Slightly earthy and nutty in flavor with chewy texture, brown rice is fun to eat and healthier grain compared to white rice. Although it doesn’t scream excitement, brown rice is extremely satisfying and easy to pair with other foods.
When served plain, it can be relatively bland. However, it can be made exciting by pairing with other dishes because brown rice is a blank slate that is fairly versatile.
What to eat with brown rice? Brown rice is served in pilaf, pudding, soup, fried rice, or as a side with meat or vegetables because it is vegetarian and meat eater-friendly.
Furthermore, this rice pairs wonderfully with herbs, spices, fruits, nuts, broth, and condiments depending on the recipe and cuisine.
If you are fond of white rice, consider switching to brown rice in your diet increase fiber and essential nutrients. When prepared correctly with slow and low cooking, its tasty, comforting, and nourishing all in one.
No matter what, it has a chewier texture compared to white rice, making it a classic food pairing with a nuttier taste.
So, what should be paired with brown rice to make it tasty and wholesome? Answered below are frequently asked questions about what to eat with brown rice. Let’s find out!
What goes well with brown rice?
Brown rice goes well with vegetables, fruits, spices, herbs, and other condiments. It also pairs perfectly with proteins such as nuts, legumes, meats, seafood, and fish.
With the list of preferred ingredients, explore what goes well with brown rice to serve for breakfast, lunch, and dinner of your choice.
- Fruits: cranberries, apple, lemon, apricots, pineapple, raspberry, raisins, blueberries, lime
- Vegetables: onion, carrots, peas, snow peas, bell pepper, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, leek, celery,
- Nuts: almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, pistachio
- Herbs: mint, sage, rosemary, basil, thyme, cilantro
- Cheese: cream cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, goat cheese
- Legumes: lentil, mung bean, black beans, quinoa
- Meats: beef, chicken, turkey
- Seafood: shrimp, scallop, clams
- Fish: tilapia, cod, salmon
- Condiments: olive oil, maple syrup, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, butter
What sauce goes with brown rice?
Sauces are the heart of any good brown rice dish. Depending on what outcome you are looking for, brown rice goes well with sour, salty, sweet, spicy, and savory flavor with the right sauce.
Some sauces to pair with brown rice include:
- Sour, salty, tangy flavor: soy sauce with vinegar
- Nutty, savory flavor: tahini, peanut, pesto sauce
- Tangy, salty, sour, spicy flavor: ginger sauce
- Sweet, savory, tangy flavor: hoisin, teriyaki, oyster
- Salty, spicy flavor: sriracha, chili, hot, Sichuan, curry sauce
What spice goes with brown rice?
Brown rice can be seasoned with various spices due to its earthly nuttiness. Adding spices to the grain dish helps to get savory, spicy, or peppery, herby notes to improve the bland and plain rice flavor.
The spices that pair well with brown rice include:
- cumin
- cardamom
- cayenne pepper
- turmeric
- cinnamon
- herbes de Provence
- garam masala
What meat go with brown rice?
Serving brown rice as a side or main dish meat is an ideal pairing to add protein to your diet. It’s incredibly juicy and delicious, making it a perfect fit for the laid-back brown rice.
Furthermore, rice helps to sop up sauces, juices or cooking liquid that remains on the plate or bottom of a dish.
What flavor goes well with brown rice?
Savory and sweet flavors go well with brown rice. Be sure to add in some pepper, paprika, lemon juice, or chili to add some tangy and bitter taste.
Going in with a dash of soy sauce or tabasco sauce will make the rice pretty sumptuous and inviting. Additionally, salt and butter pump up brown rice flavor.
Here are flavor combinations that go well with brown rice:
- brown rice + lemon + garlic + thyme + olive oil + vegetable stock
- brown rice + cilantro + lime + black pepper + olive oil
- brown rice + chicken + pine nuts + broccoli
- brown rice + soy sauce + cayenne pepper + ginger
- brown rice + dates + cinnamon + almonds + milk + agave
What food goes with brown rice?
From breakfast to dinner, brown rice can be enjoyed in sweet and savory flavor profiles. It is a versatile grain that can be eaten at any time of day and incorporate into a variety of palatable recipes.
If you are looking for food ideas to serve with brown rice, here are classic recommendations.
- Breakfast: top brown rice with eggs, salsa, avocado, and black beans, brown rice porridge with fruit
- Lunch: grain bowl with veggies and protein, stir-fried brown rice, soup
- Snack: energy bar with brown rice
- Dinner: brown rice sushi roll, curry with brown rice, risotto
- Dessert: brown rice pudding
Eat With Brown Rice: Conclusion
Brown rice is rarely lauded food, but it’s the backbone of many meals worldwide. It has more fiber and nutrients compared to white rice, therefore a majority of people opt to include brown rice to their diet.
Since its flavor is subtle, the whole grain serves as a blank canvas to pair with multiple side dishes. It’s easy to prepare, and provides earthy and nutty flavors with chewy texture.
This rice is easily transformed into pilaf, pudding, soup, fried rice or simply sides of curry or grilled meat. Because of its plain flavor, its even more interesting to play around with herbs and spices to paint on a blank canvas.
Whether you are making pilaf or stew to serve with, consider sauces with salty, sweet, spicy, and savory flavors to further enjoy every bite. Useful in breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and snacks, you can enjoy brown rice to the maximum with these flavor combinations and ingredients.