Confetti rice is a fun mix of fluffy brown rice and colorful bell peppers that’s great as a side dish or for tacos or grain bowls. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

(This post was originally published in June 2015. It has been updated with new photos and text.)

We’ve got Cinco de Mayo coming up this weekend and I’ve already been in planning mode.

Partly because I love any excuse to have a little fiesta and overdose on Mexican food. So that’s just fun to look forward to.

Also though, because I’ll be getting back that day from my long weekend beach trip with my girls. (I’m leaving later this morning! Woo hoo!)

I’ll probably be a little tired, and if we’re being honest, a little hungover. 🤷‍♀️

So having a plan in place beforehand makes it much more likely we’ll be able to celebrate in style.

Recently I’ve shared Mexican coleslaw and cheesy Mexican stuffed chicken breasts.

And today it’s confetti rice, which is also really festive and I think you are going to love it!

So, there’s certainly nothing wrong at all with some simple steamed brown rice. It’s easy, warm, wholesome goodness in a side dish. We have it all the time.

But sometimes, you just need to amp up the flavor and add in some color. Confetti rice delivers big time.

This recipe is a slightly revised version of my Aunt’s green rice. It uses all green pepper, parsley and white rice.

I of course like substituting brown rice for some whole grain wholesomeness. And using a mix of colors makes it even more fun. And that’s where the confetti part comes from.

But of course, you could use just one color of bell pepper if that’s what you’ve got.

Either way, this is a super easy side dish that cooks all in one pot.

And after the first few minutes of getting it going, it’s totally a hands-off recipe. 🙌

Now, let’s talk some details about this dish.

If you want to jump to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

How to make confetti rice:

– First, you sauté some diced onions and peppers in a mixture of butter and olive oil.

– Then add the rice and stir to get it all coated in the oils.

– Add in your broth, crank up the heat to bring it to a simmer then cover and cook. You’ll need to add a little to your normal rice cooking time, but not much.

– Add your mix-ins and you are done!

Notes and tips on confetti brown rice:

• I use brown rice but you can make this with regular long grain white rice as well. Just reduce the cooking time, after you’ve put the lid on, to 18 minutes and check it then.
• If your rice isn’t quite done when you check it and the liquid is all absorbed, add another splash of broth or water, turn it down to low and give it another 5 minutes.
• You can skip adding the fresh parsley or cilantro at the end, if you don’t have any. I’ve made it without and it’s still super tasty.
• Like it cheesy? You can add 1-2 cups of shredded cheese to this at the end of the cooking time. We love cheddar but Monterey Jack or pepper Jack would be great too.

While the rice is a cookin’, you can move onto making some grilled chicken, roasted salmon, whatever you want to have as your main dish to complete dinner.

My cheesy fiesta grilled chicken, 15-minute paprika chicken or easy BBQ salmon would all be good options. 👍

We also love using this confetti rice for taco night or in rice bowls. Add your protein of choice, some veggies, and top it all with cheese, salsa and Greek yogurt or sour cream.

(That’s what I always do with any leftovers. So yummy!)

Bring some fun and color to your rice side dish tonight.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

Yield: 8 servings

Confetti rice

Print

Confetti rice is a fun mix of fluffy brown rice and colorful bell peppers that’s great as a side dish or for tacos or grain bowls.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups chopped bell peppers, mix of green, red, yellow and/or orange
• 2 cups brown rice (see notes for white rice)
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Optional toppings:

• Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• Pickled jalapeños, hot sauce or sriracha for some heat

Instructions

1. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet (one that has a lid) over medium heat.
2. Add onions and peppers and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until slightly softened.
3. Add brown rice and stir well to coat the rice in the oils.
4. Add broth, turn up the heat to high and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for about 35 minutes, until the rice is cooked and the liquid is mostly absorbed. If you check at 35 minutes and the rice is not quite finished but the liquid is mostly absorbed, add another splash of broth or some water, cover, reduce heat to low and cook another 5 minutes, then recheck.
6. Stir in the parsley or cilantro, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings.
7. Serve hot with any additional toppings. Enjoy!

Notes

I use brown rice but you can make this with regular long grain white rice as well. Just reduce the cooking time, after you’ve put the lid on, to 18 minutes and check it then.

You can skip adding the fresh parsley or cilantro at the end, if you don’t have any. I’ve made it without and it’s still super tasty.

This makes a lot - I love having leftovers for tacos or grain bowls - but you can also easily halve the recipe if you prefer.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 215 Total Fat: 9g Saturated Fat: 4g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 5g Cholesterol: 32mg Sodium: 788mg Carbohydrates: 21g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 5g Protein: 13g