Breakfast, the American way, is often a hearty stack of pancakes with scrambled eggs, bacon, or sausages.
But travel across the globe to Asia (or just visit an Asian friend’s home, lol), and you’ll find that most Asians have the same staple in their breakfast plates: rice.
Of course, how rice is typically cooked between cultures varies. So, even Asians don’t always use the same rice variety.
However, after sampling breakfasts with rice from all over the world for over a decade, I finally found the best rice for breakfast to start the day just right.
Choosing Rice for Breakfast: The Type of Dish Matters
Before I name the winners of this rice-for-breakfast list, you must remember that not everyone uses rice for breakfast the same way.
In countries like Japan, China, and South Korea, for example, rice is often served plain for breakfast, accompanied by side dishes.
People in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, however, typically prefer fried rice for breakfast.
And, in Hawaii, Loco Moco, a local-style meal with a burger patty stacked over rice, is the popular rice breakfast food.
Of course, it’s impossible to find the single best rice for all the breakfast dishes in the world.
But if my hunch is right, you’ll either be cooking plain or fried rice the next morning, so let me prioritize those two kinds of rice preparations for the list below!
Winning Rice Variety for Breakfast
Whether you want to eat plain rice with a side dish or cook a one-bowl fried rice for breakast, this rice will give the best mouthful taste, texture, and aroma.
Jasmine Rice
I love to think of Jasmine rice as the all-rounder rice variety.
It works well in a wide range of dishes and tastes incredibly good even when eaten plain with side dishes, too.
Reasons to use Jasmine rice for breakfast
Tender Yet Firm: Jasmine rice has a tender texture, which makes eating rice more enjoyable for most people. Yet, it’s still firm enough to withstand high heat when cooking fried rice or stir-frying.
Mild Flavor: When using Jasmine rice, you won’t risk overpowering the flavors of other ingredients in your dish. Jasmine rice’s flavor is so subtle that you may use it for both sweet and savory rice dishes.
Fast Cooking Time: Breakfast is typically one of the most rushed meals of the day. The last thing you want is to wake up late and still have to wait an entire hour for your rice to be cooked. Luckily, Jasmine rice is one of the fastest rice varieties to cook.
Go-to Runner-ups
Jasmine rice won’t always be available. Or it may not be your top choice due to health reasons.
In those cases, let me recommend two other rice varieties for your breakfast meal.
American Long-Grain Rice
American long-grain rice has a similar structure, texture, and cooking time to Jasmine rice.
I sometimes use this variety over the crowned winner when I need that extra level of “neutral taste” it offers (to not overpower other flavors or aromas, for example).
Or if I have guests who don’t want their plain rice to have any distinct smell due to preferences or sensory sensitivities.
Brown Rice
This one’s my go-to healthier choice when cooking rice for breakfast.
Some say that this variety is too chewy, but I actually love its firmer-than-usual texture when used for dishes like stir-fry.
The longer cooking time can be quite inconvenient, though.
But the good thing about brown rice is that it reheats extremely well! Meaning you can cook it days in advance, freeze it, and then, reheat, with no problem.
Rice is A-Okay For Breakfast
When I say I eat rice for breakfast, lots of people (hi, Westerners) look at me weirdly.
They often say something along the lines of:
“Hey, isn’t that too heavy to be your first meal of the day?”
But billions of people do this daily.
And for them, including me, rice has always been one of the healthiest ways to jumpstart the day. Provided, of course, that you maintain balance with your other nutrient intake and activities.
Easy 5-Ingredient Fried Rice For Breakfast
The perfect way to transform that day-old rice into a nutritious first meal of the day.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil (or butter)
- 2 cups of cooled-down rice (day-old or left in the fridge overnight)
- Two large eggs (whisked)
- 3 green onions (thinly sliced)
- 4 teaspoons of soy sauce
Instructions
- Over medium-high heat, let the oil heat up on a large skillet.
- Lay the rice flat on the skillet. Let the bottom crisp up for about 2 or 3 minutes.
- Then, stir the rice around for the same duration.
- Pour the whisked egg into the crisped-up rice. Stir until it’s well combined, which usually takes a minute or two.
- Turn off the heat and top off the cooked rice with soy sauce.
- Mix the rice for a couple of seconds and garnish the green onions on top (your preferred amount).
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