I used to think black rice was just for fancy restaurant bowls, but oh, was I wrong. Today I'm sharing 19 recipes that turn this once royal grain into everything from cozy puddings to showstopping salads. Trust me, your weeknight dinner lineup is about to feel much more majestic.
1. Baked Orange Cauliflower + Forbidden Rice
Orange and cauliflower might seem like a peculiar pair, but oh boy, do they work beautifully together. This is a vegan spin on classic orange chicken, swapping the meat for broccoli florets. Together, the black rice, cauliflower, and bright orange sauce create a glorious vegetarian dish loaded with sweet, nutty, tangy, and earthy flavors.
2. Black Rice Salad with Tomatoes and Basil
I'm completely in love with this Mediterranean makeover on an Asian staple. Black rice gets tossed with sweet cherry tomatoes, fragrant basil, red onion, pine nuts, and little pearls of mozzarella.
The hearty grains and refreshing produce create a beautiful balance that feels light yet wonderfully filling. It's my kind of summer salad.
3. Black Rice Salad with Spicy Toasted Sesame Dressing
Rice in a salad? I know, I was skeptical too, but this one completely changed my mind.
Forbidden rice meets roasted red peppers, crisp cucumber, crunchy almonds, and a fragrant handful of mint and cilantro. I toss the whole thing in a sweet, tangy, and umami rich Asian dressing with a spicy toasted sesame kick. Believe me, it's the kind of dish that gets requested at every gathering.
4. Indonesian Black Rice Pudding
I could happily start my day with this sweet and hearty Indonesian black rice pudding every single morning. It's so filling, I stay charged all the way until lunch without even thinking about a snack.
The black rice gently simmers in coconut milk and coconut sugar, bringing out its toasty nuttiness in the most comforting way. Honestly, it's like a warm hug in a bowl.
5. Easy Chicken Black Rice Bowl
This bowl is brimming with black rice, fresh greens, and chicken glazed in a sticky soy and honey sauce, all drizzled with a creamy cashew tahini sauce. It's so delectable and filling, I keep forgetting how incredibly nutritious it actually is. Gluten free and dairy free too, it's honestly a total weeknight win.
6. Black Rice & Sweet Potato Salad
I'll be honest, I never once thought to pair black rice with sweet potato until I stumbled onto this recipe. And wow, was I pleasantly surprised.
Creamy slices of avocado and salty crumbles of feta join the mix, adding these lovely creamy and tangy moments throughout. Now it's a combination I crave all the time.
7. Sweet Potato & Forbidden Rice Power Bowls With Miso Tahini
The colors in this bowl are so stunning I almost don't want to mess it up with my fork, but I always do. I pile on sweet potatoes, broccoli, edamame, purple cabbage, green onions, hemp seeds, and a generous scoop of black rice.
Every single bite gives you a new mix of flavors and textures plus a serious nutrition boost. And just when you think it can't get better, a creamy miso tahini drizzle swoops in to tie it all together.
8. Black and Orange Forbidden Rice with Acorn Squash and Pecans
Forbidden rice meets roasted acorn squash and toasty pecans in this hearty vegetarian dish. Despite those Halloween colors, I'd happily eat it any month of the year.
The wonderful mix of sweet, salty, and earthy flavors makes it a delight for vegetarians and devoted carnivores alike. It's a crowd pleaser through and through.
9. Black Rice Sushi Rolls
I bet you never thought sushi could look this dramatic. While this definitely isn't a recipe for traditional sushi, it's an absolute knockout.
That deep, glossy black hue against the bright fillings makes the whole platter look so stunning. I just love how it brings a little wow factor to the table.
10. Mango and Avocado Noodle Salad with Puffed Black Rice
Black rice may not be the main act here, but oh my, does it bring the pizzazz. Silky Thai rice noodles tangle with juicy mango, creamy avocado, and a savory, tangy lime miso dressing.
That combo alone is already dreamy, but then little pops of puffed black rice come through and make every forkful wildly intriguing. I can't get enough of the crunch.
11. Soy-Ginger Glazed Salmon with Black Rice
This simple dish of salmon and black rice never, ever lets me down. Fatty grilled salmon gets a glossy coat of soy ginger glaze and rests on a perfectly tender bed of black rice.
It's a no frills, basic plate that just always hits the spot. Sometimes the simplest things are the best.
12. Black Fried Rice with Snap Peas, Hemp Seeds, and Scallions
Fried rice just became my new favorite healthy indulgence. I toss black rice into a sizzling pan with carrots, snap peas, eggs, hemp seeds, and scallions.
Then ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and a squirt of sriracha jump in, bringing that salty, savory, sweet, and spicy magic. It's a colorful stir fry that feels good and tastes even better.
13. Black Rice Bowl with Crispy Tofu
Calling all my plant based friends, this colorful bowl is pure joy. We've got a base of black rice topped with golden, crispy tofu, crunchy Asian slaw, tender broccoli, and chopped green onions. And if that lineup already sounds amazing, just wait until you taste the wonderfully nutty, chewy black rice tying it all together.
14. Black Rice Risotto with Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions
This black rice risotto is where Eastern and Western flavors do a gorgeous little tango. Black rice has that naturally sticky, chewy texture, so it creates the most incredible risotto without any fuss.
Mushrooms and deeply golden caramelized onions bring an earthy sweetness that plays beautifully off the grain. My taste buds are having the time of their lives with this one.
15. Black Rice Tabbouleh with Chickpeas Feta and Pistachios
If you're new to tabbouleh, it's a bright Levantine salad built with finely chopped parsley, tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, chickpeas, feta, and a generous olive oil dressing. Traditionally it uses bulgur, but here we're swapping in beautiful black rice. It brings this nutty, chewy personality that I find completely irresistible.
16. Greek Black Rice Caprese Salad
Wrapping up the list is this colorful salad that mashes up the best of Asian and Greek flavors. Black rice gets piled high with fresh basil, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, briny olives, and creamy mozzarella, all drizzled with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette. It's a refreshing side dish that will absolutely be the first to vanish at your next summer picnic or potluck.
17. Vegan Burritos with Black Rice and Lentils
I never, ever get tired of burritos, and these vegan ones have stolen my heart. Stuffed with black rice, lentils, chickpeas, corn kernels, and green peas, they're so loaded you won't miss the meat one bit. In fact, I'm pretty sure even the biggest carnivores at the table will be asking for seconds.
18. Black Rice and Spinach Salad
Black rice and spinach might not sound super exciting, but as I always say, don't knock it till you try it. Juicy strawberries, sweet blueberries, and crunchy pistachios come charging in to liven everything right up.
This salad is fresh, hearty, and honestly, far from boring. I love how much flavor it packs.
19. Thai Curry With Black Rice
Why not give classic curry a gorgeous black rice twist? A medley of colorful vegetables bathes in a thick, creamy curry sauce infused with coconut milk, turmeric, soy sauce, and garlic. The vegetarian curry is definitely the main event, but I think the chewy black rice underneath makes the whole bowl extra special.