Never heard of rice croutons before? I hadn’t either.. until recently!

*This post is sponsored by USA Rice Canada. As always, our thoughts, opinions and recipes are our own*

Honestly, I cannot believe I’d never thought about this cool concept before! Whether you are looking for a simple rice recipe, an easy weeknight side dish, ideas for how to utilize leftover rice, or in search of a healthy snack on-the-go, you will LOVE these USA Rice Croutons! You can even use them to top your favourite summer salad – such as this refreshing and delicious Tuscan White Bean Salad with delicious Parmesan Herb Rice Croutons (shared below)!

Did you know all varieties of rice, whether enriched, white or brown, are naturally and completely gluten-free?! USA Rice is also one of the least allergenic foods out there, making it a great choice for people with a variety of food sensitivities.

I love using U.S.-grown rice in many meals I cook, as it is affordable, at about 10 cents per serving (1 serving=1/2 cup), and can be stored safely, uncooked for an extended period of time! It’s easy to keep stocked in my pantry! As well, rice contains no cholesterol-raising trans-fat or saturated fat. It’s also sodium-free (based on 1/2 cup serving)! Rice is a staple in my pantry as it serves up the complex carbohydrates the little minds and muscles in our home need to function. For more nutritional facts on rice, feel free to read more here!

The Rice Crouton comes from the classic bread crouton concept. However, it is so much more than that! Easy to make and fun to shape, this flavourful, top-able, dip-able, affordable, homemade staple will have you re-thinking and thinking rice. These bite-sized delights have a crispy texture on the outside and are soft on the inside, perfect as the main course , or to complement any dish.

From ice cube trays to candy moulds, cookie cutters to free form cutting, the rice mixture will conform to any shape you desire!

For my rice croutons, I simply placed all the ingredients in a blender (a food processor will work too) and then froze into cubes in an ice tray!

Want to try Rice Croutons for yourself? Recipe details below!

Here’s What you Need:

Prep Time: 15 Mins, Cook Time, 15 Mins. Serves 4

For USA Rice Croutons: 

(yields fifteen 1.5 in cubes!)

– 2 cups U.S.-grown rice, cooked and cooled

– 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

– 1/2 cup water

-1/4 cup Olive Oil

– 1/4 cup chives, minced

– 10 leaves fresh basil

– 1 tbsp garlic powder

– 1 tbsp onion powder

– 1 tsp salt

– 1 tsp pepper

– 1/4 cup olive oil

For Salad:

– 3 cups fresh arugula

– 2 cups kale (any kind!), chopped

– 1/2 cup chives , chopped

-1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped

– 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced 

– 1 can navy beans (or white kidney beans), drained and rinsed

– 1/2 cup bacon (cooked and chopped) or bacon bits! 

– 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

For Dressing:

– 1/4 cup olive oil

-1/4 cup red wine vinegar 

-2 cloves garlic, pressed

– 1tsp honey

-1 tsp salt

-1tsp pepper

Method:

For Croutons: 

1. The day before you plan to eat them, combine all crouton ingredients in blender or food processor and combine until rice grains are smaller, but still slightly visible! 

2. Pour rice mixture into ice cube tray and let freeze overnight.

3. Day of, preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

4. Remove cubes from tray, lightly toss in olive oil and place on a parchment lined baking sheet

5. Bake 10-12 minutes checking and stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking on all sides

6. Once rice croutons are golden brown, remove from heat. 

7. Enjoy on their own or as a topper for the salad!

For Salad:

1. Wash and prepare all ingredients
2. Add all vegetables, beans and bacon to salad bowl
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients
4. Immediately before serving, drizzle dressing over salad 
5. Garnish with rice croutons and shredding parmesan cheese
6. ENJOY!

 

Did you make this recipe and love it? Make sure to share it to your social and tag us! Thank you to USA Rice Canada for sponsoring this post! Feel free to check out www.riceinfo.com for more rice crouton recipes and ideas!