14+ Instant Rice Recipes: Easy Meals For Camping & At Home

Whether you’re looking for a quick dinner for a weeknight or a nourishing meal while at the campsite, these recipes will satisfy your hunger, all of them are made with instant rice. It doesn’t matter if you’re making a dessert, breakfast, dinner, lunch, or snack, they’re sure to be ready and on the table in a matter of minutes.

The Convenience of Instant Rice and Instant Rice Recipes

Instant rice is a pre-cooked rice option. It is much faster to prepare than regular rice. Due to this quick cooking time, it is very popular, along with instant rice recipes. We love it because it is a quality meal that can be prepared in no time. It has the same texture and flavor as regular rice but without some of the nutritional value. The nutritional facts of instant rice differ slightly from classic cooked rice. In 100 grams, around 130 calories can be found. It has zero fat and cholesterol, some sodium, around 35 milligrams of potassium, and 20 grams of carbs. It has around 2.7 grams of protein, which is barely different from normal cereal grain rice.

Another point we like to highlight is that instant rice can be used for anything—casseroles, soups, puddings, side dishes—and the best part is that it can be ready in five minutes. It is so fast that, while not recommended, pre-cooked rice can be eaten straight out of the packet. Of course, it will be a bit crunchy, but it showcases how quickly your rice can be done. However, we recommend cooking until the rice becomes tender and fully cooked and eating your rice while it is warm or hot.

3 Breakfast Recipes: Easy Rice Meals

1. Breakfast Fried Rice

For this recipe, you will need instant rice, one egg, soy sauce, oil, and, additionally, any vegetables you have lying around. To prepare this recipe, boil your instant rice, and when it is done, place it in a hot skillet and spread it into a thin layer. Once the bottom of the layer is crispy, scramble an egg right next to it. In the end, add soy sauce and vegetables to the mix and season to your liking.

2. Rice Porridge

To prepare this delicious recipe, all you need is instant rice, milk, honey, and optional fruits and cinnamon. Heat milk over your stove in a pot to prepare your rice porridge. Once the milk is simmering, add your instant rice to it. When the mixture boils, leave it for five minutes and stir. In the end, add the fruit, cinnamon, and honey for a sweet dinner. You’re left with a delicious porridge.

3. Rice Breakfast Wraps

Another instant rice recipe we would like to point out is this quick and easy-to-prepare breakfast wrap. All you need is your instant rice, beans to your liking (we prefer black beans), tortillas, and any vegetables you have lying around. To prepare this amazing recipe, place your tortilla in a skillet. On the side, mix your instant rice with the black beans and other vegetables, and heat both. Once the tortilla is warm and the mixture is nicely cooked, remove from heat and place the mixture onto the tortilla. Roll it up, and voila, you have a portable and quick breakfast!

4 Lunch Ideas With Instant Rice 

1. Vegetable Fried Rice

For lunch, we like to prepare fried rice with vegetables. It doesn’t matter if you are camping or at home and need a quick meal. For this recipe, you will need instant rice, some oil, vegetables, eggs, and soy sauce. To prepare it, boil the instant rice and heat a pan. In it, stir-fry your vegetables, add the prepared and drained instant rice, and, if that’s your preference, add an egg to the side and scramble it. In the end, drizzle with soy sauce and herbs.

2. Lentil and Vegetable Stew

For this rice recipe, you will need lentils, vegetables, instant rice, and spices like paprika. To prepare it, simmer your lentils and vegetables on the side. Before the cooking is done, add the instant rice—do so because the instant rice is already pre-cooked and cooks much more quickly than the lentils and vegetables. In the end, add paprika and seasoning to the mix, and you will end up with an amazing stew anyone would like.

3. Stuffed Peppers

Now, this is a recipe that requires minimal effort but gives the best results. The ingredients needed include bell peppers, instant rice, tomatoes, cheese, cream, and seasoning. The first step is hollowing out and cutting your bell peppers in half. Then prepare your rice and add tomatoes into the mix. Stir the mix so it is even and add seasoning to it. Next, add the mixture to the peppers, and over it, add cheese or cream. Then place the peppers into the oven and bake for 50 minutes until the peppers are tender. You should end up with a hearty and delicious meal.

