Rice Pudding With Leftover Rice

Written by
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Jolinda Hackett
Updated 06/30/20
Rice pudding made with leftover rice
The Spruce
  • Total: 30 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • Yield: about 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
380 Calories
7g Fat
68g Carbs
11g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: about 4 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 380
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 116mg 39%
Sodium 97mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 68g 25%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Protein 11g
Calcium 168mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

If you have a lot of pre-cooked leftover rice, baking a cinnamon-scented rice pudding is a wonderful way to use it up. This easy rice pudding recipe is baked in the oven and made with milk, rice, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. It is decadent and creamy, and you can serve it either as a sweet breakfast or for dessert. Just mix and heat everything together on the stovetop, then stick it in the oven for about 20 minutes or so. Adding eggs and baking it in the oven turns it into a creamy, thickened pudding that you can eat warm or, later, cold right out of the fridge.

This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free but because it calls for both eggs and milk, it's not vegan. However, for a dairy-free option, you can always swap out the milk for any non-dairy milk substitute, such as soy milk, almond milk, or even coconut milk.

Rice pudding is usually prepared with leftover cooked white rice, but you can use any rice you like or happen to have leftover (brown or basmati, for example), with one caveat. Don't use wild rice. It just won't cook up the same way.

1:10

Click Play to See This Rice Pudding With Leftover Rice Recipe Come Together

Ingredients

  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup leftover cooked rice
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or to taste
  • 1/3 cup raisins

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for rice pudding with cooked rice
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  2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

  3. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and rice, stirring together frequently so the milk doesn't burn. Bring the mixture to a slow simmer.

    Milk and rice for pudding simmering on stovetop.
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  4. In a separate large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, and vanilla.

    Combine eggs, sugar, and vanilla with a whisk in a bowl
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  5. Add the egg mixture to the hot milk and rice and allow to cook for just a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

    Add the egg mixture to the rice pudding in the pot.
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  6. Add the cinnamon and raisins, stirring just to combine.

    Cinnamon and raisins in a pot of rice pudding.
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  7. Finally, pour the rice pudding mixture into a casserole or baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

    Transferring the rice pudding to the baking dish.
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  8. Allow the rice pudding to cool slightly before serving.

    Homemade rice pudding, served on a clear glass plate.
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  9. Enjoy!

How to Store and Reheat Rice Pudding?

  • Cooked rice pudding will keep for 3 to 5 days, covered, in the fridge. To reheat, you can either microwave it or reheat it gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk, over medium-low, until heated through.
  • Freeze any uneaten rice pudding by transferring to an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw the rice pudding in the fridge, and then reheat gently as described.

Recipe Variations

  • Sprinkle the top with a little extra cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, cocoa powder, or pumpkin pie spice. A drizzle of honey is good, too.
  • Add a bit of rose water syrup for Middle Eastern flair, some fresh cardamom pods for an Indian-style kheer, or a touch of fresh lemon zest for a Greek twist.

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