I am delighted to partner with Princess Cruises for this Bacon Garlic Rice post. All opinions, recipes, and photos are my own.
With a week-long Western Caribbean cruise on the horizon, I needed to use up odds and ends in the fridge before my husband and I left our 20-year-old in charge of the house, animals, and a varying number of his brothers. I didn’t want wilting produce to be ignored, so I turned those leftovers into a new family favourite.
While I cooked a pound of bacon (in a household with five hungry teenagers, anything less feels like a cruel joke), I thinly sliced a handful of green onions, prepped several cloves of garlic, and sketched a simple plan. A couple of tablespoons of bacon fat went into the pan with the garlic until it smelled irresistible. Then I added the rice, water, and a lid. When the rice was perfectly tender, I folded in the crispy bacon and the sliced green onions. That was all it took to create what quickly became the family’s go-to side dish.
Bacon Garlic Rice features tender basmati grains infused with bacon, fried garlic, and fresh green onion. It delivers all the savory satisfaction of fried rice with far less effort—think of it as Bacon Garlic Un-Fried Rice. It pairs wonderfully with grilled chicken, fish, beef, or pork and also works as a base for beef stew, a grain component in green salads, or a midnight snack straight from the fridge.
We liked it so much that what began as a way to use up leftovers became something I deliberately shopped for and prepared again the next night, then stocked in bulk for the guys while we were away—walking the ocean floor, dune buggying in Mexico, and soaking up the relaxation of a Western Caribbean cruise with Princess Cruises. Having Bacon Garlic Rice in the fridge made leaving the boys at home feel a lot easier.
While we relaxed with books in quiet ship nooks, worked out with ocean views, and enjoyed dessert alongside our meals, the kids at home ate well. And so did we.
We haven’t tired of Bacon Garlic Rice—it’s now on regular rotation and will likely stay there for the foreseeable future. We discovered that topping a bowl with a fried egg turns it into an excellent main dish.
It’s simply delicious.
I can’t overstate how much I love this dish—please try it. Every time I make it I’m reminded of that unforgettable Princess cruise. You’ll be glad you made it.
Bacon Fried Rice
I prefer using an Instant Pot for Bacon Garlic Rice because it consistently produces fluffy basmati with great texture. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, the stove-top method works perfectly well; I include both in the recipe below.
Basmati rice cooks into long, separate grains that suit this dish. Do not use instant or quick rice. If you must use stovetop instructions with a different rice, follow the liquid and timing directions on your rice package and then stir in the crispy bacon and green onions when the rice is done.
I like to reserve a couple of tablespoons of the green parts of the sliced green onions and a bit of the chopped bacon to sprinkle on top as a garnish before serving—totally optional, but it looks and tastes lovely.
Use these to make Bacon Garlic Rice
- Half sheet pan
- Tongs
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Instant Pot (optional)
Bacon Garlic Rice {Instant Pot and Stove Top Instructions}
Rebecca Lindamood
5
20
25
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked basmati rice
- 8 slices thick cut bacon
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 3 green onions trimmed of roots
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups water or more, as instructed on Basmati rice package if using stovetop method
Instructions
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Rinse the basmati rice in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear. Set aside.
Instant Pot Instructions (Preferred)
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Set the Instant Pot to “Sauté.” Stack the bacon and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Add the bacon and sauté until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate with a slotted spoon.
Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pot. With the Instant Pot still on “Sauté,” add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant and just beginning to brown, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the rice, then add the water, scraping the bottom to release any browned bits.
Turn off the Instant Pot, secure the lid, set the steam release to “Sealing,” and use the “Rice” setting or manually set to low pressure for 12 minutes.
When the cycle finishes, carefully vent the steam with a wooden spoon. Open the lid, sprinkle the crispy bacon and sliced green onions over the rice, and gently fluff while tossing to combine. Serve hot or warm. Leftovers keep well, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Stove Top Instructions
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Place a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over low heat. Stack the bacon and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Add the bacon and raise the heat to medium, sautéing until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate with a slotted spoon.
Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pan. Keep the pan over medium heat and add the minced garlic, cooking until fragrant and just starting to brown, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the rice, then add the amount of water called for on the rice package for 2 cups of dry basmati rice. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits.
Cover the pan and cook according to the time on your rice package. When the rice is done, sprinkle the crispy bacon and sliced green onions on top and fluff gently while combining. Serve hot or warm. Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 30g
Protein: 6g
Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 19mg
Sodium: 429mg
Nutritional information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use.
Did you make this recipe?
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