The 14 Best Ways To Transform Leftover Rice

Leftover rice is one of those things that we always seem to have in the fridge, and that we never find a use for. Unless you're making fried rice, what do you actually do with it? It can be tricky to figure this out, and all too often, leftover rice gets thrown in the trash. We think this is a huge shame: Not only is leftover rice good to use for up to six days after being cooked if stored properly (contrary to the popular belief that it has to be thrown out immediately), but it can be used in a huge number of creative ways. Throwing leftover rice into a casserole, stuffing, meatballs, or even a frittata can give your meal way more bulk and stretch your ingredients further than you think they'll go.

It's also worth remembering that rice is a fairly flavorless starch, and this gives it a huge amount of flexibility to be used in ways you may not have thought of. For instance, we bet you never thought about turning your leftover rice into idli, tteokbokki, or pakora — but you can do just that in a few easy steps. Its neutral flavor also means that it's perfect in sweeter dishes, and you can even make ice cream out of it. We know — we were impressed too! Grab that container, and let's get started.

One of the most innovative uses for leftover rice is as a dessert — and if you think we're about to start talking about rice pudding, you'd be mistaken. You can put leftover rice to good use by incorporating it into your ice cream, where it can act as a stabilizer and a thickening agent. Cooking your leftover rice into your ice cream base allows its starches to release into the liquid, which helps to give it more bulk. Then, once the ice cream cools, that starch will firm up, giving your dessert a creaminess without any additional intrusive flavors.

It's imperative to use fully cooked rice here, because if it has any bite to it, it won't break down effectively enough to completely incorporate with the liquid. Plus, don't be tempted to go with other varieties like brown, giant, or black rice. You need to use white rice, and a fairly starchy one at that: Jasmine is an ideal option, as it has a flouriness to it that works well with ice cream. You can also use risotto or sticky rice, but bear in mind that these could be a little too starchy for your tastes and can give your ice cream a glue-like consistency.

Rice pancakes? Yes, people, it's a thing, and a delicious one at that. Leftover rice can help to balance out your regular flour in pancakes, and give your breakfast a slightly heartier, thicker consistency. Not only is incorporating rice into your pancakes a great way to use up that container of rice in your fridge, but it's also a nice way to pare down the gluten content in pancakes, which can be fairly high. If you want, you can do away with regular flour entirely, and use a combination of leftover rice and gluten-free flour.

Although you might think that these pancakes aim for smoothness by mashing the rice up, you'd be mistaken. Instead, the idea is to keep the rice pieces whole, and to rehydrate them slightly in the batter mixture before cooking. This may sound strange, but it gives the pancake a touch more bite in every mouthful, and creates a textural variation that pancakes can otherwise lack. Plus, the neutrality of rice's flavor means that you can use whatever toppings you like — nothing's off-limits here.

Can you make a snack out of leftover rice? Yes, you can, and it's easier than you might think. One of our favorite ways to repurpose cooked rice is by air frying it to create a crunchy snack. By doing this, you're essentially making a kind of puffed rice in your very own kitchen (although it will be way more dense), and one that has a lot more flavor.

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To make crispy air-fried rice, all you need to do is coat your leftover rice with some oil, press it into an air fryer liner, and then air-fry it for about 20 minutes. You can add any seasonings you wish before cooking, too. Some folks keep it simple and add just a little bit of soy sauce and sesame oil, while others go wild with a spice blend to give their rice way more flavor. Once it's cooked, you can then crunch up the rice and eat it however you want. It's great just to munch on as a snack between meals, but you can also crumble it over salads or onto soups as an alternative to croutons. Alternatively, try mixing it into stir-fries for a crispy pop that delivers a nice contrast against the softer ingredients.

If you're not making congee with your leftover rice, you're missing out. This dish is the perfect way to use up leftover rice, and a great alternative to oatmeal in the morning. Congee is the Chinese name for a rice porridge which is made in different styles across East and Southeast Asia, and it's well-known for its versatility when it comes to flavor. To make it, all you need to do is simmer cooked rice with stock until it becomes creamy and silky, and then add whatever ingredients you want to on top. Some folks also blend their rice with the stock to ensure that it's as smooth as possible, but we like it to have a little more bite.

