Getting a meal on the table doesn’t have to be complicated. With simple recipes, versatile grains, and familiar ingredient lists, you can get the job done—effortlessly! Best of all, simple doesn’t have to mean boring. Working with a foundation of RiceSelect® grains—from tri-color quinoa to pearl couscous and sushi rice—you can cook a variety of meals inspired by flavors from across the globe.  

Whether you lack time, inspiration, or motivation, weekly meal planning can sometimes feel like a colossal task. The good news? There are simple steps to take to make meal planning, grocery shopping, cooking, and even cleaning up easier than you ever thought they could be! First step? Stock the cupboard with a delectable selection of RiceSelect® grains. Then? Home in on quick and easy meals that answer your cravings and that the family will love. From there, all you’ll need is a handful of basic ingredients and a little bit of time to bring everything together. With plenty of one-pot recipes in the archives, RiceSelect® even helps with the dishes! 

Ready to get started? These easy dishes—including weeknight dinners, shareable sides, bakes and a dessert—will have you feeling like you’ve got everything (in the kitchen, at least) under control.  

What Makes a Recipe Genuinely Simple 

Sometimes, it feels like we live in a sea of viral recipes, kitchen hacks, and shortcuts designed to simplify our lives. Yet, many fall short of their promises, and instead of being simple, are unnecessarily complicated and deliver mediocre results. A genuinely simple recipe should have few ingredients, few steps, and be a complete meal in one or two pots.  

Easy recipes with few ingredients are the gold standard for simplicity. For a recipe to be effortless, you want it to feel familiar, not require special trips to the supermarket, and not require that you slice, dice, peel, and blend loads of different elements! Additionally, genuinely simple recipes don’t have countless steps. Instead, they come together quickly, with easy instructions that won’t send you into a chaotic frenzy. Lastly, a straightforward recipe doesn’t require a sinkful of dirty dishes. The best way to avoid this is by starting with a delicious, versatile base grain. Ingredients that can be turned into myriad dishes—from porridge to salad bowls, casseroles, and desserts—they add texture, flavor, and heft to any recipe.  

The Handful of Familiar Ingredients to Keep on Hand 

A thoughtfully stocked pantry is the best way to kickstart dinner. Why? Having certain ingredients on hand makes it easy to build flavor quickly. Easy dinner recipes are a breeze to put together when you have these at the ready: 

• A selection of RiceSelect® grains. Always having rice, couscous, quinoa, and orzo in the pantry means that you’re halfway to many memorable meals. Not only do they cook in minutes, but they’re also reliable, hands-off, and can take any dish from workaday to wow! 
• Aromatics, including onions, garlic, ginger and celery, should always have a spot in your crisper drawer. Sauté them for depth in any savory dish.  
• Fats, such as butter, olive oil and coconut oil, have many uses, and are key when sautéing, frying and building flavor.  
• Stock a vegetarian protein, such as legumes or tofu, alongside quick-cooking chicken, ground beef, or pork cutlets.  
• Dried spices add instant intrigue to dishes. Release their aroma by sautéing them with your aromatics.  

Easy Weeknight Dinners 

Introduce weekend flavors into your weeknights with these low-effort options. Dishes that can be adapted to use ingredients that you have on hand; these are requisite recipes for any home chef.  

Classic Italian Risotto 

Among our favorite dinner ideas with rice, this RiceSelect® Arborio Rice dish ranks near the top. Though risotto has a reputation of being tricky to make, this simple version makes it possible in just 35 minutes. Plush and savory, flavored with aromatics, white wine, and a generous flurry of Parmesan cheese, this is classic comfort food with an international twist.  

Creamy Risotto 

If you can chop and stir, you can make this weeknight-friendly RiceSelect® Arborio Rice dish. Inspired by the classic Northern Italian recipe, this version includes broth, butter, onion, and wine, with parmesan for added flavor. A glug of heavy cream, plus the natural starch from the rice, gives this recipe an ultra-rich mouthfeel

Classic Pumpkin Risotto 

A must-try during the back-to-school season, this riff on classic risotto is rich with the flavors of fall. A variation you can add to your repertoire once you’ve mastered making traditional risotto, this vegetarian dish calls for puréed pumpkin and nutritional yeast for an earthy, sweet, and savory bite.  

Green Chili Rice Casserole 

Looking for rice recipes easy enough for your busiest days? This dump-and-bake RiceSelect® Texmati Rice casserole is one of our faves! Ready in 30 minutes, it’s a warming combination of just five ingredients—rice, green chilies, Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, and salt! A hands-off option that can feed a crowd, this dish can also be reheated for lunch the following day.   

Easy Sides and Shareable Bites 

Beyond the main event, many cooks crave simple sides that can round out a delicious meal. Grain-based beauties that can be shared at a potluck, toted to work or school, or served alongside a main, these sides are impossible to ignore.  

Rice and Veggies Muffins 

Handheld sustenance that’s great for kids, these RiceSelect® Jasmine Rice muffins turn an omelet into a portable must-have. Offer these in the morning, as a snack, or as part of a breakfast-for-dinner spread, and nobody will complain. Have leftover rice or vegetables on hand? Use them in this versatile recipe. 

Texmati® Rice Fritters 

A side dish so popular that it tends to steal the spotlight, these golden, crispy RiceSelect® Texmati Rice fritters are a welcome addition to any menu. Though we recommend a side of salsa, guacamole, or hummus, these would also be delicious topped with sour cream, dipped into ponzu, or eaten with your favorite soup.  

Jasmati® Cheese and Onion Quick Bread 

Warm, fresh-from-the-oven bread is one of life’s simplest pleasures! Delight the family with this cheesy, 25-minute version. One of our most popular simple side dishes, it’s made from an effortless blend of biscuit mix, RiceSelect® Jasmati Rice, and oodles of cheddar cheese. Serve this with soup, salad, chili, or your family’s favorite comfort food.  

Sweet Treats, Kept Simple 

Think you don’t have time to make dessert? Think again! Armed with RiceSelect® grains and these no-stress ideas, you can wow the family with a sweet finale. 

Cinnamon Rice Fritters 

Dinner isn’t over yet! Grab that box of RiceSelect® Jasmati Rice and whip up these tantalizing, cinnamon-scented sweets. A recipe that can satisfy a roomful of dessert lovers, this one can be served with an array of sweet dips—from jam and honey to chocolate sauce and dulce de leche.  

No-Bake Peanut Butter Quinoa Cookies 

A no-cook recipe that can be made on a whim, this one means that you’re only ever 30 minutes away from sweet satisfaction. Made with pantry ingredients—such as RiceSelect® White Quinoa, peanut butter, coconut oil and honey—these chewy treats firm up in the fridge in minutes. Serve these to the family or guests, or freeze these tasty tidbits for future use.  

Make It Your Signature: One Grain, Endless Easy Dishes 

Learn how to build simple recipes, and you can cook a vast number of meals with ease. Ingredients that you can add to recipes, use interchangeably, and reach for throughout the day: RiceSelect® grains make every meal delicious and stress-free. For more inspiration, browse the RiceSelect® recipe database.