Food and Recipes Grains Rice 30 Times Rice Saved Us From A Boring Meal By Jorie Nicole McDonald Jorie Nicole McDonald Jorie Nicole McDonald leads editorial video efforts for Southern Living. Originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she creates engaging visual content for the website and various social media platforms. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on April 15, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Most folks would say that a meal is never complete without a bit of rice on the side. It's a versatile and filling food that somehow brings with it a sense of comfort after the first bite. But preparing a satisfying meal isn't always an easy task. Between caring for family members, focusing at work, and attempting to have a healthy social life, cooking a well-balanced meal is often the last mission on our mind. And as a result, we end up sitting down at the dinner table with a less than exciting supper. Here's a tip: something as simple as a bit of rice can save you from that–ahem, boring meal. Whether you're hoping for a classic dish like red beans and rice, or something as daring as stuffed tomatoes with pesto rice, the treasured grain will surely add a pop of scrumptious Southern flavor to an otherwise lackluster meal. 01 of 30 Savannah Red Rice Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Savannah Red Rice As far as rice-based dishes go, this recipe takes the cake! Savannah red rice is a significant cuisine on the Georgia coast, and it's simple to prepare while still showcasing a complex flavor. The smoky bacon and tangy tomatoes will keep you coming back for more. 02 of 30 Zucchini Rice Gratin Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Fresh, light, and comforting? Yes, please! This zucchini rice gratin recipe incorporates rice in a refreshing and unique way, and it only takes 15 minutes to prepare! 03 of 30 Stuffed Tomatoes with Pesto Rice Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Some folks are under the impression that rice-based meals have to be dense and heavy, but that's certainly not the case. Stuffed tomatoes with pesto rice are a beautifully light and tasty dish. 04 of 30 Smoked Chicken, Squash, and Rice Soup Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall We've all heard it said that soup is good for the soul, and this culinary concoction is certainly no exception. Smoked chicken, squash, and rice soup is a beautifully warming dish with a rich and savory taste. 05 of 30 Dirty Rice Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Dirty Rice The trick to this rice dish is to finely chop the vegetables so you get the perfect amount of veggies and rice in each bite. 06 of 30 Cheesy Broccoli-and-Rice Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Cheesy Broccoli-and-Rice Casserole Sliced cremini mushrooms, minced garlic, and freshly grated nutmeg are added to this creamy rice dish. 07 of 30 Creamy Rice with Scallops Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Creamy Rice with Scallops Smoky and salty bacon pairs perfectly with sweet corn and scallops in this dish. 08 of 30 Slow-Cooker Lemon-Asparagus Risotto Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Slow-Cooker Lemon-Asparagus Risotto This slow-cooker recipe takes all the work out of making risotto without sacrificing any of the flavor. 09 of 30 Shrimp Stir Fry with Bacon Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Add a Southern spin to stir fry with the addition of flavorful bacon. 10 of 30 Grilled Curried Chicken Thighs with Charred-Vegetable Rice Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Grilled Curried Chicken Thighs with Charred-Vegetable Rice The smoky, charred flavor of the vegetables and rice make you want to go back for seconds. 11 of 30 Collard Green Creole Dirty Rice Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton Recipe: Collard Green Creole Dirty Rice It doesn't get more Southern than a heaping helping of collard greens, and the addition of dirty rice in this recipe is sure to be a hit. 12 of 30 Sea Island Crab Fried Rice Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Sea Island Crab Fried Rice Bacon and sautéed vegetables mix with sweet crabmeat and precooked rice in this seafood dish. 13 of 30 Seared Scallops with Lemon-Herb Rice Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Seared Scallops with Lemon-Herb Rice The delicious scallops in this dish will make it feel like a 5-star meal. 14 of 30 Cuban Black Bean-and-Yellow Rice Bowls Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Cuban Black Bean-and-Yellow Rice Bowls This meatless meal is mighty filling thanks to the hearty beans, avocado, and plantains. 15 of 30 Slow-Cooker Chicken Stew with Pumpkin and Wild Rice Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Choose a sugar or cheese pumpkin for this recipe rather than a field pumpkin. 16 of 30 Grilled Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops with Scallion-Lime Rice Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Tina Stamos This zesty rice pairs nicely with slightly charred pork chops prepared on the grill. 17 of 30 Ginger and Collard Green Fried Rice Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Styling: Thom Driver Recipe: Ginger and Collard Green Fried Rice Collard greens bring some Southern flair to this fried rice recipe. 18 of 30 Red Rice-Smoked Chicken Perloo Peter Frank Edwards; Prop Styling: Kendra Surface; Food Styling: Anna Hampton Recipe: Red Rice-Smoked Chicken Perloo This one-pot dish is easy to make and packed with Lowcountry flavor. 19 of 30 Shrimp Étouffée Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Shrimp Étouffée Serve this rice dish with fresh bread so you can enjoy the rich sauce. 20 of 30 Jambalaya de Covington Jambalaya de Covington Recipe: Jambalaya de Covington Smoked turkey, ham, and sausage make this jambalaya filling and satisfying. 21 of 30 Shrimp Perloo Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Anna Hampton Recipe: Shrimp Perloo Make sure to use medium-sized shrimp for this recipe so they'll cook at the same rate as the rice. 22 of 30 Chicken Risotto with Spring Vegetables Jennifer Davick Recipe: Chicken Risotto with Spring Vegetables This creamy rice dish is packed with protein and veggies and is fit for any day of the week. 23 of 30 Wild Rice and Greens Casserole Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Wild Rice and Greens Casserole We chose to use kale for our casserole, but feel free to use whatever greens are your favorite. 24 of 30 Okra and Rice Casserole Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Okra and Rice Casserole Look for smaller okra pods for this recipe as they are the most tender. 25 of 30 Shrimp and Pesto-Rice Salad Alison Miksch Recipe: Shrimp and Pesto-Rice Salad Having a salad for dinner isn't particularly enthusing, but this recipe is sure to make your taste buds soar. Packed with grilled shrimp, lime zest, and pesto seasoning, Shrimp and Pesto-Rice Salad is an excellent choice for a quick-and-easy dinner. 26 of 30 Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice Howard Lee Puckett Recipe: Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice Few meals truly exemplify the flavors of Southern cuisine better than red beans and rice. And, the slow-cooker preparation is simply an added bonus! Smoked turkey sausage, bell pepper, and Creole seasoning perfectly complement the filling rice. 27 of 30 Skillet Sausage 'n' Rice Southern Living Recipe: Skillet Sausage 'n' Rice Skillet sausage 'n' rice is a go-to recipe when you're in a time crunch because it requires very little effort to prepare. The rice in this fiery dish is an explosion of Southern flavor. 28 of 30 Cheesy Broccoli and Rice Casserole with Sausage © Phoebe Lapine Recipe: Cheesy Broccoli and Rice Casserole with Sausage This is the ideal dish for someone looking to improvise! You can easily substitute sweet Italian sausage or pork sausage for the chicken. The rich cheese ideally combines with the satisfying rice. 29 of 30 Spiced Chicken with Black-Eyed Peas and Rice Randy Mayor; Melanie J. Clarke Recipe: Spiced Chicken with Black-Eyed Peas and Rice Mama always said to eat your black-eyed peas, and this dish helps us do just that! Nutritious, filling, and rice-packed, it's a win-win-win! 30 of 30 Cajun Shrimp Casserole Recipe: Cajun Shrimp Casserole Shrimp, cheese, and rice gets Cajun flavor from okra, bell peppers, and cayenne pepper in this recipe. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit