Food Ingredients Grains Rice 25 Rice Dish Recipes From Around the World These global rice traditions span snacks, sides, and mains, from onigri to paella. By Food & Wine Editors Food & Wine Editors This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 6, 2024 Close Photo: Photo by Eva Kolenko / Food Styling by Marian Cooper Cairns / Prop Styling by Natasha Kolenko Rice is a grain so ubiquitous in cooking that its versatility and deliciousness are often underestimated. Don't make that mistake. Whether it's long- or short-grained, brown or white, steamed or fried, rice can make a meal whether as a side or centerpiece at the table. Here's a sample of classic rice dish recipes from Africa, China, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Orleans, Puerto Rico, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and beyond. A Guide to Rice Types Around the World 01 of 25 Garden Paella David Malosh This vegetarian version of paella uses eggplant, zucchini, and tomato cooked into the rice dish. The Spanish short-grained rice Bomba is the star here, crisping up on the bottom to make the traditional soccorat, a crackling crust that forms where the rice touches the pan. Get the Recipe 02 of 25 Khichdi Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis A comforting dish made from mung beans, rice, and a variety of spices, this khichdi comes from the Thikse Monastery in Ladakh, India, and employs ginger and garlic alongside turmeric, fenugreek, cumin, and coriander. Get the Recipe 03 of 25 Island Jollof Rice Angie Mosier Jollof is a wildly popular dish across West Africa, and there are many regional variations. This recipe, from Chef Eric Adjepong, includes smoked fish, turkey bacon, and scotch bonnet chiles. Get the Recipe 04 of 25 Kiribath with Lunu Miris (Coconut Rice with Sambal) Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This Sri Lankan dish is traditionally served to mark new beginnings. Coconut rice is gently shaped into diamonds and then topped with a sambal made from fresh chiles, red onion, lime juice, and spices. Get the Recipe 05 of 25 Fan Tuan (Stuffed Rice Rolls) Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell A layer of cooked sticky rice becomes the satisfying wrapper for fan tuan, colorful rolls filled with fried eggs, scallions, pickled daikon, the fried dough sticks called youtiao, and pork floss. "For me, the fan tuan we serve at the bakery represents the collaborative nature of my understanding of Taiwanese food," says 2020 F&W Best New Chef Trigg Brown of Win Son in Brooklyn. Get the Recipe 06 of 25 Yogurt Rice Photo by Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer In India, yogurt rice goes by many names: thayir sadam, dahi bhat, dahi chawal, mosaranna, curd rice — the list goes on. One of Khushbu Shah's go-to meals for comfort and nourishment, yogurt rice combines long-grain rice and whole milk yogurt with spices and herbs for a simple and delicious one-bowl meal. Get the Recipe 07 of 25 Ba Bao Fan (Eight-Treasure Rice) Charissa Fay Sweet glutinous rice forms the backbone of this Chinese dessert, decorated by candied and dried fruits. Danielle Chang includes candied orange peel, goji berries, amarena cherries, kumquats, lemon peel, edible flowers, mandarins, lychees, red dates (jujube), maraschino cherries, gooseberries, kiwi berries, pomegranate, dragon fruit, and sliced figs, and you can substitute what you like. Get the Recipe 08 of 25 Summer Vegetable Bibimbap Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely 2021 F&W Best New Chef Ji Hye Kim prepares each ingredient in this seasonal Korean rice bowl separately, salting and sautéing sturdy vegetables like squash and eggplant and blanching leafy greens. A robust yak gochujang, a sauce made with ground beef and Korean chile paste, gives the dish a sensational level of umami. Get the Recipe 09 of 25 Nasi Goreng Jawa (Javanese Fried Rice) Photo by Eva Kolenko / Food Styling by Marian Cooper Cairns / Prop Styling by Natasha Kolenko Nasi Goreng is the classic Indonesian fried rice dish, and this is the version that chef and TV personality William Wongso grew up eating. Get the Recipe 10 of 25 Nam Khao Tod (Crispy Rice Salad) Aubrie