Congee is typically eaten as a savory porridge, and is usually topped with additions like sliced spring onions, ginger, and shredded chicken. You can, however, also make a sweet version of congee that's a little closer to a rice pudding, but much thinner. Instead of simmering it with stock, use coconut milk, and add in some powdered cinnamon, nutmeg, and some sugar. Top it with a swirl of honey and a final dusting of your chosen spice, and you're good to go.

Ok, we just had to mention it. Rice pudding is one of those things we don't make as often as we should, but if you have leftover rice, treating yourself to a delicious pudding is a breeze. You can generally rustle up a pretty good rice pudding with a few ingredients you probably have lying around. All you need is some milk and sugar, which you simmer with the rice until its starches break down slightly, making the whole dish creamy. A dash of cinnamon brings everything together and adds a touch of spice into the mix.

Once you've got your base made, you can take it in any direction you want. If you prefer things on the spicy side, add in some nutmeg, cloves, allspice, star anise, or vanilla pods. Conversely, if you like your tastes to be a little fresher, you can grate in some lemon or lime zest. To make it slightly richer, add some cream, or keep it in plant-based territory by using oat or soy milk. Or even rice milk! Oh, and don't forget to top your pudding with some sliced fruit or fresh berries.

You've probably tried arancini in a restaurant, and if you haven't you really need to. Arancini is made by rolling risotto rice up around whichever ingredients you like, coating the rice balls in breadcrumbs, and then deep-frying them until they're golden brown and full of bite. Although this can sound like a pretty challenging process, in truth it's easy to do — and if you have any leftover rice in your fridge, you can do it at home.

The key to making homemade arancini is to use rice with a high starch content. Risotto rice is traditional, with its gluey consistency that holds its shape when it's rolled up, but you can also use jasmine or sticky rice. If you're using rice that's slightly looser, you may need to press it together a little more, or else use a binder like beaten eggs, flour, or some breadcrumbs mixed into your grains. We'd avoid using more fibrous rice, as this can fall apart way more easily.

Rice casserole should be in constant rotation in your home, especially when you know that you'll have leftover rice in your fridge — and when you're whipping up a rice casserole, having leftover rice to hand can cut down on your prep time considerably. Just pour it in with your other ingredients, throw it all in the oven, and wait for the other things in the dish to cook. This is a particularly good use of rice that's been sitting in your fridge for a few days and drying out, as it'll plump back up as it cooks in the casserole.

The beauty of using rice in a casserole is that it goes with anything, thanks to its neutral flavor — and you can also use any type of rice you have left over. Cheesy broccoli and rice casserole is a great go-to option that you can add your choice of protein to. Throw basmati, jasmine, brown, or giant rice into the mix and let it all cook. Don't forget to spice things up, either: Paprika, cumin, chili flakes, and taco seasoning mixes all add a lot of depth to casseroles, and chopped jalapeños or red chilies can also bring the heat.

The beauty of frittatas is that they can take on virtually everything — but we tend to load them up with proteins and vegetables, instead of carbs. However, if you think your only choice for adding bulk to your frittatas is leftover potatoes, you'd be wrong. Leftover rice is the ideal ingredient in frittatas, as it both helps to hold the eggs together and gives each mouthful more bite and substance. Plus, rice grains tend to distribute fairly equally through your egg mixture, ensuring that you don't end up with any clumps of carbs dotted through your dish.

Make sure your rice doesn't clump, though, you need to make sure that you're adding your rice to the pan first, instead of to your eggs. If you pour it into the eggs while it's cold, the grains may remain stuck together and not spread out properly. Give them a quick fry for a couple of minutes in oil before pouring your eggs on top, and then give the pan a little wiggle to ensure everything spreads out. Although white rice works best in a frittata, brown rice can give you a little more texture.

In Mexico, albondigas (or beef meatballs) are typically made by combining raw rice, beef, and seasonings, and then simmering them for around 30 minutes until everything's cooked. This allows the rice to puff up inside the meatballs and the starch it releases to bind the ingredients effectively, as well as providing texture to the meatballs themselves. However, this process can be rather lengthy, and it's really easy to undercook your rice or overcook your meat, leading to a poor texture throughout.

You can fix this problem by using leftover rice in your albondigas. When you use a high-starch rice, it helps to bring your meat together before it's even cooked. Then as the meatballs warm through, the rice will release even more starch and soften, giving the meat a silkier texture. Plus, using leftover rice will stop you from having to simmer your meat for too long, thereby ensuring that it remains tender. Although white rice works best here, you can incorporate brown rice by adding an additional binder to the meat, so that it doesn't break apart in your broth.

