When it comes to side dishes, they do not always have to be second best to the main meal. Your side dish can be your favorite part of dinner!
That's why we're excited to share the recipe for Creamy Parmesan Rice—a deliciously comforting dish that pairs perfectly with just about anything.
This dish is a delightful blend of creamy texture, cheesy richness, and subtle nuttiness. Whether you are looking for a delicious dish to bring to a potluck or wanting to switch up your average Tuesday dinner rice dish, this easy Creamy Parmesan Rice promises to be a new favorite.
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Key Ingredients For Creamy Parmesan Rice
Creamy Parmesan Rice is made with just a few simple ingredients, each playing a crucial role in creating its rich and indulgent flavor:
Rice
Rice plays a pivotal role in this dish, obviously because you can’t have creamy rice without rice! The rice chosen for this dish can have a large influence on the texture and flavor profile of the rice.
While many recipes opt for long-grain rice, we like to use a Japonica rice variety for this recipe, specifically Chico Rice Blonde Milled California Japonica Rice.
This variety of rice is a haiga-mai milled rice, boasting an impressive nutrient profile while still maintaining the light and fluffy texture characteristic of white rice.
It's truly the best of both worlds, as it effortlessly soaks up the creamy and cheesy flavors, enhancing the dish's deliciousness.
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Parmesan
The star of the show is undoubtedly Parmesan cheese, infusing the dish with its irresistible nutty and sharp savory taste that perfectly complements the creamy rice recipe.
To truly elevate the flavors of your Parmesan rice, we highly recommend freshly grating your Parmesan cheese. This may sound a little cheese snobbish but freshly grating your Parmesan cheese truly delivers a fresh flavor and aroma that simply can't be matched by pre-grated cheese.
Milk
Besides your delicious Parmesan cheese, another important component to this creamy rice recipe is milk. For this recipe, we choose 2% milk.
This choice ensures that the milk won't overpower the delicate taste of Parmesan cheese and allows you to cook your rice in the milk with the broth without curdling it.
Cooking Tips
To ensure you know how to make creamy rice perfect every time, here are a few helpful tips:
Rinse The Rice
Before cooking, be sure to rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. This helps remove excess starch on the rice and keeps the rice from getting chewy because of the extra starch.
Toast The Rice
Before adding the milk and broth to the rice you will toast it for a few minutes. Toasting the rice with the minced garlic and butter will enhance the nutty flavor of rice.
Add Some Milk At The End
We’ve made this creamy rice recipe even creamier by adding milk to the cooked rice with the cheese.
If you do not want your rice too creamy you can easily skip this step and just add the cheese in on its own.
Gluten Free and Vegetarian
One of the great things about this dish is that your dinner guests that may have dietary restrictions could eat this dish.
Rice is naturally gluten free and all the other necessary ingredients for this creamy rice recipe are also gluten free.
You can also make this creamy rice recipe vegetarian but cooking with a vegetable broth instead of a chicken broth.
What To Pair With Creamy Parmesan Rice
Creamy Parmesan Rice is a great dish to add to your repertoire of dishes. It effortlessly complements a wide range of main dishes and proteins, like steak, chicken and fish.
You can also enjoy it as a standalone dish topped with sautéed shrimp or mushrooms for added flavor and protein.
For a delicious vegetarian option, pair the rice dish with roasted vegetables such as broccoli or carrots.
Recipe: Creamy Parmesan Rice Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
What You Will Need
- 1 cup of Chico Rice Blonde Milled California Japonica rice
- 3/4 cup of chicken or vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup of 2% milk
- 1/4 cup of 2% milk (for the rice after it is cooked)
- 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Cooking Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. This helps remove excess starch.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the rinsed rice to the saucepan and stir to coat the grains with the butter and garlic mixture. Toast the rice for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and milk, bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a lid, and let the rice sit for 20 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Once the rice is cooked, stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and a ¼ cup of milk. Continue to stir until all cheese is melted.
- Season the Creamy Parmesan Rice with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the rice sit for a few minutes to thicken up.
- Serve the Creamy Parmesan Rice hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
With its creamy texture, cheesy flavor, and simple preparation, Creamy Parmesan Rice is a versatile addition to any mealtime routine.
Its ability to effortlessly complement a variety of dishes—from hearty meats to nutritious veggies—makes it a go-to side dish for any occasion.
Now that you know how to make creamy rice go head and give it a try at your next gathering or weeknight dinner and prepare to delight your taste buds with its irresistible flavor. Bon appétit!
