20 Healthy Brown Rice Recipes (With Cooking Tips)

Brown rice is loaded with dietary fiber that makes it healthier than white rice. Brown rice also contains γ-oryzanolⁱ  A group of lipids or chemicals derived from rice, which is a natural antioxidant that aids in managing cholesterol levels in the body. , vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids. When cooked right, brown rice tastes delicious. Here are some healthy brown rice recipes that you can try, including vegetarian and vegan options, to enjoy rice without worrying about consuming too many carbs (as brown rice has only the outer layer (husk) removed, unlike white rice, whose husk, bran, and germ are removed).

Cooking brown rice may take longer, and it may have a chewy texture. But that shouldn’t concern you – as we will show you how to cook brown rice to ensure it tastes yummy and melts in your mouth. Continue reading to know more.

How To Cook Brown Rice

Brown rice has a higher fiber content than white rice (brown rice: 1.8 g, white rice 0.4 g/100g) (1), (2). Hence, it takes longer to cook. Pre­-soak brown rice for 15-20 minutes before cooking. Here are a few points to keep in mind:

• Brown Rice To Water Ratio – The water should be double the amount of rice as brown rice absorbs more water due to multiple layers (3). Water and brown rice ratio should be 2:1 (two parts water and one part rice).
• Draining Method – Cook brown rice in a pot of water with a teaspoon of oil. When cooked, drain the excess water.
• Open Flame – Bring two cups of water to a boil and add one cup of brown rice and simmer.
• How Long To Cook Brown Rice – The milling process reduces the cooking time. But brown rice takes almost 30-45 minutes to cook.

Alanna Kellogg, a food blogger, shared that while she generally loves cooking brown rice in the oven, she prefers the stove-top method during the summer. She explains, “It’s dead simple and takes only an hour to get to the table, 15 minutes faster than the Oven-Baked Brown Rice, that’s not a lot but still. This technique yields moist, nutty cooked brown rice (i).”

Quick Tip

Cooked brown rice can be stored in a refrigerator for a period of 6 months in freezer bags.

How To Cook Brown Rice In A Rice Cooker

Cooking brown rice in a rice cooker can definitely save time, but you should know the correct ratio of water and rice.

Your fluffy brown rice can be ready in three steps:

1. Soak rice for 15-20 minutes and put it in a rice cooker.
2. Add vinegar, a little salt, and water and brown rice in a 2:1 ratio.
3. Press the ‘ON’ button and let it cook.
4. Once cooking is done, let the rice rest for 10-15 minutes.

Tips

• Use a fork to fluff up the rice.
• Use small grain brown rice to cook salads and risottos.
• Use long grain or basmati brown rice to cook biryanis and pilafs.
• Soak the brown rice for 30 minutes before cooking.
• Cook the brown rice for 30 minutes.

Healthy Brown Rice Recipes 

1. Brown Rice Pilaf

Prep Time: 30 min; Cooking Time: 40 min; Total Time: 70 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup soaked and drained brown rice
• 1 ¼ cups chopped mixed vegetables
• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 3 slit green chilies
• 2 cups water
• Salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons clarified butter
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 3 cloves
• 3 cardamom
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 5 garlic cloves, minced

How To Prepare

1. Grind ginger, garlic, and cinnamon with a little water to make a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
2. Heat oil and clarified butter in a deep pan on medium to high heat.
3. Add bay leaf, cloves, and crushed cardamom and sauté for a couple of minutes.
4. Mix in the ground paste and sauté until the raw flavor fades away.
5. Add onions and green chilies and sauté until the onions turn golden brown.
6. Mix in the chopped veggies.
7. Add the drained rice and give a quick mix.
8. Add water and salt and bring the mixture to a boil.
9. Cover and cook on low to medium heat, stirring intermittently, until the rice is soft, the vegetables are crispy tender, and the water is completely absorbed.
10. Serve hot with onion raita.