We often forget how easy it is to make stuffed foods. Sure, it can take a little time to prepare, but you're rewarded with a multi-layered dish that keeps you satisfied for hours. Plus, whipping up stuffed dishes is a great way to use leftover rice. Stuffed peppers are a super easy option, as you just need to cook your other fillings, mix the rice in, and then pop everything into your peppers. You don't even need to make an additional sauce if you don't want to. Stuffed cabbage rolls are arguably even easier to make, as you just need to wrap your cabbage leaves around the filling and bake or steam them until everything's tender and cooked. While savoy cabbage is our favorite choice for this, you can use any type of cabbage you have in your kitchen.

Another great option to remember is that rice can be used to make a gluten-free stuffing for meat. If you're looking for an alternative to breadcrumb-based stuffing in your turkey, use rice instead. The resulting stuffing can be slightly looser, but this can also give it a slightly lighter feel, which can be a delightful contrast to heavy, salty meat.

If you've never made idli before, it's time to start. idli is a rice cake with a difference: This traditional South Indian breakfast dish is made by mixing together cooked rice, semolina, and sour yogurt. The dual starches in the recipe bind the idli together, while the yogurt gives the dish a lovely bitterness that adds an extra layer of flavor to the dish. Although idli is served in the morning, it's just as good as a snack in the afternoon, and is ideal paired with sambar (a vegetable curry made with lentils) or a sweet and sour chutney.

Importantly, idli has a smooth, soft texture, so you'll need to break down your rice properly. To do this, pour your leftover rice into a food processor with some water, and blend it into a paste. Once you've combined it with your other ingredients, each patty only has to sit for about 20 minutes before you steam them. You'll need to use white rice to make idli, as fibrous brown rice won't have enough starch to allow them to come together.

We love tteokbokki. You love tteokbokki. Everyone loves tteokbokki. These squishy rice cakes are completely addictive, and when paired with a gochujang-based sauce and some sesame seeds, they're as close to heaven as food gets. Unfortunately, though, tteokbokki aren't the easiest foods to find for some people, and unless you live near a supermarket that stocks them, you have to make do with watching other people eat them on TikTok — unless you have some leftover rice to hand, that is.

Tteokbokki are actually super easy to make by combining leftover rice and a little bit of rice and tapioca flour. You just have to break down your rice grains, either by pulsing them in a food processor or mashing them in with your hands or a wooden spoon, and then mix them thoroughly with your pair of flours. Then, you simply simmer them in some water until they're plump and glossy, before throwing them into your sauce and letting everything come together. Top the dish with some slices of American cheese, and you'll never want to eat anything else ever again.

When we think of pakora, we tend to think of onion bhaji, or any other of a host of deep-fried vegetables bound together in a gram flour batter — but did you know that you can make it with leftover rice instead? Chawal ke pakode, or rice pakora, is made by combining cooked rice with gram flour, chopped onions, ginger, chili, and a collection of spices and minced herbs. The mixture is then formed into little balls and deep-fried to perfection.

Rice pakora is as crunchy and moreish as the vegetable kind, and it has a softness to its interior that contrasts wonderfully with the crispy outside. Although white rice tends to work best here, brown and black rice can also be used to make rice pakora, thanks to the gram flour binding the grains together effectively. One of the advantages of rice pakora, too, is that, unlike other types of pakora, you're not limited by the shape or structure of the vegetables you're using. You can form rice pakora into balls, patties, cylinders, strips, or tiny little bite-size pieces. The choice is yours.

Rice isn't the most expensive ingredient out there, but we still hate to see it go to waste — and we love finding ways to employ it in everyday foods. That's why turning it into bread is one of our favorite tricks. Because of rice's starchy, soft quality, it can be incorporated virtually seamlessly into bread recipes, and won't disrupt the baking process whatsoever. Plus, its neutral taste will mean that it takes on the flavor of any other ingredients you're adding, instead of becoming the dominant note.

Your choice of rice in your bread is up to you, too. If you want it to meld with your bread without standing out too much, go for a white rice (and feel free to break it down a little, too). Alternatively, if you want your rice to provide some texture and color variation, go for purple or black rice. By mixing this into the flour, you'll stud every bite of bread with grains of rice, which will give it a satisfying chewiness. For an extra burst of texture and some crunch, top your rice bread with some sesame seeds.