How To Amp Up The Flavor Of Brown Rice And Take It From Bland To Bold

Poor brown rice has developed something of a bad reputation for being bland and boring. Perhaps it's the association with healthy foods that has led people to believe that it can't be tasty, or the fact that it has a denser texture that can make it less likely to soak up the other flavors in your dish. Brown rice actually has more flavor than plain white rice, but it's a nutty earthiness that can easily overpower other tastes and makes it less of a blank canvas for your meal.

By adding extra seasoning and ingredients to balance out the brown rice flavor, you'll create a side that complements rather than competes with your meal, or a dish that's worthy of being the main event. We have tips for every stage of the cooking process, so regardless of what you plan to do with your brown rice, you'll find a way to make it tastier.

There are a few good reasons to soak your brown rice. The first is that it speeds up the cooking time (a common complaint when making brown rice), and it can also make the rice more digestible. But soaking also plays a factor when it comes flavor. By softening the rice before it starts cooking, it is able to absorb more of any flavors that you add to the pot.

Start by rinsing your rice. Although it's not as important for brown rice as it is for other types, it will remove any dust or impurities. Then, add the rice to a bowl with fresh cold water and soak for 8 hours or, ideally, overnight, then drain the soaking water before cooking as normal. If you haven't planned enough time to soak overnight, even a small amount of soaking time will help soften your rice. Cover with hot water rather than cold and leave to sit for 30 minutes.

Despite brown rice having a reputation for being bland, it does have a naturally nutty flavor. Depending on how you serve it, this taste might be overwhelmed by other flavors, but you can really amp it up by toasting the rice first. Just as with nuts or spices, toasting rice helps to intensify the flavor and aroma through the Maillard reaction.

If you have opted to soak your rice, you will need to make sure that it's well drained before attempting this step. With the pan over medium heat, add your rice and toast for three to five minutes. You'll need to keep a close eye on it and stir as you go to avoid burning. You can do this in a dry pan for nutty notes or take a tip from Alton Brown and saute in butter or oil for added richness. Once your rice has reached the perfect toastiness, you can add your cooking liquid.

When it comes to building flavor in your brown rice dish, the earlier you can do this in the cooking process, the better. And if you're toasting your rice as we recommend above, it's barely an extra step and is more just a matter of having your extra ingredients prepped. Sweat your vegetables like onion and garlic lightly before adding your rice, which will then pick up all the flavors of that aromatic oil. Now is also a good time to add any dried spices, like paprika, cumin, coriander, or turmeric.

You'll see this technique used in one-pot rice dishes, like this French Onion Rice, but there's no reason why you can't use it to cook your "plain" side of rice. Not only will it add flavor, but if your aromatics include any vegetables, such as leeks or celery, you'll also be adding variations in texture that will stop your brown rice from seeming bland.

Time for a quick science lesson. While you might know that you can cook rice by boiling it in water, what most people have probably never considered is how this works. Rice (and other starches) soften through a process known as gelatinization, in which the starch granules absorb water that breaks down their crystalline structure. The takeaway from this is that whatever liquid you cook your rice in is going to end up inside the cell walls, so it's your chance to inject flavor directly into the grains.

Cooking in vegetable stock or broth is the simplest way to add a neutral flavor that will pair with most dishes and can be given more depth with a splash of beer or white wine. This is a good technique to use when you have a recipe that calls for adding pre-cooked plain rice, such as these Vegan Stuffed Pumpkins. If you're serving rice as a side, you can really get imaginative when it comes to your cooking liquid and choose options to suit the style of your main. Replacing half the water with coconut milk will give you a rich and creamy bowl of rice, while this recipe for Mexican Rice makes use of pureed tomato in the cooking liquid.

This might seem a bit repetitive after a suggestion to cook in flavorful liquid, but you're not always going to have stock on hand. In that case, you can still develop plenty of flavor by working with what you have in your pantry. If all you have is water for boiling your rice, add a good pinch of salt, then turn to the spice rack for inspiration.

Dried herbs will do wonders for a pot of rice, infusing the water with their aroma and taste. Softer dried herbs like oregano, basil, or dill will almost dissolve into the rice, while thyme or rosemary will add some texture. If you want the flavor without the bits, try a bouquet garni. If you have herbs and string (or a spice bag) it's easy enough to make at home and have ready to drop into your cooking water like a herb teabag. Dried spices are generally best added to hot oil first, where they can bloom to release more flavor and get rid of any raw taste. However, onion powder and garlic powder can be added directly to the cooking water for a quick and easy way to enhance the taste of your brown rice.

Even if you've followed these tips for adding flavor to your rice during cooking, you still have the chance to make your dish pop when it comes to serving it up. Brown rice will hold up well to even the strongest of flavors without being overwhelmed, so consider bold sauces like flavorful homemade chile paste or punchy toppings like chopped pickled vegetables. This Cajun Tofu Bowl covers rice in a sweet and sour maple vinaigrette, while this Brown Rice Salad uses pickled mushrooms along with an umami miso dressing.

If you're worried about too many flavors that might clash with the other elements of your dish, consider using some of the same ingredients from your recipe. For example, if you planned to use chopped parsley or furikake seasoning as a garnish, try stirring this through the rice instead of just sprinkling it on top for a burst of flavor in every mouthful.