2. Brown Rice Salad

Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 5 min; Total Time: 25 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1/3 cup chopped carrots
• 1/3 cup chopped cucumber
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup fresh peas
• A handful of basil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

How To Prepare

1. Add Dijon mustard with salt, oil, lemon juice, black pepper powder, and red paprika flakes in a small mixing bowl. Whisk well to ensure even blending.
2. Mix in the salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss slowly to ensure even coating.
4. Chill and serve.

3. Sweet Brown Rice Recipe (Puliyogare)

Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 15 min; Total Time: 35 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ½ cup tamarind
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon grated jaggery
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons peanuts
• 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
• 2 teaspoon mustard
• 2 tablespoons chana dal
• 4 roughly broken red chilies
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• ¼ cup sesame oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons chana dal
• 4 red chilies
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

How To Prepare

1. Heat one teaspoon of oil in a sautéing pan placed on medium to high heat and roast the ingredients until they turn golden. Wait until the mixture cools down. Finely powder the ingredients and keep it aside.
2. Soak the tamarind in hot water for 40 minutes. Extract the pulp and discard the fiber. Keep it aside.
3. Place a heavy-bottomed, wide-mouthed frying pan on medium to high heat.
4. Add the rest of the sesame seed oil and heat it.
5. Add the seasoning and fry for about 3 minutes.
6. Mix in the extracted tamarind and cook for 20 minutes or until the pulp loses the raw aroma and becomes half.
7. Mix in powdered ingredients and grated jaggery and salt to the mixture and keep stirring until the mixture thickens.
8. Remove from fire and keep aside.
9. Place a sautéing pan on medium to high heat and roast the peanuts until crispy.
10. Mix in the puliyogare gravy and keep aside. Store it and use it when desired.
11. In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked rice.
12. Mix in 2 tablespoons of the gravy, and using a flat back spoon, mix carefully without breaking and mashing the rice.
13. Serve hot with deep-fried appalam (fried papad) or curd.

4. Chicken Brown Rice Soup

Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Total Time: 50 min; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 finely chopped red onion
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 2 finely chopped Celery stalks
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup brown rice
• 3 oz chicken breast
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 bunch, stems discarded, leaves finely chopped collard greens

How To Prepare

1. Place a large pot filled with half a cup of chicken broth on medium to high heat. Simmer for a while.
2. Add in the bay leaf, onions, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring now and then until the onions turn translucent.
3. Mix in the rice, chicken breast pieces, water, and the rest of the broth.
4. Let the mixture come to a boil.
5. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and let the mixture simmer for about 40 minutes or until chicken is soft, and the rice is tender.
6. Discard the bay leaves and mix in collard greens.
7. Simmer for about 5 more minutes or until collard greens wilt and turn tender.
8. Turn off the heat.
9. Spoon into soup bowls and sprinkle a little pepper powder and serve hot.

5. Thai Red Curry With Vegetables And Brown Rice

Prep Time: 10 min; Cook Time: 30 min; Total Time: 40 min; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups brown jasmine rice or long-grain brown rice, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 small white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (about a 1-inch nub of ginger)
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin 2-inch long strips
• 1 yellow, orange or green bell pepper, sliced into thin 2-inch long strips
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally into ¼-inch thick rounds (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 1 can (14 ounces) regular coconut milk
• ½ cup water
• 1 ½ cups thinly sliced kale (tough ribs removed first), preferably the Tuscan/lacinato/dinosaur variety
• 1 ½ teaspoons coconut sugar or turbinado (raw) sugar or brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar or fresh lime juice
• Garnishes/sides: A handful of chopped fresh basil or cilantro, red pepper flakes, sriracha, or chili garlic sauce

How To Prepare

1. Cook brown rice in a pot, and just before serving, season it with salt.
2. To make the curry, add onion and a sprinkle of salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and turns translucent. This will take about 5 minutes.
3. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds while stirring continuously.
4. Add the bell peppers and carrots. Cook until the bell peppers are fork-tender, for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
5. Add the coconut milk, water, kale, and sugar, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
6. Add salt (add ¼ teaspoon for optimal flavor) to taste. If the curry needs a little more punch, add ½ teaspoon tamari, or for more acidity, add ½ teaspoon rice vinegar.

