty side dish that often gets a bad rep. Many people do not care for the taste of brown rice due to its earthy and wheat like flavor.
However, brown rice that has been seasoned appropriately is so delicious and makes a versatile side dish.
The key to making brown rice taste great is seasoning. It also helps to add this early on so the rice can soak in all that wonderful flavor.
There are several seasonings and add ins that you can use to take brown rice up a level. Some ideas we love include: garlic powder or garlic salt, salsa, bouillon cubes and even eggs and veggies.
Any of these options would make brown rice taste amazing. Whether you plan to use a rice cooker or skillet, these ideas will make brown rice so delicious.
Feel free to make other types of long grain rice to use these seasoning with. Try making Basmati Rice Recipe or Jasmine Rice Recipe for a delicious variation.
Storage and Freezer Tips
- Storing – Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing – We like to prepare a large batch of brown rice so we can easily freeze it. Place the cooled brown rice in a freezer safe container and store for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge when ready to serve again.
- Reheating – You can easily reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
What to Serve With Brown Rice
Easy Slow Cooker
Easy Crockpot Steak Bites
Easy Grilling
Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Easy Seafood
