8 Easy Rice Dishes for Carb Obsessives

True carb obsessives know that while pasta and potatoes may get all the love, rice is actually where it’s at. Delicious when simply steamed in the traditional Japanese way and served with chopsticks, rice becomes something else entirely when caramelized on the bottom of a skillet or tossed into a wok.

Rice fries beautifully, nestles easily into an easy skillet dinner and turns soups and stews into something more substantial. Or, simply ladle any saucy dish over rice and you’ve got a dream comfort meal. The point is: Rice takes to big flavors like a sponge, whether that’s the hot tang of kimchi or the bold spices of Cajun seasoning.

Ahead, eight tasty ways to get your rice fix.

1. Cheesy Salsa Rice and Bean Skillet

It doesn't get much easier than this one-skillet recipe. With your 12" Hybrid Fry Pan and five simple ingredients, you'll have a family-friendly dinner for four on the table in just over 30 minutes. Toasting the long-grain white rice adds nutty depth before simmering the grains in tangy tomatillo salsa to infuse every bite with flavor. Fold in beans and cheese, then finish with sliced avocado for an easy meal that punches well above its weight. Got leftovers? Top them with a fried egg for breakfast, or serve this skillet alongside grilled steak or chicken to turn it into a crowd-pleasing side.

2. Spicy Peanut Chicken & Rice Bowl with Crunchy Slaw

Recipes for two often lack imagination. That's not the case with this creative rice bowl, which pairs a curried peanut butter sauce with homemade cabbage slaw and quickly-seared chicken cutlets. Use whatever rice you like best. Steamed brown rice is our pick for added fiber and flavor, but white or even wild rice mix would work just as well. Can’t get enough sauce? Double the ingredients to coat every bite in spicy, peanut-y goodness.

3. Dirty-ish Rice

A base of the holy trinity—the Cajun and Creole combination of onion, bell pepper and celery—anchors this classic Southern-inspired rice-and-bean dish. Add Cajun seasoning, plenty of garlic and tomato paste, and the result is a shockingly flavorful side that pairs with everything from grilled shrimp to fried chicken. If you can’t find red beans, substitute kidney beans.

4. Tuna Tataki & Crispy Rice Salad

Rice doesn’t always need to be the base of a dish. In fact, it can stand in for croutons, as in this elegant dinner salad. After seasoning cooked rice with chili-garlic sauce, you’ll cook the grains in an even layer in your 12” Hybrid Fry Pan until crispy. They’re the perfect foil for seared tuna and soak up the gingery ponzu dressing. Be sure to use day-old rice here so that any excess moisture has evaporated—otherwise the rice won’t crisp properly. If you’re keen to make the dish now, you can always buy a packet pre-cooked rice and proceed from there.

5. Korean Kimchi Fried Rice

Fried rice is one of those dishes that can be reinvented over and over again and never get boring. If you’re ready to upgrade from your standard, why not lean into Korean flavors and throw some kimchi into the wok? This version leans seriously spicy with a combination of gochujang (fermented chili paste) and plenty of kimchi. Finish with a fried egg for a filling, easy meal that takes less than half an hour to put together. Feeling inspired to continue riffing? We’ve got plenty of fried rice recipes to keep you going.

6. Spicy Vegetable Curry with Rice

Japanese curries are often overlooked in favor of sushi or ramen. No longer! In this richly spiced curry, gingery sake-simmered chicken is the foundation for the flavorful sauce, which is served alongside curried onions, tender potatoes and crispy fried vegetables. It’s a riot of flavors that’s only improved when spooned over steamed rice.

7. Chicken Yassa (Senegalese Caramelized Onion Braised Chicken) with Jollof Rice

Few words can conjure as much excitement as "caramelized onions." Pair them with braised chicken and habanero-infused jollof rice and the result is sensational, blending spice, fat and umami in equal measure. Serve it as an easy dinner party main or a family meal when everyone's on the same page with heat levels.

8. Wild Mushroom Risotto

You can't go wrong with a creamy risotto. Ours is made even better with copious amounts of Parmesan. Arborio rice is the base, striking the ideal balance of starch and chew to create a rich, silky texture with just the right amount of bite. Of course, there is a fair bit of stirring involved, so roll up your sleeves, put on some nice tunes and get cooking.

We’re all in on rice. You will be, too, after trying these recipes.