Whether it is cooked salmon or raw sushi and poke bowl, fish and rice side dishes are a wonderful accompaniment to make a filling and nutritious meal.
Other sides to serve with fish include roasted vegetables, fries, salad, and sauce to add color and texture to every kind of fish plate.
When it comes to salmon to pair with rice dishes, choose fried rice, garlic or lemon basmati rice, wild rice pilaf, herbed brown rice, and saffron or lemon risotto.
Instead of plain rice, what other rice dishes goes well with fish of all kinds and preparations.
What rice side dish go well with fish? Generally speaking, fish dishes pair well with a wide range kind of rice including white, brown, wild, jasmine, and basmati rice.
Fish often has a mild flavor, therefore pairing with seasoned rice dishes is highly recommended. These include lemon herb, rice pilaf, coconut rice, saffron, and cilantro lime rice.
On the other hand, if the fish is stewed or served in sauce, consider steamed white rice to complement the bold flavors.
Whether the fish is baked or fried, seasoning rice with stock, herbs, and spices transforms plain jasmine and basmati rice into interesting and flavorful counterparts.
Rice pilaf is a simple side dish that is a great alternative to serving plain rice. If you need more rice dish ideas to pair with fish, this article shares classic rice dish to eat with fish to maximize the culinary experience.
Is rice good side for fish?
Yes, rice is a great side to serve with fish. In fact, rice is a versatile grain that can be seasoned, spiced, and combined with other ingredients to create an exciting meal.
Rice, especially rice pilaf that is mildly seasoned, pairs wonderfully with most fish entrees.
Mix herbs with lemon or lime zest to served with grilled fish for a tasty low fat meal. The key to delicious seasoned rice sides is to use chicken or vegetable broth as a base for more in-depth flavor.
What kind of rice goes with baked fish?
When serving baked fish, consider rice pilaf that consists of white rice, garlic, chicken stock, and bay leaf. The chicken and garlic flavor makes it versatile and easy side to pair with any meal.
In addition, the flavor of this dish is mild enough that does not clash with main fish entree.
But not every rice works to cook as rice pilaf. Basmati and jasmine rice are the best kind of rice to absorb the stock and herbs when served with baked fish. The rice has a mellow flavor, but is not super plain and boring tasting on its own.
Jasmine rice side dish for fish
The nutty flavor has a similar taste as popcorn, jasmine rice is a short grain with slightly stickier aromatic rice. Considered for its excellent cooking quality that results in magical fluffiness and slightly herbaceous taste.
Using the right ingredients combination, jasmine rice pairs wonderfully with vegetarian, meat, and fish dishes alike.
- jasmine rice + lemon + cilantro + olive oil
- jasmine rice + garlic salt + rosemary + thyme + parsley + chicken broth
- jasmine rice + tofu + soy sauce + fish sauce
- jasmine rice + coconut milk + coconut oil + curry
- jasmine rice + chicken broth + butter + cinnamon + garlic
Basmati rice side dish for fish
Nutty, floral, and hint of spiciness, basmati rice is another short grain similar to jasmine rice that is suitable to make spiced rice.
This type of rice is more flavorful than plain long grain white rice, but without overpowering the fish dish as a whole.
- basmati rice + lemon + chicken broth + ginger + black pepper
- basmati rice + pine nuts + cinnamon + olive oil
- basmati rice + red curry paste + coconut milk
- basmati rice + garlic + onion + tomatoes + bay leaves
- basmati rice + coconut + chili + lemongrass
Best rice dish for fish
Whether serving cod or tilapia, side of rice is a healthy carb to brighten the plate. Rice dishes with various seasoning may depend on the type of fish and how the fish is prepared.
For fried or poached fish, serve with seasoned rice dish. Whereas, baked or marinated fish, stick with plain steamed rice.
- lemon herbed rice
- rice pilaf
- coconut rice
- steamed white rice
- saffron rice
- cilantro lime rice
Serving Rice Dishes with Fish: Conclusion
Fish and rice is perfect match like peanut butter and jelly. The mild taste of any type of fish with plain or seasoned rice sides makes for a great accompaniment for supper.
Rice pilaf made with white, brown, and wild rice is great base for ingredients, but especially when serving jasmine and basmati rice for an excellent way to impart even more flavor.
With these two types of rice, mix in lemon or lime zest, herb, coconut milk, saffron, and chopped cilantro to garnish the rice with added flavor.
However, plain steamed rice with roasted vegetables or fresh salad will do the job as well.
Baked fish is not exceptional to serve with jasmine or basmati rice.
If you have been serving plain rice with fish, use the above flavor combination to switch it up with jasmine and basmati rice for best results.