VegKitchen readers love brown rice for its versatility, and its superior nutrition profile as compared to white rice. And while there are more whole grains to choose from today — quinoa, farro, spelt, and others — brown rice seems to hold its own as a favorite staple. It’s inexpensive (especially bought in bulk) and so versatile. Here are some of our best brown rice recipes — healthy, easy, and of course, vegan. If you’d like even more, see our extensive list of brown rice recipes.
Colorful and luscious, Thai Pineapple Stir-Fried Rice (at top) can be made easily at home, using brown rice, pineapple, and veggies like broccoli, bell peppers, and carrots.
Reading: brown rice vegetarian main dish recipe
Chinese-Style Vegetable Stir-Fried Rice is an easy and tasty side dish to serve with Asian-style vegetable and tofu dishes. It’s a great way to use up leftover brown rice, too.
Rice and Noodle Pilaf makes for a simple and tasty side dish. Serve with plenty of green veggies, and a salad to which you add chickpeas or other beans, for a simple dinner menu.
What’s not to love about black beans and rice? Cuban Brown Rice Bowl with Sweet Plantains makes a simple and satisfying main dish.
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You can use any kind of brown rice in Rice-Stuffed Delicata Squashes, though I highly recommend using an exotic brown rice blend for more flavor. Exotic doesn’t mean hard to find — you’ll find rice blends in the supermarket, as well as natural foods stores.
Here’s a simple brown rice dish that incorporates lots of fresh spinach. Using organic baby spinach is convenient for Simple Spinach and Dill Rice, because it’s already cleaned and ready to go (though I usually give it a good rinse nonetheless). Scallions, fresh dill, and lemon juice add the finishing touch.
Gingery Rice with Sweet Potatoes and Peas may sound like an offbeat combination, but really, it works! It’s like sunshine on the dinner plate. You can also substitute quinoa or any other favorite grain for the rice. Serve with a simple tofu, tempeh, or bean dish and a salad.
Italian-Style Rice and Peas is a tasty and comforting combination rice and green peas is inspired by the Italian classic risi e bisi. Serve as a side dish with bean dishes or bean salads.
Jamaican Red Beans and Rice is an easy version of a traditional Jamaican dish that is often simply referred to as “rice and peas” (though the “peas” are actually small red beans).
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Once you have some rice cooked, this sturdy, aromatic Cauliflower Pice Pilaf comes together quickly. For a nice meal, serve with Lentils with Greens and Sun-Dried Tomatoes and a simple salad.
Spicy bits of vegan sausage lend an authentic flair to this simple Vegan Jambalaya, a meatless take on a Creole-Cajun classic.
Despite the “throw-everything-into-the-pot” simplicity of this Okra-Rice Soup, the result is a wonderfully complex blend of flavors and textures. Thanks mainly to the unique character of okra, it’s a lot like a gumbo.
Want more? 
If you’d like to make more use of brown rice, and want easy, tasty recipes right at your fingertips, consider our Tasty, Easy Brown Rice Recipes pdf e-book, part of our affordable e-book series. With 30 of our most popular recipes and 20 full-color photos, you can print out this concise guide or view it right on your computer.
Cooking with Brown Rice now available on Kindle
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