Whether you are looking for a side dish for your curry, or a simple lunch recipe, these Indian rice recipes will give you a whole variety of options if you are looking for a change from plain basmati rice. All of these recipes use very simple ingredients and cooking techniques and won’t add much extra stress to your time in the kitchen. Keep reading for our top twenty Indian rice recipes that will help to keep things varied and exciting next time you are looking for an accompaniment for any dish.
From India with love rice style recipes
1. Fragrant Indian Style Rice
Instead of a boring white rice base the next time you are making a curry for your family, try out this fragrant Indian style rice recipe from Scrambled Chefs. It’s substantial enough to enjoy as a meal by itself, or it would make a filling side to go with your vegetarian or meat curry. This recipe mixes green peas with your rice, but if peas aren’t your family’s favorite vegetable, switch them out for peppers, carrots, onions, or anything else you prefer. You’ll add turmeric to your rice to create that rich yellow color effect to the dish.
2. Curried Rice
Recipe Tin Eats has created this fantastic curried rice recipe that won’t disappoint you. It’s pilaf-style basmati rice that is flavored with curry powder and some additional spices to create an impact with every mouthful. The carrots and peas that are added to this dish bring a little sweetness, and the sprinkle of cashews creates some crunch and texture to contrast the rice. It’s the perfect side for brightening up any meal, or you can serve it along with a couple of crispy fried eggs for a quick and easy lunch or dinner.
3. Indian Fried Rice
This fragrant rice is infused with turmeric and can easily be adapted to cater to vegans, vegetarians, and gluten-free individuals. Feasting at Home has created a quick and easy recipe that will take you under thirty minutes to create. This dish is perfect for days when you don’t have the time and energy to cook an extravagant dinner. If you have leftover rice or vegetables from another day, you’ll be able to use them up in this recipe and stop any food from going to waste. For a complete meal, serve this rice on top of a bed of spinach, and you could consider adding cooling Raita as well.
4. Vegan Indian Basmati Rice Recipe
If you are trying to dine out less and save money, you can now recreate your favorite restaurant-style basmati rice at home with this recipe from The Spruce Eats. It’s a vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free recipe that may look quite plain and simple, but it is in fact packed with flavor. You’ll season the rice with cinnamon, cloves, and peppercorns to make the ideal accompaniment for your curry or main course.
5. Indian Cumin Rice
Jeera rice, or Indian cumin rice, can be created in just ten minutes with this recipe from My Food Story. You’ll enjoy fluffy and perfectly cooked rice without spending much time or effort in the kitchen. Every single grain of your rice will be separated, and it won’t be too greasy or congealed once cooked. As well as being super quick to create, you’ll only need six simple ingredients such as whole spices, butter, cumin seeds, and basmati rice, all of which you probably have at home already.
6. Indian Vegetable Rice
Weelicious shows us how to make this versatile Indian vegetable rice recipe which can be served alone or as a side with fish or chicken. It will create a big batch, so if you have leftovers, you’ll be able to reheat it to enjoy the next day again for lunch. Kids and picky eaters will love this rice recipe, and it’s a budget-friendly meal that you’ll want to add to your regular recipe rotation. You’ll only need to spend five minutes prepping this dish, and then after forty-five minutes of cooking time, everything will be ready to serve.
7. Rice Pilau
For a complete Indian feast or party, you can’t skip adding rice pilau into your selection of dishes. For best results, use an aged, long grain Basmati rice. Although it may be a little more expensive than other rice options, you’ll notice a huge difference in the flavor and aroma of this rice. Try to use fresh ingredients as much as possible when cooking this dish from Great Curry Recipes, and Iranian or Spanish saffron is your best bet for creating the best flavor possible for your rice pilau.
8. Tomato Rice
Tomato Rice, which is known as Thakkali Sadam in the Tamil language, is a popular rice dish from the south of India. It’s a one-pot dish that makes a healthy and tasty lunch that would be good for taking to work with you when you are looking to mix up your lunchtime options. This rice dish may seem quite spicy, but as with any cooking, you can simply adjust the heat levels to suit your tastes. You can either enjoy this dish alone or with crispy papad and boondi raita for a complete and filling lunch. Check out the recipe from Dassana’s Veg Recipes, which will take just forty minutes in total to prep and cook.
9. Lemon Rice Recipe
For a citrusy twist to your usual rice dishes, try out this classic recipe from Indian Healthy Recipes. In under ten minutes, you’ll have this authentic dish ready to serve, and you can either create this dish on the stovetop or with your Instant Pot. I love using the Instant Pot for cooking rice, as it always cooks the rice to perfection, and there’s no risk of it being undercooked. This is a comforting dish that is popular in the South of India and will make a great addition to your rice recipe collection.