4. Beef Stew with Rice

A high-protein option is this beef stew with rice. For it, you will need beef, bell peppers, onions, instant rice, and any seasoning you like. To prepare it, stew the beef and vegetables for half an hour, then prepare the instant rice separately and serve it together. The instant rice can be a side dish, and the beef stew can be a main dish.

4 Instant Rice Dinner Options

1. Sausage and Broccoli Rice Skillet

Who doesn’t love skillets? We know we do, and for this recipe, all you need is a skillet to prepare it. When it comes to the ingredients, have on hand your instant rice, sausage, broccoli, cream, and any seasoning you like. To prepare it, cook the sausage in a skillet and stir-fry the broccoli with it. Add the instant rice with some water and mix thoroughly. Top off with cream, and you have your dinner ready!

2. Dirty Rice

Don’t worry, this isn’t just a camping recipe—dirty rice is made at home too, and it is very popular. To prepare it, you will need instant rice, ground beef, and vegetables like onions or bell peppers. The first step is to stir-fry your beef; you can exchange this for chicken liver. Do so with the vegetables, but make sure you have onions and bell peppers in the mix. On the side, prepare your instant rice by boiling it for a few minutes, then drain it and mix it into the pan. This is a quick meal done in around 20 minutes, but the most important part is that dirty rice is protein-packed and also offers enough carbs for your body to run.

3. Salsa Rice

This is a classic camping recipe and one of our favorites when it comes to instant rice recipes anyone. You can even use leftovers to make it. All you need is instant rice and salsa. Prepare your instant rice by boiling it, and then stir-fry it with your salsa while it is warm. You should stir it constantly to combine the mixture, and we love it because it is done in a few minutes.

4. Shrimp and Vegetable Rice

If you love seafood, then this is a great option for you. Just make sure, when you’re camping, that your shrimp is cooled properly. Apart from the shrimp, you will also need instant rice, and vegetables like bell peppers, onions, and garlic. To prepare it, sauté the vegetables in a separate pan, then add in the shrimp. Stir until the mixture is done, and then add your cooked instant rice to it. Add some water and simmer until it is well combined and has become sticky.

3 Snacks and Desserts With Instant Rice

1. Instant Rice Nachos

Who doesn’t love nachos? Well, we do! For this recipe, you will need instant rice, ground meat, tomatoes, nachos, and cheese. To prepare it, stir-fry your ground beef, then add tomatoes and any extra vegetables you have on hand. Prepare the instant rice in a separate pot, and then make the topping with cheese. Place your nachos in a bowl, add the beef, tomato, and rice mixture into it, and then top off with the nacho topping or cheese.

2. Rice Parfait

For this quick but filling recipe, prepare instant rice, yogurt, and honey. Let your boiled instant rice cool, then layer it with yogurt and fruit in numerous layers. On top, drizzle with honey and make sure to serve in individual cups.

3. Rice Pudding

Now, this is a classic between instant rice recipes you can make. Apart from that, you will need milk, sugar, and optional ingredients like vanilla extract and cinnamon. To prepare it, boil your instant rice in milk, then add sugar to the mixture. On top, add your vanilla extract and cinnamon. Let it simmer while stirring until it forms a paste. Again, serve in individual cups and let it cool before eating.

Our Idea: KAMUI Mixed Rice

The KAMUI Mixed Rice is a perfect meal for outdoor camping, backpacking, emergencies, and survival situations. It is made with 100% Japanese rice and natural ingredients. It is pre-cooked, dehydrated, and packed in Japan, one of the ultimate instant rice recipes. 

Conclusion 

In the end, instant rice recipes can even be used as emergency food but also as a hearty dinner option. We recommend instant rice as a camping option, given that you can prepare it quickly and have all the nutritional value of normal rice with you on the trail or at the campsite. This is a long-lasting and nutritious solution that will provide you sustenance no matter where you are.