I am so pleased to be partnering with Princess Cruises for this Bacon Garlic Rice post. All opinions, recipes, and photos remain -as always- my own.
I had some odds and ends in the refrigerator that I needed to use up before my husband and I departed for our Western Caribbean cruise, leaving our 20 year old to watch the homestead, critters, and various numbers of his brothers for a week. I knew that some of the languishing produce might get ignored to the point of produce soup if I didn’t work it into something.
While I cooked a pound of bacon (because cooking anything less than a pound of bacon in a household of five ravenous teenage boys is kind of a cruel joke), I thinly sliced a fistful of green onions, stared down some garlic, and formulated a rough plan.
Some bacon fat and the garlic went into the pan until things smelled lovely; I didn’t have to wait for long. The rice, some water, a lid, and a little time were next. When the rice was fluffy and perfect, the sliced green onions and crispy bacon were tossed in, and that was all it took to make my family’s new favourite side dish.
Bacon Garlic Rice; tender grains of basmati rice bursting with bacon, fried garlic, and fresh green onion. It’s all the umami of fried rice, without the effort. It’s basically Bacon Garlic Un-Fried Rice. It’s a flavour explosion that is great with grilled chicken, fish, beef, or pork, obviously, but it is also amazing as a base for beef stew, as a grain element on a green salad, or nibbled straight from the fridge at midnight.
We liked it so much that what started as a way to use up bits and pieces from the refrigerator became something that I went out and shopped to make again the next night and then again in abundance for the guys to eat while their dad and I were away walking on the ocean floor, dune-buggying in Mexico, and soaking up the pure relaxation that is a Western Caribbean Cruise with Princess Cruises. Until I had the Bacon Garlic Rice in the refrigerator, I felt badly that they couldn’t go with us.
They ate well, though, while their dad and I enjoyed reading our books in quiet nooks of the ship, workouts with a view of the ocean, and dessert with our breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. They were alright. So were we.
And we haven’t tired of Bacon Garlic Rice yet. It’s on regular rotation and I expect it will be for the foreseeable future. We even figured out that topping a serving Bacon Garlic Rice with a fried egg made it an admirable main dish.
It’s so very good.
I don’t think there’s any way I can express enough just how big and perfect the flavour of Bacon Garlic Rice is beyond urging you emphatically to try it. And now, every time I make it I remember my unforgettable Princess Cruise.
Really. Please go make it. I mean it. You’ll be so glad you did! While you’re at it, book yourself a 7-Day Caribbean Cruise with Princess Cruises. Between the Bacon Garlic Rice and the Caribbean Cruise, you’ll have a lot of happiness on your horizon. I mean that, too.
Bacon Fried Rice
I love using my Instant Pot to make Bacon Garlic Rice. It takes the guesswork out of perfectly cooked rice and I just love the texture Basmati rice gets when cooked in it. You can certainly do this dish on the stovetop, if it’s your preference or if you don’t have an Instant Pot. I’ve included instructions for both methods in the printable recipe.
I love Basmati rice for our Bacon Garlic Rice because it cooks up in nice, long, separate grains. Do not use instant or quick rice. Simply follow the stove-top recipe up to the point where the rice is added to the garlic and bacon fat, then follow the liquid to rice and cooking instructions on your rice package. When it’s done cooking, toss in the crispy bacon and sliced green onions.
I like to reserve a couple of tablespoons of the green part of the sliced green onions and the chopped crispy bacon to garnish the top of the Bacon Garlic Rice before serving. This is not strictly necessary, but it sure looks nice!
If you like Bacon Garlic Rice, you might also love these grilled chicken breasts, grilled Hawaiian BBQ chicken, grilled fajita vegetable skewers, grilled bacon wrapped hot dogs, and chimichurri grilled meatballs. You can even use the leftover Bacon Garlic Rice in this excellent Easy Rice and Cheese Souffle. Did you know you can even make instant pot apple crisp ?
Use these to make Bacon Garlic Rice
Bacon Garlic Rice {Instant Pot and Stove Top Instructions}
Rate RecipeIngredients
- 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 the stove top instructions below
Instructions
- Place the basmati rice in a fine mesh sieve and rinse until the water runs clear. Set aside.
Instant Pot Instructions (Preferred Instructions)
- Set the Instant Pot to "Saute". Stack the bacon and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Add the bacon to the Instant Pot and stir, sauteeing until the bacon is crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
Leave 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pan. You can measure or eyeball this, as your fancy moves you. It doesn't need to be terribly precise, just a ballpark estimate.
Keeping the Instant Pot on "Saute", add the minced garlic to the pan and stir to cook until fragrant and beginning to brown around the edges, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the rice and stir, then pour in the water and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan.
Turn off the Instant Pot, fix the lid in place, turning the steam release knob to "Sealing", then activate the "Rice" setting, or manually set it to low pressure for 12 minutes.
When the cycle is complete, use a wooden spoon to carefully vent the steam. Open the Instant Pot lid, sprinkle the crispy bacon and sliced green onions over the top. Use a rice paddle, fork, or wooden spoon to fluff the rice while tossing in the onions and bacon.
This can be served immediately, hot or warm. Leftovers keep well, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Stove Top Instructions
- Place a medium saucepan that has a tight fitting lid over low heat on your stove top. Stack the bacon and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Add the bacon to the saucepan and stir, raising the heat to medium, sauteeing until the bacon is crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate.Leave 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pan. You can measure or eyeball this, as your fancy moves you. It doesn't need to be terribly precise, just a ballpark estimate.Keep your saucepan over medium heat and add the minced garlic to the pan and stir to cook until fragrant and beginning to brown around the edges, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the rice and stir, then pour in the amount of water specified for 2 cups of dry rice on your rice package and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan.Put the lid on the pan and cook for the length of time specified by your rice package.
When the rice is done, sprinkle the crispy bacon and sliced green onions over the top. Use a rice paddle, fork, or wooden spoon to fluff the rice while tossing in the onions and bacon.This can be served immediately, hot or warm. Leftovers keep well, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Reader's Thoughts...
LaRee says
Very good. I made it on stovetop. I added some garlic powder and sweet red peppers the second time.
Thank you for including the potassium content.
Sheree says
Followed recipe exactly, no garlic taste at all, rice was so wet it was like glue, rice had no flavor. All done in the Instant Pot. Bacon was good!
Rebecca says
Hi Sheree- Let’s see if we can figure out what went wrong for you. What kind of rice did you use? Did you rinse it first? If so, how did you drain it after rinsing it?
Mindy says
Trying this now. How long for 3 C basmati? The same 12 minutes, or so you recommend longer?
Rebecca says
Hi Mindy- Feel free to just use the rice setting on your Instantpot if you need to adjust the timing, but I think the same 12 minutes should work! 🙂
Rie says
First off….. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’d eat my own elbow if it was wrapped in bacon (or smothered in bacon grease). A little of the grease goes along way to flavor whatever it is you are making. Second: I think it’s cruel you ONLY make a pound of bacon. Good gravy, woman!!! All of those young men/teenagers, not to mention you and the hubby…. LOL… Your family obviously can show restraint. teehee. Have some bacon grease in the freezer. May have to try this soon….. after I try popping popcorn in the bacon fat. Yeah… gonna give that a whirl…. teehee