6. Vegetarian Brown Fried Rice

Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 15 min; Total Time: 35 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 3 ½ tablespoons avocado or olive oil
• 2 eggs, whisked together
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
• 2 cups additional veggies, cut into very small pieces
• 1 tablespoon grated or finely minced fresh ginger
• 2 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• A pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 cups cooked brown rice (*see notes!)
• 1 cup greens (optional), such as spinach, baby kale or tatsoi
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• Chili-garlic sauce or sriracha, for serving (optional)

How To Prepare

1. Heat a teaspoon of oil, add scrambled eggs, and cook until they are done.
2. Heat two tablespoons of oil to fry onions and carrots, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and the carrots are tender. This will take 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the remaining veggies and salt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are cooked through and turn golden. This may take 3 to 5 minutes.
4. To the remaining oil, add ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant while stirring constantly for about 30 seconds. Add the cooked brown rice and mix it all together. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is hot and starting to turn golden on the edges.
5. Add the greens (if using) and green onions, and stir to combine. Add the cooked veggies and eggs and stir to combine.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the tamari and sesame oil.
7. Serve hot.

7. Chakkara Pongal

Prep Time: 45 min; Cooking Time: 35 min; Total Time: 80 min; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice
• ½ cup split green gram dal
• ¾ cup to 1 cup jaggery
• 5 tablespoons clarified butter
• 1 tablespoons broken cashews
• ½ tablespoon golden raisins
• 1 teaspoon powdered cardamom
• 3 cups milk

How To Prepare

1. Wash brown rice thoroughly under running water and soak for about 40 minutes.
2. Wash split green gram dal and drain well.
3. In a frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of clarified butter.
4. Add drained green gram dal and roast until golden brown.
5. Add rice and dal to a large vessel and add milk. Cover the vessel.
6. Pressure cook for 6 to 7 whistles so that the mixture can be mashed easily.
7. Once the pressure subsides, remove the rice and dal mixture from the cooker and keep aside.
8. In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, melt jaggery with a little water.
9. Add 2 tablespoons of clarified butter to the melted jaggery. Let the mixture boil for a minute.
10. Mash the rice and dal mixture thoroughly.
11. Add the rice and dal to the melted jaggery and simmer until mixture turns semi-solid.
12. Meanwhile, in a small sautéing pan, heat the rest of the clarified butter and roast cashews and raisins.
13. Mix in cardamom powder and roasted cashews and raisins to the pongal and serve hot.

8. Brown Rice Khichdi

Prep Time: 40 min; Cooking Time: 20 min; Total Time: 60 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1/3 cup split green gram dal
• 3 cups water
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons clarified butter
• 1 tablespoon broken cashews
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

How To Prepare

1. Wash brown rice thoroughly under running water and soak for about 40 minutes.
2. Wash split green gram dal and drain well.
3. Mix rice and green gram dal and add water.
4. Add turmeric powder and salt and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles.
5. Take the rice out after the pressure subsides and keep it aside.
6. Heat clarified butter in a small sautéing pan.
7. Add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.
8. Add cashews and roast until they turn golden.
9. Mix in the black pepper powder.
10. Turn off the heat and pour this mixture over khichdi.
11. Serve hot.

9. Mushroom Brown Rice

Prep Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Total Time: 45 min; Serves:4

Ingredients

• 2 cups brown rice
• 4 cups water
• 1 ½ cups sliced button mushroom
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• ¼ cup sliced baby corn
• ½ cup chopped carrot
• ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
• ½ cup chopped fennel
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon butter
• Salt to taste
• Toasted peanuts for garnish

How to Prepare

1. Heat the olive oil in a pot and add garlic. Sauté for 20 seconds.
2. Add the chopped onion and fry until they are golden brown.
3. Add the brown rice, 4 cups of water, and salt. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat a pan and add butter.
5. Toss in the sliced mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce. Sauté for a minute.
6. After the rice is cooked for 15 minutes, add the chopped green bell peppers, carrots, fennel, and baby corn. Cover with a lid and cook for 10-12 minutes.
7. Add the sautéed mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes more.
8. Add lime juice and mix well before serving.

