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Substitutes for Brown Rice in Healthy Whole Grain Cooking

7 Best Substitutes for Brown Rice

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Choose substitutes based on desired texture and cooking time. Options range from quick-cooking grains like quinoa and bulgur to hearty grains like barley and farro and low-carb cauliflower rice.
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Prep Time 6 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 16 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish, Substitute
Cuisine: General
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 to 1 white rice Use 1:1 volume ratio, reduce liquid slightly, cooks faster than brown rice (15-18 minutes), softer and stickier texture
  • 1 to 1 cooked quinoa Use 1:1 cooked ratio, rinse well before cooking, fluffier with higher protein, delicate texture
  • 1 to 1 cooked pearl barley Use 1:1 cooked ratio, chewy texture, contains gluten, best for soups and stews
  • 1 to 1 cooked pearled farro Use 1:1 cooked ratio, toasty flavor, hearty chew, rinse before cooking, cook 25-30 minutes
  • 1 to 1 cooked wild rice Use 1:1 cooked ratio, earthy flavor, longer cook time 45-50 minutes, mix with other grains to mellow
  • 1 to 1 cauliflower rice Use 1:1 ratio, light texture with no grain chew, sauté quickly and season aggressively
  • 1 to 1 cooked bulgur wheat Use 1:1 cooked ratio, quick-cooking, light texture, nutty flavor, fluff with fork

Method
 

  1. Choose a substitute based on the dish: barley or farro for chew; quinoa or bulgur for speed; cauliflower rice for low-carb.
  2. If needed, rinse grains like quinoa and farro before cooking to improve texture.
  3. Apply a 1:1 ratio using cooked grains or volume as specified for each substitute.
  4. Reduce liquid slightly when using white rice as it absorbs less than brown rice.
  5. Cook times vary: white rice 15-18 min, quinoa 15-20 min, barley/farro 25-35 min, wild rice 45-50 min, bulgur about 12 min.
  6. Sauté cauliflower rice quickly (3-4 min) and season well; avoid overcooking to prevent mushiness.
  7. Fluff bulgur wheat with a fork to prevent clumping and add herbs or lemon for flavor.
  8. Taste and adjust seasoning to compensate for milder flavors in some substitutes like white rice and cauliflower rice.

Notes

Drain quinoa well before use to avoid a bitter taste and improve texture.

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