10. Indian Cauliflower Rice Recipe
If you are following a keto meal plan, try out this recipe from My Keto Kitchen, which creates an aromatic side dish that is just like regular rice without the carbohydrates. You won’t have to miss out on curry night anymore, and this recipe would pair perfectly with a korma or madras curry, of which you can find a low-carb recipe to fit your needs. This recipe will create up to six generous portions, so you’ll have plenty leftover to reheat and enjoy for lunch the following day.
11. Easy Chicken Biryani
Chicken biryani is a complete meal in itself, and The Daring Gourmet shows us how to whip up this dish in under thirty minutes. After a busy day at work, it’s the perfect recipe to try and will give you and your family a complete meal that everyone will be sure to enjoy. The great thing about this recipe is that you don’t need to use the extensive list of all of the spices that are usually associated with creating biryani, yet you won’t sacrifice the flavor and results at all.
12. Indian Cumin Fried Rice with Spinach
Food & Wine offers us this one-bowl vegetarian meal that combines cooked rice with many other nutritious and filling ingredients. By mixing together chickpeas, ginger, cumin, and spinach, you’ll create a flavorful dish in just twenty minutes. The recipe requires four cups of spinach, so you’ll get a good dose of greens in this dish, which are sometimes missed out of rice recipes. Serve with a few lemon wedges on the side for the perfect serving.
13. Garlic Basmati Rice
Dukes Avenue has created a very simple and quick recipe that creates one of the most flavorful rice dishes without much extra time or effort in the kitchen. If you are bored with plain rice, this is a new Indian rice that you’ll love adding to your menu rotation. It’s a versatile base for a wide variety of cuisines and dishes and is flavorful enough to be eaten alone. If you are following a vegan diet, it would be a great base for your poke bowls and will add heaps of flavor to your lunches and dinners.
14. Masala Rice Recipe
Prepared with dry spices and vegetables, this one-pot meal of vegetable spiced rice is great for lunch boxes. Kids and teens will love this dish thanks to its simple ingredients and spices, and it can be served by itself or with raita. Masala rice is incredibly simple to cook and doesn’t require any complicated techniques or fancy equipment. You’ll probably have everything you need already to make this dish, thanks to this recipe from Hebbars Kitchen which uses basic spices that most people have in their kitchen.
15. Cardamom & Cumin Infused Basmati Rice
Rouxbe shows us how to make this simple cardamom and cumin infused basmati rice which requires only ten minutes of active cooking time and then fifteen to twenty minutes to cook. It’s best to remove the cardamom seeds after cooking, as they can be very strong if you accidentally bite into one! Once the rice is cooked, for best results, let it rest for ten to thirty minutes before serving, and then gently fluff with a fork before serving.
16. Slow Cooker Indian Mixed Vegetable Rice
You all know I love my slow cooker if you’ve been around here for a while, so I was thrilled to try out this recipe from Patak’s. It’s a really simple dish to create, and you’ll love how hassle-free it is to make in your slow cooker. It’s ideal for serving as the main course for vegetarians, or the dish would be a good side to go along with meat or curry.
17. Egg Fried Rice Indian Style
Nish Kitchen has created an Indian style egg fried rice dish that mixes together eggs, vegetables, and rice in a delicious sauce. You’ll feel like you are dining in a restaurant when you’re eating this dish, and your friends and family will be impressed by how professional this meal looks. This egg fried rice will be ready to serve in just thirty minutes, but if you are making it with pre-cooked rice, that time reduces down to fifteen minutes.
18. East Indian Wedding Rice
This special occasion recipe is usually served during weddings and festive occasions in East India, and it’s ideal for adding to your spread of food during a special occasion. While it may sound like a fancy dish, it’s incredibly easy to put together and uses a similar preparation method as regular rice pilaf. Flavours of my Kitchen shows us how to cook this dish which combines nuts, rice, dried fruits, mild spices, and caramelized onions for a blend of flavors that creates an impact from the first mouthful.
19. Sweet Rice Recipe
For a colorful and attractive addition to your dinner spread, try out this recipe from Times Food. You’ll love the contrasting yellow rice and pink rose petals, but you can skip the turmeric if you want to keep the rice white. The dish can be garnished as you please, but cashew nuts, pistachios, or almonds are the best options. To make this dish a little healthier, use brown sugar instead of the regular sugar that’s recommended.
20. Quick and Easy Curry Rice
Simply Delicious has put together this curry rice recipe that is super quick and easy to cook and makes the perfect side dish for your family’s curry night. You’ll only need really simple ingredients for this dish, such as rice, onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, and frozen peas. After cooking the rice, turn off the heat and allow it to steam for a further ten minutes, then fluff up the rice with a fork before serving for the perfect texture.
The next time you are cooking your favorite curry recipe for your family and friends, try out a new side dish with one of these fantastic rice recipes. You’ll add additional flavor and impact to your curry, yet you won’t have to sacrifice much extra time or effort in the kitchen. Most of these dishes would be ideal for eating alone also, so if you are bored of your regular soup or sandwiches for lunch, enjoy a fresh and filling bowl of rice by choosing one of these great dishes.