10. Brown Rice Adai

Prep Time: 6 hrs; Cooking Time: 20 min; Total Time: 7 hrs; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup brown rice
• 1/3 cup parboiled rice
• 1/3 cup black urad dal
• 1/3 cup tuvar dal
• ¼ cup chana dal
• ¼ cup moong dal
• 4 finely chopped green chilies
• 4 dry red chilies
• ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• 10 curry leaves
• ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
• Sesame seed oil

How To Prepare

1. Wash rice thoroughly under running water.
2. Mix all the dals in a small vessel and wash well.
3. Soak the washed dals with rice and chilies overnight or for 6 hours.
4. Drain the excess water the next day.
5. Add chilies, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, salt and asafetida to the blender and crush.
6. Mix in the rice and dal, and grind to a slightly coarse mixture, adding rice as and when needed until you get a batter that is slightly thicker than that of a dosa.
7. Mix in curry leaves and adjust seasoning.
8. Place a non-stick tawa on medium to high flame and grease it lightly with sesame seed oil.
9. Pour a ladle of batter in the center of the tawa and spread into concentric circles.
10. Add the oil to the batter and wait for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the bottom turns slightly golden.
11. Flip the dosa over and add more oil if required. Cook for a couple of minutes more or until you notice brown spots on the side.
12. Serve hot with fresh curd.

11. Brown Rice Flour Dosa

Prep Time: 10 hrs; Cooking Time: 15 min; Total Time: 11 hrs; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups brown rice
• 1 cup parboiled riceⁱ  Rice that has been partially boiled in its husk, commonly found in Asian and African cuisine. It is also called converted rice.
• 1 cup urad dal
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• Salt to taste
• Sesame seed oil as required

How To Prepare

1. Wash both the rice variants together two or three times. Soak the rice for about 8 to 10 hours or overnight.
2. Wash the urad dal thoroughly. Wash fenugreek seeds and soak them with urad dal for 8 to 10 hours or overnight.
3. Grind urad dal with fenugreek seeds until you get a light and fluffy mixture, adding a little water at a time. Transfer it to a deep vessel and keep it aside.
4. Grind the soaked rice variants until smooth.
5. Mix the urad dal batter with rice and add salt as desired.
6. Transfer to a vessel and keep it aside for the batter to ferment for about 8 hours.
7. Place a nonstick skillet on medium to high heat and coat it with a little sesame seed oil.
8. Pour about 1/8 cup of dosa batter on the tava, using a ladle, and spread the batter into concentric circles.
9. Add about ½ teaspoon of oil and wait until the bottom portion gets cooked.
10. Flip it over and add more oil if required. Wait for a couple of minutes.
11. Flip once more and fold the dosa.
12. Serve hot with chutney and sambar.

Tips

• You can use any cooking oil or clarified butter for preparing the dosa.
• You can also use mashed potatoes as a filling to prepare masala dosa.

12. Japanese Fried Brown Rice

Prep Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 25 min; Total Time: 35 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 egg
• 4 green onions chopped
• ½ cup thinly sliced bacon
• 2 medium chopped carrots
• ¼ cup fresh peas
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon saké
• Salt to taste
• White pepper powder to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

How To Prepare

1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan kept on medium to high heat.
2. Stir in the onions and carrots and sauté until soft.
3. Mix in the bacon and peas and allow them to cook well. Keep the mixture aside.
4. Add the rest of the olive oil to the same pan and allow to heat.
5. Crack in the eggs and cook until eggs are almost cooked.
6. Mix in the cooked rice and cook for a couple of minutes more.
7. Mix in the carrot-bacon mixture.
8. Add in soy sauce and saké and mix well.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste.
10. Serve hot.

