Cheap Rice Dinners

Start with the rice you already have, then choose a recipe that suits it. Prawn Egg Fried Rice is a useful route for properly stored leftover rice; Mujadara (Lentils, Rice & Crispy Onions) is a better choice when you want to cook rice with lentils from scratch. Check the rice type and preparation in the recipe before putting a pan on.

For a solo dinner, portion Mujadara (Lentils, Rice & Crispy Onions) before storing it, so tomorrow’s serving stays separate. For two, Gemista (Greek Stuffed Vegetables) offers a meal-prep option if you want to cook once and set aside another dinner. Both carry our meal-prep tag; choose the hob for the lentils and rice or allow oven time for the stuffed vegetables.

For a family table, start with Prawn Egg Fried Rice or Chinese Tomato & Egg Stir-Fry: both are mild, beginner-level recipes tagged as family favourites. In the fried rice, use frozen peas rather than fresh, or replace spring onions with a little finely chopped onion. Add the onion earlier so it softens rather than leaving a sharp bite.

For mixed diets, Weeknight Chana Masala provides a vegan, gluten-free base to serve with rice. Put any non-vegan extras in separate serving bowls rather than stirring them into the chickpeas. Tinned and dried chickpeas need different preparation, so check which the recipe uses before starting. The verified diet tags describe the original recipe, not every possible version after swaps.

Give leftover rice its own plan before making fried rice tomorrow. Cool cooked rice quickly, ideally within an hour, refrigerate it promptly and use it within 24 hours. Reheat rice only once, until steaming hot throughout. Rice that has been sitting on the hob all evening is not a suitable shortcut for this collection’s leftover-rice dinners.