30 Quick and Easy Rice Meals You Can Make Anywhere

Rice is one of the most versatile ingredients. You can add it to stews, use it as a side dish, make it a main meal with sauces and soups, and any other way you can think of. This is why we prepared a quick guide to easy rice meals one can make while camping.

Benefits of Rice as a Meal Base

There are numerous benefits of rice, regardless of which way you choose to prepare and eat it. There is brown rice, white rice, colored rice, parboiled rice, black rice, and many other varieties. Sure, it is rich in carbohydrates, which might not sound too good initially, but remember that these carbohydrates also fuel your body and, specifically, your brain. The main benefit of rice is that it provides energy to our bodies. 

On the side, it also has some vitamins, like riboflavin, niacin, and thiamine, but minerals such as iron, phosphorus, and potassium stand out with this meal. We recommend adding rice to your meals or weekly meal prep. A rice meal base or a rice side is an excellent option for high-protein or high-fat meals. Rice, regardless of its type, will even out the flavors and provide you with a nourishing but tasty side dish.

10 Easy Rice Meals For Almost Anywhere

These are the 10 easy rice meal ideas you can make anywhere, whether camping, backpacking, prepping, or doing something else.

1. Rice and Bean Burrito Bowl

This is a sturdy option that requires zero to minimal cooking. Combine cooked rice you’ve made at home or bring rice from a pouch, along with canned black beans, salsa, and any other vegetables you have. Make this meal by combining the rice, canned beans, salsa on top, and vegetables. If you like an extra gourmet twist, add some cheese or avocado to the top of your dish.

2. One-Pot Veggie Fried Rice

This is an extra-quick option. Just add some pre-cooked or pouch rice to your pot, heat it, and fry it until it is coated in oil. After that, add some canned or frozen vegetables to maximize the flavor. Add soy sauce and eggs for a perfect one-pot meal that will satisfy everyone.

3. One-Pot Chicken and Rice

Who doesn’t love chicken and rice? It’s the ultimate fitness meal, so we offer a one-pot option. Bring pre-cooked or pouch rice with you and, of course, chicken. Seasoning is key here: sauté the diced chicken, add the rice, and season the pot. We recommend seasonings like soy sauce, salt, and garlic to spice up the meal. This meal might be too bland if you don’t add any zesty seasoning. Simmer the chicken and rice until everything is tender, and then enjoy.

4. Chicken and Rice Foil Packs

A no-cleanup option is chicken and rice foil packs. Combine rice, chicken, and any vegetables with you, along with seasoning, into foil packs. If you’re an avid camper, you likely have experience with foil packs and know how to simmer your meal. You place it near the fire but not directly in it—direct fire will burn the foil, but near it provides the perfect temperature to cook and simmer over the campfire. This perfect no-mess meal will keep everyone happy with enough protein and carbohydrates.

5. Mushroom Risotto

Who doesn’t love risotto, especially one with mushrooms picked along the trail? Prepare the rice for the risotto beforehand, or use pouch rice. Then, add the mushrooms, olive oil, and garlic to your pot and sauté them. Make sure you are 100% certain the mushrooms you gather are edible. Cook the ingredients in a small amount of water, then add the rice and stir in any cheese you might have.

6. Fried Rice

This is a popular option for a hearty breakfast. Prepare scrambled eggs and add any leftover rice, soy sauce, and vegetables you have on hand. Sauté until ready, and this quick meal is good to go. This is one of our favorite easy rice meals!

7. Breakfast Rice Pudding

This is an excellent option if you love sweets for breakfast. Combine already cooked rice with milk, cinnamon, and sugar or honey, and heat it until it becomes creamy. Top it with any fruit or nuts.

8. Breakfast Burrito Rice

This might sound odd initially, but if you place a tortilla on a pan, add cooked rice, beans, cheese, and salsa, flip it a few times, and heat it, you’ll have a fantastic breakfast burrito.

9. Rice and Salsa

This is a quick backpacking meal perfect for minimal effort. Just add pre-cooked or pouch rice (heated beforehand) and salsa or another sauce with vegetables to your plate. That’s it—minimal cooking and minimal prep time.

10. Mexican Rice

Tomato-flavored Mexican rice is a quick and delicious meal. Prepare pre-cooked or pouch rice. This can go with a main course or a fried egg or be enjoyed as a side dish while backpacking. Add rice, tomato sauce, and canned vegetables to your pot, stir well, let simmer for a few minutes, and serve.

10 One-Pot Easy Rice Meal Recipes

If you’re a true camper, you know the positive side of one-pot meals. That is why we have prepared ten easy one-pot rice meals for you.

• Tofu Fried Rice: Drain the water from your tofu and season it well. Then, add pre-cooked rice or rice from a pouch. Place the rice, tofu, and any seasonings and vegetables you want to add into one pot. Season with oil and stir-fry for a few minutes, and your meal is done.
• Tuna Rice: For this quick meal, combine tuna, pre-cooked rice, olive oil, lemon juice, and olives, if possible. Heat them in a pot, then stir until everything is warm and mixed. This will give you a perfect protein-packed meal from your camp spot.
• Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Rice: This is another breakfast recipe. Add rice, apple, and cinnamon. If you want a touch of sweetness, add honey or sugar. Place all the ingredients into a pot and heat until the apples soften and the rice warm. This is a perfect breakfast option.

