Countries all over the world consider rice a pantry staple. Not only is rice cheap and filling, but its neutral taste also serves as a blank canvas for all sorts of sweet and savory dishes. Whether you're trying to avoid white rice for health reasons or your pantry supply has run out, here are eight rice alternatives to consider.
Cauliflower
A cup of cauliflower rice has 25 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates compared to brown rice's 216 calories and 45 grams of carbs. Pulse raw cauliflower in a food processor until it reaches a texture similar to rice. You can also buy cauliflower rice bagged fresh or frozen.
Wild rice
Wild rice has fewer calories and carbs with almost double the protein. And if you need to add more fiber to your diet, wild rice packs about 10 grams of fiber per cup. The firm grain takes more water and time to cook, so expect a 45-minute wait.
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Barley looks more like oats than rice, but it's a wheat grain similar in calories to white rice, with a chewy, nutty flavor. The only difference healthwise is that it's got more protein and fiber. It may be known to star in soup recipes, but it works great as a risotto substitute.
Brown rice
Unlike white rice, which is processed to remove the grain's outer layers, brown rice is a whole grain with all the nutritious parts intact (minus the inedible hull). Brown rice is a bit nutty and chewy but has 25% more protein and six times the fiber than white rice. It takes a bit longer to cook brown rice -- about 40 minutes versus 20 minutes for white rice.
Quinoa
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) covers all the bases for a healthy rice alternative. The tiny, cereal-like rice substitute is the seeds of a plant in the amaranth family. Quinoa has nearly double the protein and almost nine times the fiber of white rice. Expect a slightly nutty flavor but nothing too overpowering for your dishes. Quinoa cooks in about 15 minutes.
Bulgur
Bulgur is a cooked, dried and cracked whole wheat kernel popular in Middle Eastern cuisine. The rice substitute is very similar in texture to white rice but with 25% fewer calories and carbs. Bulgur is also another rice swap with a healthier dose of fiber.
Farro
A chewier grain among the list, farro is a protein-rich and fiber-filled rice alternative. The whole-grain wheat product also is nuttier in flavor. It takes about 30 minutes to cook in boiling water. Try it as a rice substitute in stuffed peppers or a hearty stew.
Chickpea rice
Chickpeas are utilized as a plant-based protein. This rice alternative contains 11 grams of protein per serving (brown rice has 3 grams). It has a similar texture to orzo pasta, with a neutral taste. It also cooks super fast, needing about 5 minutes in boiling water.
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