13. Shrimp Brown Rice Risotto

Prep Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 40 min; Total Time: 55 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup small grain brown rice
• 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup medium-sized shrimps, shelled and veined
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 4 tablespoons grated parmesan
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Salt to taste

How to Prepare

1. Heat a pan and add olive oil.
2. Sauté garlic and onion.
3. Add the rice, stir and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add ½ cup vegetable broth, rosemary, and parsley. Cover and simmer until the vegetable broth dries.
5. Add 1 cup vegetable broth and cook the rice.
6. Meanwhile, heat 2 cups of water in a pot and add the shrimp. Cook for 2 minutes and drain the water.
7. When the rice is almost cooked, add the shrimps.
8. Once the rice is cooked, remove from the flame, and add grated cheese.
9. Mix well before serving.

14. Sweet Brown Rice Recipe (Kheer)

Prep Time: 30 min; Cooking Time: 50 min; Total Time: 80 min; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup washed thoroughly and soaked for 30 minutes brown rice
• 3 ½ cups milk
• 3 cups sugar
• ½ teaspoon powdered cardamom
• 2 tablespoons clarified butter
• 2 tablespoons broken cashews
• 1 tablespoons raisin

How To Prepare

1. Drain the soaked rice and add to a large vessel. Add milk to the rice.
2. Cover the vessel and pressure cook for 3 whistles on high flame.
3. Reduce the flame to low and then to medium and simmer the mixture for 40 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and keep it aside. Wait until the pressure completely subsides.
5. Take out the cooked rice mixture and mix in powdered cardamom.
6. In a small frying pan, heat clarified butter. Add crushed cashews and roast until golden. Mix in raisins.
7. Pour over the kheer and give a quick mix.
8. Garnish with crushed pistachios and serve hot or cold.

15. Brown Rice Egg Biryani

Prep Time: 30 min; Cooking Time: 45 min; Total Time: 75 min; Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 2 cups, washed, soaked for 30 minutes, drained brown rice
• 6 hard boiled and halved eggs
• 3 large finely sliced onions
• 7 slit chilies
• 2 large tomatoes sliced
• 10 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 1-inch cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 2 tablespoons curd
• ¼ cup cooking oil
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

How To Prepare

1. Heat oil in a frying pan placed on high flame.
2. Add bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, black peppercorns, and cardamom and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Mix in ginger garlic paste and sauté until golden.
4. Add onions and slit green chilies and sauté until onions turn golden brown.
5. Mix in tomatoes and sauté until tomatoes are slightly soft.
6. Meanwhile, crack the two raw eggs into a small bowl and beat well.
7. Mix in the beaten egg to the onion-tomato mixture and wait until the egg scrambles completely.
8. Mix in the curd and cook for a couple of minutes or until the mixture turns dry.
9. Mix in the garam masala powder.
10. Add drained rice and salt to the mixture.
11. Mix in the boiled eggs.
12. Boil 4 cups of water.
13. Add water to the rice and egg mixture, cover the pan, and cook until rice is half cooked.
14. Remove the lid and give a quick mix.
15. Cover and cook for some more time or until rice is soft, and the water is completely absorbed.
16. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.

16. Chicken Teriyaki Brown Rice Bowl

Prep Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 45 min; Total Time: 60 min; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 6 oz skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cups brown rice
• 4 cups water
• 3 teaspoons minced garlic
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ⅔ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Sesame seeds for garnish
• Chopped scallions for garnish

How to Prepare

1. To prepare the chicken teriyaki, mix soy sauce, sugar, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, ginger, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Whisk well.
2. Put the chicken pieces into a bowl. Pour half of the sauce you made into this bowl, cover with a cling film and keep it aside.
3. Heat a pot of water and add brown rice. Cook for 30 minutes.
4. In the meantime, pour the rest of the sauce into a saucepan, add cornstarch, and water. Simmer into a thick teriyaki sauce.
5. Heat a skillet and add olive oil.
6. Add a teaspoon of garlic and broccoli. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
7. Remove the broccoli, and in the same skillet, fry the marinated chicken. Cook for 7-8 minutes until golden brown.
8. Drain the water from the brown rice and fluff it up with a fork.
9. In a bowl, add the brown rice first, then broccoli, and then teriyaki chicken.
10. Pour the sauce over it.
11. Garnish with chopped scallions, sesame seeds, and chili flakes.

