If you’ve hit your limit with potatoes, give rice the spotlight for dinner. It’s quick, versatile, and works with whatever you’ve got in the fridge. These recipes put rice front and center, making dinner easy and anything but boring. From stir-fries to hearty bowls, this list proves you don’t need potatoes to pull off a great meal.
Greek Brown Rice Bowls
Packed with lamb, feta, cucumbers, and pickled onions, these bowls are a great way to make rice the star of your dinner. Perfect for when you’re over potatoes but still want something filling and flavorful.
Get the Recipe: Greek Brown Rice Bowls
Spicy Beef and Red Pepper Rice Bowl
This rice bowl comes together fast with spicy beef, red peppers, and a runny egg on top. It’s perfect for a quick dinner that hits all the right notes.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Beef and Red Pepper Rice Bowl
Tofu Fried Rice
Tofu fried rice is the go-to meal for cleaning out your fridge. Toss in whatever veggies you have, and you’ve got an easy, great dinner without a single potato in sight.
Get the Recipe: Tofu Fried Rice
Pineapple Fried Rice
Sweet pineapple meets savory rice and veggies in this dish packed with Thai-inspired flavors. It’s light, quick to make, and a perfect break from heavy sides.
Get the Recipe: Pineapple Fried Rice
Spicy Collard Greens and Rice
Lemon and brown rice pair perfectly with spicy collard greens for a simple side or complete meal. Great for when you want something fresh but satisfying.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Collard Greens and Rice
Mexican Ground Beef Skillet
Taco seasoning brings the flavor in this one-pan rice dish with ground beef. It’s a fast, easy dinner you’ll want to make on repeat when you need something great in 30 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Ground Beef Skillet
Coconut Lime Baked Chicken
Crispy baked chicken paired with coconut-infused mango sticky rice turns dinner into something tropical and fresh. Rice lovers, this one’s for you.
Get the Recipe: Coconut Lime Baked Chicken
Instant Pot Coconut Pork
Juicy, aromatic pork cooked with spices like turmeric and ginger pairs perfectly with turmeric ginger rice. Quick to make and packed with bold flavors, it’s a perfect rice-forward dinner.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Coconut Pork
Creamy Mushroom Risotto
This dairy-free mushroom risotto is rich and packed with umami. Made with peas and plenty of flavor, it’s a great way to take rice from basic to brilliant.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Mushroom Risotto
Shaved Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Thinly sliced beef and broccoli stir-fried with a crave-worthy sauce make this a quick dinner to serve over rice. It’s faster than takeout and just as satisfying.
Get the Recipe: Shaved Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Bison Stuffed Peppers
Lean ground bison, veggies, and rice are packed into peppers and topped with melted cheese. A healthier, hearty dinner option that skips the potatoes and still fills you up.
Get the Recipe: Bison Stuffed Peppers
General Tso Shrimp
Sweet and slightly spicy, this shrimp dish cooks up in 10 minutes. Serve it over rice for a quick dinner that feels like your favorite takeout but made at home.
Get the Recipe: General Tso Shrimp
Air Fryer Salmon Bites
Garlic and ginger marinated salmon bites are air-fried to perfection and served with a flavorful dipping sauce. Pair with rice for an easy, great weeknight meal.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Salmon Bites
Tuna Sushi Bowl
This sushi bowl has everything you love—tuna, veggies, seaweed, and a spicy wasabi dressing. It’s a fun way to turn rice into a fresh, DIY dinner.
Get the Recipe: Tuna Sushi Bowl
Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Beef Bowls
Slow-cooked beef served with rice, beans, and peppers makes this a meal prep dream. It’s a great way to keep dinners simple while skipping the potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Beef Bowls
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
