Never Waste Rice Again: Turn Leftover Rice into 7 Mouthwatering Dishes

Do you always end up throwing out cooked rice? Well, you're not alone. According to Inquirer, Filipinos waste a lot of rice. On average, we waste 3 tablespoons of rice a day, which, you might think isn't that big of a deal. Over a year, that amount accumulates to 3.3 kilograms! Now, multiply that to the number of people in your household and it becomes clear that we have a food waste problem. Thankfully, it's actually quite easy to solve: just make fried rice!

 

We listed recipes you can make any time and highlighted ingredients you should always have in your pantry so you're always ready to make fried rice. These recipes are not just quick and easy, you also get to save the planet a little bit.

 

Rice storage tip: Rice in airtight containers typically last for 4-6 days in the refrigerator, 6 months if you freeze them. Always smell and look at the consistency of your rice to check for spoilage. Stored rice should not become overly moist or sticky, and should not have unpleasant odors.

 

 

IMAGE Ocs Alvarez

 

1 Freshen Up with Pineapple Fried Rice

It's so delicious it won't even cross your family's mind that they're eating leftovers.

 

Stock up on shelled and deveined frozen shrimp. Shrimp without the effort is delicious, juicy, and will jazz up any dish. It also cooks very quickly so it's a sure bet for quick weekday dinners.

 

 

 

IMAGE Patrick Martires

2 Amaze with Aligue Fried Rice

This recipe is extremely simple.  Aligue revives your bland, cold rice into a delicious and indulgent dish.

Stock up on crab fat. Available at most grocery stores, aligue adds a potent richness to whatever you add it. Just keep a bottle of aligue in your pantry, and trust us, it will always come in handy.

 

 

 

IMAGE Dairy Darilag

 

3 Eat Korean with Breakfast Bibimbap

In Korean households, bibimbap is actually meant to be a messy affair, usually mixed by hand in one big metal bowl for the family to share. It's really just a mix of Korean condiments, rice, side dishes and finished off with sesame oil. 

 

Stock up on Kimchi. This fermented vegetable side dish is loaded with probiotics. It's strong tangy, spicy flavor goes wonderfully with fried fish and ramen.

 

 

 

 

IMAGE Dairy Darilag

 

4 Classic 20-Minute Yang Chow Fried Rice

This Chinese recipe is the classic fried rice recipe that began it all. Learn to make it and learn to play with it, adding whatever flights your fancy.

 

Stock up on frozen vegetables. If you only do your grocery shopping once a week, none of your fresh vegetables are going to make it to the end of the week. That's when frozen vegetables are a lifesaver. Keep it healthy throughout the whole week with frozen veggies stocked in your freezer. As a side dish, sauté in butter and add cubed singkamas for some crunch.

 

 

 

IMAGE Dairy Darilag

 

5 Zesty Calamansi Fried Rice

The tang of calamansi juice plus the saltiness of feta cheese go so well together in this easily put together dish.

 

Stock up on calamansi or lemons. Adding acidity will help you balance out flavors, useful for most recipes. Although you can probably use vinegar, using fruit juice instead adds another flavor profile that can spruce up a dish. Note that citrus fruits can last a few days at room temperature, and are best consumed fresh. However, although you can make it last for much longer in your chiller, it will also tamp down the aromatics.

 

 

IMAGE Patrick Martires

6 Elevate with Seafood Fried Rice

The key to good fried rice is adding liquid stock or flavorful oils for the rice to soak up, get rehydrated with and get aromatic. In this case, squid ink is your magical ingredient. This dish is just a step away from Paella, but loads easier to make. 

Stock up on olive oil. We don't need to drone on about the numerous health benefits of olive oil. Given its price point, however, you may not want to use it all the time. A lot of recipes though, really shine with olive oil and its distinct flavor notes. Apart from that, it's also a must-have for quick salad dressings.

 

 

IMAGE Aldwin Aspillera

 

7 Sausage Fried Rice Recipe

The rice readily absorbs the spiced up oily aromatics that sausages give off. This recipe is so flavorful, you can even use it to stuff a chicken!

 

Stock up on sausages. They're not just good for fried rice. Sausage is also a great base flavor for a simple pasta dish. You can also incorporate it into stews, soups, tray bakes, corn dogs or sandwiches. Whether it's Chinese chorizo, Schublig or Hungarian, you can make a little go a long way.

 

 

 

The next time you look down at your pot and see the leftover rice, you don't need to think of it as waste anymore. Rather, see it as tomorrow's breakfast, lunch or dinner! Eating leftovers have never tasted this good. You might just end up intentionally cooking too much rice because these recipes are so good!

 

 

Here are some more fried rice recipes for you to try:

 

 

Need more fried rice ideas? Check this article out that highlights Asian aisle grocery items that you can stock up in your pantry.