How to Cook (and Two Dozen Ways to Use) a Pot of Rice

A blank canvas, ready to take on different flavor profiles, textures and forms, rice is the foundation of many cuisines worldwide. It exists in more than 7,000 varieties — and it feels like there are about as many ways to cook it. If you have a limited pantry and some time, the possibilities to repurpose a batch of cooked rice are endless, and figuring them all out can even be exciting.

To start, you’ll need that pot of rice: Tejal Rao’s guide on cooking rice can lead you to a wonderfully cooked pot, whether you have fragrant, long-grain basmati rice; glutinous, short-grain sticky rice; or nutty brown rice. You can simmer it on the stove, bake it in the oven or steam it using a rice cooker. Double your batch, and you’ll have more to transform.

If your pantry permits, you could start with a more flavorful preparation, like West African jollof rice, spicy Mexican rice, subtle rice pilaf, redolent coconut rice or an herb-flecked green rice. But, if you go that route, you might want to reduce the spices to keep the batch of rice a little more versatile, especially if you plan to repurpose it.

Once you have your cooked rice, you can change its flavor. Heat some olive oil or butter in a skillet, and add some chopped fresh herbs, dried spices like curry powder, turmeric or garlic salt, or condiments, like miso, gochujang, pesto or tomato paste. Toast the herbs, spices or condiments until fragrant, stir in a portion of cooked rice, adding a splash of water if needed to help distribute the seasonings, heat until warmed, and you’ve breathed new life into your leftovers with minimal effort.