Breakfast
$0.58per plate
Collection · 14 recipes
Rice Dinner Recipes
Rice is the cheapest way to build a filling dinner, and every meal here puts rice at the center of the plate, not off to the side. Chicken and rice, beef and rice, fried rice, rice bowls, and one-pot skillets - each priced per serving, and all under $2.
These are complete rice dinners — chicken and rice, beef and rice, fried rice, rice bowls, and one-pot skillets where the rice is cooked right into the meal, not spooned on the side. Every one is costed the same way we price every recipe, and all of them land under $2 a serving.
They lean on cheap, filling staples: a bag of rice, a pound of ground meat or a couple of chicken pieces, a can of beans, and whatever vegetables are in the freezer. Browse the whole collection below, cheapest first, or jump to a protein or style:
Rice and Beans
$0.74per plate
Rice and Beans
$0.99per plate
Chicken
$1.17per plate
Chicken
$1.19per plate
Ground Meats
$1.31per plate
Pantry
$1.34per plate
Chicken
$1.35per plate
Ground Meats
$1.44per plate
Chicken
$1.50per plate
Rice and Beans
$1.51per plate
Casseroles
$1.78per plate
Pantry
$1.88per plate
Ground Meats
$1.91per plate
The cheapest rice dinners
These are the lowest-cost rice dinners in the collection, taken straight from each recipe’s costed ingredient list. Rice and a little protein go a long way.
| Rice dinner | Cost per plate |
|---|---|
| Egg Fried Rice | $0.58 |
| Build-Your-Own Rice Bowls | $0.74 |
| Rice Cooker Dinners | $0.99 |
| Instant Pot Chicken and Rice | $1.17 |
| One-Pot Chicken and Rice | $1.19 |
| Ground Pork Fried Rice | $1.31 |
| Spam Fried Rice | $1.34 |
| Ground Chicken Rice Bowls | $1.35 |
Chicken and rice dinners
Chicken and rice is the classic one-pot dinner — the rice simmers in the same broth that cooks the chicken, so nothing is wasted and there is one pan to wash.
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice — $1.17 a plate
- One-Pot Chicken and Rice — $1.19 a plate
- Ground Chicken Rice Bowls — $1.35 a plate
- Canned Chicken Casserole — $1.88 a plate
For chicken beyond rice, browse all our easy chicken dinner ideas.
Beef, pork and turkey rice dinners
A single pound of ground beef, turkey, or pork flavors a whole pot of rice — toast the rice with the meat, add broth, and it cooks into a full skillet dinner for pennies a plate.
- Ground Pork Fried Rice — $1.31 a plate
- Ground Turkey Skillet with Rice — $1.44 a plate
- Easy Weeknight Casserole — $1.78 a plate
- Ground Beef and Rice Skillet — $1.91 a plate
More ways to stretch a pound: our ground beef dinner ideas.
Fried rice
Fried rice is the best use for day-old rice — cold, dry rice fries up separate and chewy instead of mushy, and a couple of eggs and some frozen vegetables turn it into dinner.
- Egg Fried Rice — $0.58 a plate
- Spam Fried Rice — $1.34 a plate
- Chicken Fried Rice — $1.50 a plate
Rice bowls, beans and one-pot rice
Build-your-own rice bowls, red beans and rice, and dump-and-go rice-cooker dinners — the cheapest, most hands-off meals here, and easy to make meatless.
- Build-Your-Own Rice Bowls — $0.74 a plate
- Rice Cooker Dinners — $0.99 a plate
- Red Beans and Rice — $1.51 a plate
How to make cheap rice dinners
Rice is already cheap; a few habits make a rice dinner cheaper and better:
- Stretch the meat. Half a pound of beef or a couple of chicken thighs flavors a whole pot when rice and vegetables carry the bulk — you rarely need the full pound.
- Cook the rice in the dish. For one-pot skillets and casseroles, uncooked rice simmered right in the broth soaks up all the flavor; just keep the liquid ratio at about two to one.
- Use day-old rice for fried rice. Cold, dry leftover rice fries up separate instead of gummy — it is the one dish that is better with yesterday’s rice.
- Add beans or frozen vegetables. A can of beans or a bag of frozen peas and carrots adds protein and bulk for pennies and stretches the meat further.
- Compare cost per serving, not package price — that is how every recipe here is costed, so you can shop straight from the number.
Related collections
More cheap dinners, by protein and format:
- Easy chicken dinner ideas and ground beef dinner ideas for those proteins beyond rice.
- Casserole recipes — including the rice casseroles above — and cupboard cooking in pantry, rice & bean dinners.
- 50 easy dinner ideas, and every recipe under $2 a plate.
Frequently asked questions
What can I make for dinner with rice?
Plenty of cheap, filling dinners: chicken and rice, ground beef and rice skillets, fried rice, build-your-own rice bowls, red beans and rice, or a baked rice casserole. Every recipe in this collection is a complete rice dinner, and all come in under $2 a serving.
What meat goes well with rice?
Almost anything, and the cheaper the better: ground beef, turkey, or pork toast right into the rice; chicken thighs or canned chicken simmer with it; smoked sausage flavors red beans and rice. You can also skip meat entirely with beans, egg, and vegetables.
What are the cheapest rice dinners?
Egg fried rice, a build-your-own rice bowl, and a one-pot rice-cooker dinner are the cheapest here, all around a dollar a plate or less. The cheapest, Egg Fried Rice, is about $0.58 a serving; the cheapest rice dinners table above lists them in order.
Can I use leftover rice in these recipes?
Yes, and for fried rice you should — cold, day-old rice fries up separate instead of mushy. Cool cooked rice quickly and refrigerate it within 2 hours, use it within 3 to 4 days, and reheat it until steaming hot.
Are rice dinners good for meal prep?
Very. Rice skillets and casseroles reheat well and often taste better the next day; the baked rice casseroles here freeze whole or in portions. Store cooked rice covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and reheat until hot throughout.
How do I keep rice casseroles from drying out?
Keep the liquid ratio right (about two parts liquid to one part uncooked rice), cover the dish while it bakes so the steam stays in, and add a splash of broth or milk when you reheat leftovers so the rice loosens back up.
Which Budget Plates rice recipes cost less than $2 per serving?
All of them. Every rice dinner in this collection costs under $2 a serving — the cheapest, Egg Fried Rice, is about $0.58 a plate, and each card shows its price up front.