Simple Asian Rice

Easy to make and versatile, this rice recipe is one you’ll never get tired of; it makes the perfect accompaniment to any Asian inspired meal.

Simple Asian Rice

With just a few minutes of extra effort, you can transform your favorite Asian dishes into a complete meal. Enjoy Asian rice with Asian Steak Bites or Honey Soy Chicken for a meal that’s better than take-out.

Salty and savory, this rice is a perfect pairing for Sticky Asian Chicken or any of these stir fry recipes. I served this rice with the Chinese Vegetable Stir Fry last week – you know, the vegetable one that is also loaded with chicken and bacon.

With or without the optional peas, this bowl of rice was declared two thumbs up by all of my boys. My youngest emptied his bowl twice and still asked for more.

Asian Rice Recipe

I discovered this way of making rice when I was looking for something a little more flavorful than a plain bowl of white rice to serve with dinner. We eat quite a bit of Asian food around here, so rice is a staple.

Of course, I love rice with lots of things in it, like this Shrimp and Vegetable Fried Rice and this Mushroom and Pepper Rice Pilaf. But sometimes you need a side dish that’s going to be tasty enough to stand on its own without taking all the attention away from the main dish.

This simple Asian rice is cooked in chicken stock to impart every grain with savory flavor. After cooking, you season the rice with soy sauce, sesame oil. Thinly sliced green onions are sprinkled on top to finish this side dish.

How to Make Asian Rice

To make Asian rice, bring jasmine rice and chicken stock to a boil in a large saucepan or skillet. Cover and simmer for about 18 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed.

Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil over the rice, then toss to coat. If you don’t have sesame oil, peanut oil or other vegetable oils will do. However, the sesame oil really does add the best flavor in my opinion.

The first time I made this, I also added frozen peas after the soy sauce and let the heat of the rice cook them through for a couple of minutes.

We all really enjoyed the flavor and color the peas added but they are completely optional. Feel free to leave them out if your family doesn’t love peas!
I like to serve the rice topped with sliced green onions.

Love Asian rice? Try this Pineapple Rice with Cilantro and Lime and this Fried Rice with Ham and Vegetables next! This Cauliflower Asian Rice looks like a great spin on this idea, whether you need a low-carb side or just love cauliflower.

Rice Recipes

Looking for the perfect rice to serve with a Mexican meal? We love Chipotle Lime Rice and Spanish Rice with our tacos, burritos, and enchiladas. Italian Herb Rice goes well with just about any entree and Turmeric Butter Rice is heavenly with Indian Chicken Bites.

I love the freshness cilantro adds to rice, so I’m looking forward to giving Foodie With Family’s Scallion Cilantro Rice a try too.

{originally published 9/28/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 4/29/20}