As a side dish, rice can be the perfect finishing touch for almost any meal. This versatile carb can be seasoned, spiced, and combined with other ingredients for exciting and interesting meals. Get inspired with these 17 delicious and easy Rice Side Dishes for pork, chicken, fish, and more!

What Can You Add to Rice to Give It Flavor?

If you’re looking to switch things up from plain white rice, there are so many ways to do it! Fresh or dried herbs add an instant boost of flavor, as does cooking your rice in a broth instead of water. Fried rice is an excellent way to add flavor to rice with add-ins like soy sauce, veggies, and eggs.

Easy Rice Side Dishes for Fish & Salmon

Steamed White Rice

Fluffy, steamed white rice is a basic dish that anyone can make. This easy side dish can even be prepared in the microwave.

Lemon Rice

Inspired by South Indian cuisine, lemon rice is a tangy and flavorful addition to any meal.

Coconut Rice

Jasmine Thai rice is cooked in rich coconut milk for the perfect complement to your midweek curry.

Risotto

With risotto, Italians swap pasta for rice. Enjoy this creamy, cheesy dinner with vegan-friendly ingredients like mushrooms and nutritional yeast.

Rice Side Dish Recipes for Chicken

Vegetable Fried Rice

Get a healthy serving of veggies with this flavorful fried rice. This is an easy and affordable side dish for chicken dinners.

Garlic Butter Rice

This versatile rice dish is flavorful, fluffy and super easy to make. Pair with honey garlic chicken and veggies for your weekly meal prep.

Parmesan Rice

Up the ante by cooking your rice in a garlic and wine broth for incredible flavor. Sprinkle fresh parmesan over cooked rice and serve with chicken.

Baked Rice

No rice cooker? No problem. Use your oven to cook fluffy white or brown rice. You can even bake chicken and rice at the same time to make meal preparation a breeze.

Spanish Rice

This versatile rice dish is spiced with cumin and chili powder and seasoned with fresh garlic. Who says rice has to be boring?

Best Rice Sides for Pork

Benihana Fried Rice

This fried rice is famous for a reason! Recreate Behinana’s classic fried rice with this simple recipe.

Perfect Basmati Rice

Fragrant basmati rice is steamed to fluffy perfection with this foolproof recipe.

Yellow Jasmine Rice

Spice up your jasmine rice with turmeric, cumin and a pinch of cinnamon. Serve with spicy pork vindaloo for an Indian-inspired dinner.

Healthy Rice Side Dish Recipes

Cauliflower Rice

For those on a low-carb or keto diet, cauliflower rice is the way to go. You won’t believe how much this tastes like real rice!

Saffron Rice

Fragrant and colorful, saffron rice is a healthy side dish for any curry. Best of all, it’s ready to serve in less than 30 minutes, using the stovetop, rice cooker or microwave.

Brown Rice with Mushrooms

Swap white rice for brown and you’ll have a healthy and filling side dish that’s full of fibre.

Wild Rice Pilaf

You’ll love this savory wild rice with carrots, celery and mushrooms. Sneak some extra veggies into your meals with this healthy recipe.

Pulao Rice

Enjoy this flavorful rice and veggie dish on its own or paired with a protein of your choice. Be sure to use authentic spices for the best flavor.