Meatless Monday Roundup: 4 Brown Rice Recipes

kimchi fried rice

This week, we’re setting our Meatless Monday table with one of our favorite grains: brown rice. Naturally gluten-free, nutty and flavorful, this grain can be cooked up in so many different ways. We’ve scoured the web for four very different yet equally delicious brown rice recipes for Meatless Monday.

The only disadvantage of preparing brown rice on Meatless Monday is that it can take quite a bit longer to cook than white rice. Some of these recipes allow you to plan ahead and cook the rice portion of the dish the night before, for an even easier Meatless Monday meal.

This Meatless Monday dish is perfect for using up leftover cooked brown rice. Fried rice came about as a tasty way to use up leftovers, and this Korean-inspired fried rice concoction is no exception. Flavorful fermented kimchi gets cooked up with a few veggies, soy sauce and cooked rice. Topped with a runny cooked egg, this dish is packed with flavor and color.

Image from Flickr, thebittenword.com, CC BY 2.0

If you’ve never tried brown rice risotto, you’re in for a treat. Brown rice’s token nutty sweetness is further highlighted by sweet winter squash and nutty Parmesan cheese — the perfect pairing. While this risotto won’t exactly achieve the same creaminess as more traditional arborio risottos, the acorn squash does do quite a bit to add texture and richness to this vegetarian main.

arroz caldo

Image: Ernesto Andrado

Arroz caldo is a traditional Filipino rice pudding that’s somewhat similar to Chinese congee. While most arroz caldos are made with chicken, this version is completely vegetarian, save the fish sauce, which you can always swap out for a vegan fish sauce substitute if you prefer. Because the recipe itself is so simple, the trick to making arroz caldo a special treat is in the toppings. Try fried garlic chips, green onion, boiled or fried eggs, or even limes. You can also add some vegetables in the form of raw or lightly steamed Napa cabbage or kale.

Images by Kimberley Stakal

Image: Kimberley Stakal

This tasty recipe couldn’t be simpler — with only 6 ingredients, it’s the perfect recipe for a quick, tasty Meatless Monday dinner. The bowl has almost equal proportions of veggies to rice, making it filling, flavorful, colorful, and oh-so healthy. Almonds and edamame add a protein-packed punch, making this a great meal post-workout or even ideal to pack in your lunchbox for a midday boost.

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Top image: sharonang

Emily Monaco is a food and culture writer based in Paris. Her work has been featured in the Wall... More about Emily Monaco

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