Pick Cooked and cooled rice is seasoned with curry paste and dusted with a generous coating of rice flour then fried until über-crunchy at Thai restaurant Night + Market. The dish originated in Laos. Get the Recipe 11 of 25 Asopao Oriana Koren A hearty and sustaining dish, asopao is a Puerto Rican stew filled with rice and plenty of vegetables and topped with spiced ground chicken. This version's from Field Trip chef JJ Johnson. Get the Recipe 12 of 25 Onigiri Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Onigiri — rice balls with a savory surprise — inside are a popular Japanese snack. Use your hands or swirl the seasoned rice in a bowl to form the rice balls. Get the Recipe 13 of 25 Royal Rice Greg DuPree A hybrid of biryani and toasted, pilaf-style rice is cooked in coconut milk with mint, almonds, and golden raisins. Chefs Saqib Keval and Norma Listman of Masala y Maíz in Mexico City marry aspects of Desi and Mexican cuisine in this colorful dish. Get the Recipe 14 of 25 Italian Wedding Risotto Diana Chistruga Inspired by the classic Italian soup, this heartier risotto is filled with just-wilted spinach and topped with crispy, garlicky meatballs. Get the Recipe 15 of 25 Mexican Rice Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Ali Domrongchai Mexican rice and Spanish rice are served almost interchangeably alongside enchiladas, chiles rellenos, tacos, and other Mexican dishes. Mexican rice is said to be more tomatoey, but the two are very similar. Chandra Ram's version is fairly classic, with tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and jalapeño pureed with the juices from the canned tomatoes. Get the Recipe 16 of 25 Monday Night Red Beans and Rice Victor Protasio Long-cooked and creamy, properly made red beans integrate the core flavors of the south Louisiana aromatic trinity — onion, green bell pepper, and celery — along with the savory richness of pork and a kick of garlic. Served over white rice, the New Orleans tradition developed as a hearty, low-maintenance meal of comforting, sustaining goodness. Get the Recipe 17 of 25 Khao Mun Gai (Thai Chicken and Rice) Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Gabe Greco Khao Mun Gai, also called Khao Maan Gai, is a Thai street food famed for its simplicity. Tender poached chicken is served with a fragrant chicken broth, ginger rice, and a flavorful dipping sauce. Get the Recipe 18 of 25 Kimbap (Korean Sushi Rolls) © Con Poulos David Chang was inspired to make these playful rolls by a snack he had at Yunpilam, a temple in South Korea. Get the Recipe 19 of 25 Classic Shoyu Musubi Abby Hocking This popular Hawaiian snack of Spam that's been glazed with musubi sauce and wrapped in nori with sushi rice is totally irresistible. Get the Recipe 20 of 25 Ginger Crispy Rice with Salmon and Bok Choy Victor Protasio Cooked in a Chinese clay pot, this ginger-infused Jasmine rice is an ideal bed for gently cooked fish and vegetables. Get the Recipe 21 of 25 Hyderabadi Lamb Biryani © David Malosh A showstopper of a rice dish, this Indian biryani from Chopped judge Maneet Chauhan cooks saffron-laced rice and lamb under a lid of dough to seal in moisture and flavor. Get the Recipe 22 of 25 Arroz con Pollo © Abby Hocking Chicken, rice, and vegetables simmer togethe in one pot, enhancing each other in this easy Latin American dish. Get the Recipe 23 of 25 Sabzi Polo (Herbed Rice) © Con Poulos Traditionally served during Persian New Year, this herb-packed rice dish's signature is the deeply browned crust that holds it all together and gives textural contrast to the interior. Get the Recipe 24 of 25 Brazilian Black Rice © John Kernick This dish from Uxua hotel chef Aladim Alves traces its roots to the 1970s, when the beaches of Trancoso, Brazil, were a favorite hippie destination. It combines richly flavored Bahian seafood with healthy whole-grain black rice. Get the Recipe 25 of 25 Sushi Rice © John Kernick Chef Masaharu Morimoto advises on preparing the critical component of Japanese sushi: Season sushi rice with a mixture of rice vinegars, sugar, and salt, then carefully separate and fluff the grains with a slicing motion. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit