Tired of plain white rice? Try carrot rice! Made by boiling rice with grated carrots and seasoning, it's a simple twist on the traditional side dish, and a great way to add extra vegetables to your meal.
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Not sure how to use those two lone carrots in the bottom of your refrigerator? Add them to your rice! This colorful dish is perfect for sneaking extra veggies into your dinner, and it tastes fantastic.
I love adding extra ingredients to my rice, and shredded vegetables are my new favorite. It not only adds fiber and flavor to the dish, but it also improves the texture significantly.
Check out our collection of rice recipes for more delicious side dishes!
Ingredients
To make the best simple carrot rice, you will need long grain rice. I use Basmati, but Jasmine rice or other types could also work.
You will also need water, carrots, onion, garlic, ginger, ground cardamom (optional), a bay leaf, olive oil and salt. You can buy shredded carrots, or shred them yourself. I like to use a fine grater for this purpose.
If you want to add extra flavor to the dish, you can boil it in vegetable broth instead of water, or add a stock cube to the rice.
Instructions
Heat up the oil in a pot, and add finely diced onions. Sauté for a few minutes until soft and translucent, then add grated or finely diced ginger and garlic along with the cardamom and bay leaf. Sauté for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
Add grated carrots and dry rice, and stir to combine the ingredients before adding the water. Cover with a lid, and bring the rice to a boil.
After boiling for about a minute, remove the pot from the heat and leave it covered. The steam and heat in the pot will continue to cook the rice. After about 10-15 minutes, or when all the water is absorbed, the rice is ready to serve.
Top tips
Here is my best advice to succeed with this recipe:
- Leave the lid on the rice while it cooks and rests. This will keep the steam and heat inside the pot, which is important for the rice to cook through completely.
- Fluff the rice with a fork when it finishes cooking. This will make it light and airy.
Serving suggestions
Carrot rice is best served as a side dish, paired with a flavorful main course. You can serve rice with almost any entree, but here are some excellent suggestions that I love to serve it with:
- Balsamic maple glazed salmon
- Air fryer pork belly
- Chickpea and lentil curry
- Fajita stuffed chicken
- Lemon pepper chicken breast
Variations
You can change this recipe to better suit your preferences by omitting, adding or substituting ingredients as you please. Here are some popular variations:
Change seasoning: You can replace the ground cardamom with cumin or paprika, or omit it altogether for a slightly different flavor profile.
Use other liquids: Instead of cooking the rice in water, you could boil it with vegetable broth, chicken broth or even coconut water or coconut milk.
Leftovers
Leftover carrot rice stores well in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep it in a sealed container, and reheat it in a pot or microwave before serving.
The rice can be served as a side dish in future meals, or added to other dishes, such as fried rice, casseroles and more.
Frequently asked questions
Jasmine rice or other types of long grain rice can be used as a substitute for Basmati rice. Keep in mind that other types of rice could have different flavors and cooking times.
Absolutely. Feel free to use store bought shredded carrots if you prefer.
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Recipe
Carrot Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati rice (185 g)
- 2 cups water (450 ml)
- 2 carrots, grated
- 1 small onion
- 1 garlic cloves
- 1 thumb sized ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Heat up the oil in a pot, and add finely diced onions. Sauté for a few minutes until soft and translucent, then add grated or finely diced ginger and garlic along with the cardamom and bay leaf. Sauté for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Add grated carrots and dry rice, and stir to combine the ingredients before adding the water. Cover with a lid, and bring the rice to a boil.
- After boiling for about a minute, remove the pot from the heat and leave it covered. The steam and heat in the pot will continue to cook the rice. After about 10-15 minutes, or when all the water is absorbed, the rice is ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Leave the lid on the rice while it cooks and rests. This will keep the steam and heat inside the pot, which is important for the rice to cook through completely.
- Fluff the rice with a fork when it finishes cooking. This will make it light and airy.
- Leftover carrot rice stores well in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep it in a sealed container, and reheat it in a pot or microwave before serving.
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