• Broccoli Rice: Another one-pot option is broccoli rice. Add fresh or frozen broccoli to the pot, stir-fry it, and then add pre-cooked or pouch rice. If you’re feeling fancy, add some shredded cheddar cheese and, of course, seasoning.
• Kimchi Fried Rice: If you love Eastern cuisine, kimchi rice is the perfect option. Add cooked rice, chopped kimchi, soy sauce, vegetables, green onions, and sesame oil to the pot. Sauté the kimchi, add the rice, and mix until the meal is ready.
• Rice and Chickpeas: A great option, just like rice and beans, is rice and chickpeas. Add pre-cooked or pouch rice, some canned chickpeas, and any seasoning, like lemon juice, olive oil, herbs, salt, and pepper, to a pot. Heat the rice and chickpeas and add them to your plate once they are warm enough. This can also be done without heating if you’re going lightweight.

• Spanish Rice: Spanish rice generally uses chorizo or sausage, tomatoes, peppers, paprika, and other vegetables. To make it quickly in one pot, just sauté the protein or chorizo and peppers, then add your pre-cooked or pouch rice and canned tomatoes, along with any seasonings you need. Let it simmer for a few minutes, and it will be done.
• Lentil Rice: Lentils are a great option that perfectly complements rice. Add cooked or pouch rice, canned lentils, curry powder, and coconut milk to your pot and stir. After a few minutes, your meal will be ready to eat.
• Pea Risotto: Peas are a great addition to rice. Add pre-cooked or pouch rice heated in a pot and canned peas. If you’re feeling fancy, add cheddar cheese and chicken to the mix and let it simmer for a few minutes. Once the meal is hearty and combined, it’s ready to eat.

• Baked Chicken and Rice: This dish is perfect if you have an oven while camping. One can even make it without chicken, but it’s a classic recipe. It’s made from raw rice and cooked in the oven until perfectly soft. Add olive oil, rice, and three times the water to your pot, and let it roast for 20 minutes.

10 Creative Rice Meals + Ideas

Not every campsite might have the ingredients and necessary infrastructure for these recipes, but with some planning, you might be able to prepare these meals. If not, you can prepare them at home.

• Sushi Sandwich: All you need for this dish is nori and leftover ingredients like vegetables, protein, and seasoned and prepared rice from a pouch or pre-cooked. To prepare, lay out your ingredients with a base of nori; on top is your prepared rice and any leftover vegetables and protein. Then, wrap it to make it into a sushi-style sandwich recipe.
• Pilaf: Add some prepared rice and combine it with feta cheese to prepare the perfect pilaf. Remember—the key to this dish is seasoning.

• Rice Bowl: This is a wondrous thing but can be cluttered and complicated. That’s why we recommend planning for it. Add seasoned and prepared rice to your bowl, any vegetables you might have, and avocado as the main ingredient. You’ve prepared a simple but nourishing camping rice bowl.
• Rice Cakes: This recipe might take a bit longer, but it will make your family, especially the children, enjoy their meal. Make sushi or pre-prepared rice into small patties, then pan-fry them until golden. Top them off with avocado, diced tuna, soy sauce, sesame oil, and any vegetables on the side.
• Sticky Rice: Everyone loves coconut mango sticky rice, so we’ve included this recipe in our easy rice meal ideas. Though it might not be the easiest to make, you’ll need coconut milk, mango, sugar, and salt. Prepare the rice by cooking it in the coconut milk and adding sugar. After cooking for around 20 minutes, serve with slices or cubes of mango and any other fruits.

• Bibimbap: Cook rice in a bowl with ground beef, vegetables, kimchi, and eggs. For an authentic touch, add soy sauce and gochujang (Korean chili paste).
• Stuffed Bell Peppers: Stuffed bell peppers are a great rice option, especially if you have leftover rice. Add your pre-cooked rice, diced tomatoes, and cheese to pre-cut bell peppers. You can halve the bell peppers, cut off the tops, and stuff the mix inside. Bake the peppers until they are tender and ready to eat.
• Jambalaya: This recipe calls for rice, shrimp, sausage, tomatoes, and any other vegetables you might have at your campsite. Sauté the protein and vegetables, add seasoning, stir in the rice, and simmer on low heat until all ingredients are tender and ready for your camping dinner.

• Protein Bowl: This is the perfect meal prep that you can make beforehand. Add your rice to the bowl as a base, then top it with any protein you like. It can be chicken, vegetables like chickpeas, shrimp, or anything else you have at your campsite.
• Barbecue Rice: This might sound unusual, but barbecue rice can be delicious. Add pre-cooked or pouch rice into open foil packs, then place the foils with the rice and any seasoning on the barbecue. Close the barbecue and let the rice combine with the barbecue flavor.

The Best Rice Choice: KAMUI Mixed Rice

We highly recommend trying our Freeze-Dried Dehydrated Japanese Gomoku Mixed Rice for your camping adventures. It’s a delicious and convenient option that makes meal prep a breeze, whether you’re out on the trail or need a quick meal at home. Enjoy a flavorful and satisfying dish that energizes you during your outdoor excursions!

Conclusion

In the end, we hope we’ve taught you enough about easy rice meals, the benefits of rice, and how it can help you stay nourished while camping. Remember to season your rice well and choose the best preparation option that suits your needs.