17. Healthy Spinach And Chicken Brown Rice

Prep Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 40 min; Total Time: 50 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 4 oz cubed chicken breast
• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups baby spinach
• ½ cup chopped asparagus
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Salt to taste

How To Prepare

1. Marinate the chicken with vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper for 15 minutes.
2. Heat a pot and add olive oil and add the onion. Cook until they become translucent.
3. Add ginger and garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the chicken pieces and fry them until they become golden brown.
5. Add the chopped asparagus and the rice. Stir and cook for a minute.
6. Add the chicken broth and salt. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Add the baby spinach and cook for 7-8 minutes more.

18. Vegan Brown Rice With Kidney Beans

Prep Time: 20 min; Cooking Time: 40 min; Total Time: 60 min; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups brown rice
• 4 cups water
• 1 ½ cups boiled kidney beans
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon chopped green chili
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cardamom
• 3 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup water
• A handful of coriander leaves
• Salt to taste

How To Prepare

1. Heat the oil in a pot and add bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Let it crackle.
2. Add the chopped onion and cook until they become translucent.
3. Add ginger and garlic paste and cook for a minute.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and mash them and cook them for 2 minutes.
5. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric, salt, and chili powder. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the kidney beans and chopped green chili. Stir well and cook for 1 minute.
7. Add 1 cup of water, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
8. In the meanwhile, add 2 cups of water to another pot and add the rice.
9. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Fluff it with a fork.
10. Remove the kidney beans from the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.
11. Serve steaming hot brown rice with kidney beans.

19. Brown Rice Pumpkin Risotto

Prep Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 35 min; Total Time: 50 min; Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups brown rice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 5 cloves minced garlic
• 2 minced shallots
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 ¾ cups pumpkin puree
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped sage leaves
• 5 whole sage leaves for garnishing
• 1 cup, finely shredded, divided pecorino romano cheese

How To Prepare

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium to high heat.
2. Sauté the shallots and garlic until both soften and turn brown.
3. Add rice and cook for 3 minutes or until the rice starts turning partially translucent.
4. Mix in the wine and stir intermittently. Cook until wine evaporates.
5. Add the broth, pepper powder, salt, and nutmeg and cook on high heat until the mixture starts boiling.
6. Lower the heat to minimum, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until all the broth is absorbed.
7. Mix in pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and sage, and simmer. Stir until the rice becomes tender and the mixture thickens.
8. Remove from the heat and mix in 3/4th of the cheese and cook for 5 more minutes.
9. Serve hot garnished with the rest of the cheese, black pepper, and sage leaves.

20. Brown Rice Pudding With Berry Compote

Prep Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Total Time: 40 min; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups red wine
• 1 cup castor sugar
• ½ inch stick cinnamon
• ½ kg cranberries
• 1 ½ cups soaked brown rice
• 6 cups milk
• ½ cup castor sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• 2 cups slightly whipped heavy cream

How To Prepare

1. Add red wine, sugar, and cinnamon to a saucepan placed on medium to high flame.
2. Keep stirring intermittently until the sugar dissolves.
3. Add cranberries and increase the heat to maximum.
4. Simmer the mixture and poach gently for 20 minutes or until the cranberries become soft.
5. Take the poached cranberries out and place them in a flat dish.
6. Simmer the liquid until it is reduced to 1 cup. Discard the cinnamon stick and pour the mixture over the poached cranberries. Keep it aside.
7. You can prepare the pudding while poaching the berries.
8. In a heavy bottomed pan, mix rice with sugar and milk.
9. Place it on medium to high heat and allow it to come to a boil.
10. Reduce the heat to minimum, cover, and cook until the rice is soft and the milk has completely been absorbed.
11. Mix in almonds and vanilla.
12. Allow the mixture to cool.
13. Refrigerate the mixture until well-chilled or ready to be served.
14. Fold whipped cream into chilled rice.
15. Spoon the pudding into a flat dish, top with a compote, and serve.

Did You Know?

Brown rice gets its color from the bran layers that remain on the rice grain. Less milling time of brown rice helps retain these layers.

Apart from fiber and carbohydrates, brown rice is rich in other essential nutrients such as protein and fiber and less in fat, making it a suitable choice for your overall health and well-being. Learn more about them in the next section.

Nutrition Facts Of Brown Rice

Brown rice contains a lot of essential nutrients that offer important health benefits. A 100-gram serving of the rice contains 70.3 grams of water, 123 calories, and 2.74 grams of protein (1). It also contains about 1.6 grams of fiber that promotes a feeling of fullness. Its 25.6 grams of carbohydrates offer adequate energy. Brown rice also contains other essential minerals like phosphorus (103 mg), magnesium (39 mg), and potassium (86 mg) that help nurture strong bones and muscles. Plus, it does have traces of folate, niacin, and calcium that could make it an ideal addition to a balanced diet.

Infographic: Benefits Of Brown Rice

Opting for the above brown rice recipes would add more nutrition to your diet and help you with many other health benefits. Whether you are looking forward to losing some weight or improving your cardiovascular health, brown rice is a healthy addition to your meals. Check out the infographic below to learn more about its benefits and nutrition facts.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I eat brown rice every day? How much brown rice should I eat in a day?

Yes. You can eat brown rice every day. But make sure you mix rice with vegetables and protein sources to make it more tasty and increase amino acid bioavailabilityⁱ  The ability of a drug or any substance to get absorbed and used by the body in its systemic circulation. . Though brown rice is a healthy option, portion control is key. Limit your brown rice intake to half cup (cooked).

Do you have to soak brown rice before cooking?

It is always better to soak brown rice prior to cooking. Soaking makes brown rice easier to cook and limits cooking time.

Can you eat undercooked brown rice?

Undercooked brown rice is difficult to digest due to the high fiber content. Use a fork to check whether it is done and chew well for proper digestion.

Does soaking brown rice remove arsenic?

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element often found in crops and drinking water. Soaking rice longer helps to remove arsenic if followed by proper rinsing and washing again. Soaking rice breaks open grain structure, releasing arsenic in water (as it is soluble in water). Rinse off with water and wash it again to reduce arsenic content.

Is brown rice good for weight loss?

Yes, one of the many brown rice health benefits is weight loss. Eating brown rice in limited portions is good to manage your weight. But always combine rice with vegetables and protein sources to make it a healthy option and limit portion to half a cup a day.

Is arsenic in brown rice dangerous?

Arsenic content is more in grains compared to any other food. Brown rice contains more arsenic than white rice as arsenic tends to accumulate in the bran, which is intact in brown rice (4), (5). Pesticides and insecticides are the main culprits for increasing arsenic level in grains. Hence, soak and wash the rice well to reduce its arsenic content.

What are the disadvantages of brown rice?

It contains phytate, an anti-nutrient that affects the body’s ability to absorb iron and zinc from foods (6).

Is brown rice a good carb?

Yes. It is a good source of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber that may help boost the digestive system (7).

Is brown rice good for high blood pressure?

Studies indicate that certain varieties of brown rice help reduce high blood pressure in rodents (8). More research is underway to test the same in humans.

Illustration: Healthy Brown Rice Recipes (With Cooking Tips)

Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team

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Madhu SharmaRD

Madhu Sharma is a member of the National Executive Committee of IDA. She has been associated for almost three decades with Pediatric Nutrition at PGI while serving in the Gastroenterology Department (20 years) and then the Advanced Pediatric Center (10 yrs) at PGIMER, Chandigarh.

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Priyanka SadhukhanNutritionist, CDE

 

Priyanka is a nutritionist and a Certified Diabetes Educator. She has over 8 years of experience in nutrition and dietetics with a strong research background. She is passionate about science and how it can be applied to one’s daily lifestyle.

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