9 Minute Rice Cup Flavors, Ranked

According to USA Rice, the average American consumes 27 pounds of rice per year. Given the almost innumerable ways to prepare and enjoy rice, that quantity makes sense. Of course, compared with residents of China, who annually eat 10 times that volume, the U.S. consumption levels look like nothing more than a single grain of rice in a full bowl.

With so many different rice-centric dishes available spanning a wide variety of cultural origins, there's hardly an excuse to eat the same rice twice. Minute Rice must agree, because the brand known for microwavable rice recently released two new flavors to its Minute Rice Cups line. Garlic Parmesan and Veggie Stir-Fry join 18 other varieties to give you a ton of choices designed to supplement any meal or act as a stand-alone snack.

With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to know which rice is best, so Minute Rice sent me nine flavors to taste and review: Cilantro and Lime Jasmine, Sticky, Jalapeño, Butter and Sea Salt Jasmine, Spanish, Yellow, and Chicken and Herb Seasoned, along with the two newcomers. I was more than happy with the vast majority of the rice on this list, but, as with any good ranking, there still has to be a number one. Read on to find out which Minute Rice stands above the others in a battle of the bowls.

You'll be plenty familiar with sticky rice if you're a fan of sushi. The difference between white rice and sticky rice is that the latter is made with a specific type of short-grain rice high in amylopectin, a starch that quickly breaks down in hot water, resulting in the sticky texture. From a practical standpoint, the stickiness is ideal for sushi rolls since it stays together on its own. A number of popular desserts also rely on sticky rice, so while it definitely has its applications, the reason it's last on this list is simple: It's a bit boring.

With only a minute of cook time in the microwave, the same as all of the other bowls, there is no denying the efficiency of Minute Rice's Sticky Rice bowl. The texture is exactly what you're looking for, and even though it's unflavored, it still tastes good. 

Ultimately, if you're looking to make sushi at home or toss together a batch of mango sticky rice, this isn't a bad place to start. In fact, as an ingredient, it would be pretty great — but compared with the other, more exciting flavors on the list, it's the least interesting.

There's nothing worse than being let down thanks to high expectations. I like rice dishes with a bit of kick, so jalapeño-flavored rice sounds like an easy win, but this one was a swing-and-a-miss. Simply put, there's almost no spice at all in this rice bowl. Not only is the heat missing, but there's simply not much flavor of any kind in this one.

At only around $1.99 for a two-pack and 200 calories per serving, it's not like this is an overwhelming disappointment, but I expected more. Granted, Minute Rice does brand this as a mild jalapeño spice, but I still shouldn't be reaching for the hot sauce after one bite. 

While they're not quite as versatile a food as rice, there are still plenty of things you can do with a jalapeño, though this doesn't appear to be one of them. Like just about every other entry on the list, the texture is lovely, but Minute Rice does better, and you can, too.

Once again, this is a flavor I really wanted to like that ultimately fell flat because it couldn't live up to expectations. When I think of cilantro lime rice, it's bursting with fresh citrus and herbal notes, which is definitely what Minute Rice was aiming for, but fresh doesn't translate well in a microwaveable bowl.

Don't get me wrong, the lime and cilantro flavors are present and accounted for, they're just lacking the freshness that makes them pop. Both taste like they've been cooked, because they obviously have, and the result is a rice bowl heavy on cilantro that could do with a fresh squeeze of lime to liven things up. 

I still think this is definitely a rice bowl that could be used in a burrito bowl, where fresher ingredients could elevate the overall experience. But as a standalone with one of the higher calorie counts on the list — 230 per serving — there's just something missing here.

If you've ever confused Spanish rice and Mexican rice, you're not alone, but there is a difference between the two. While both are made using stock and bouillon bases and feature tomatoes along with other assorted vegetables, Spanish rice tends to include saffron, giving it a yellower color. Meanwhile, Mexican rice can thank cumin for its flavor and the addition of tomato liquids during cooking, which gives it a redder color.

Visually, you'd be forgiven for seeing the red/orange tint of this rice and assuming it was the Mexican variety, but from a taste perspective, one thing is clear: This rice tastes like tomatoes. It makes sense, as tomato paste is the third ingredient listed, but the flavor is bordering on overpowering. 

Thankfully, a light spice gives the taste buds something else to focus on, so this rice bowl is far from a lost cause. At 180 calories per bowl, Minute Rice has created a solid Spanish Rice that would be best served as the base for a larger dish, though it would work just fine as a side as well.

I could be convinced to swap just about any of the final five flavors around because they're all good. Clocking in at 230 calories, Chicken and Herb is tied with several others as the most calorie-dense of the rice bowls, but it's also probably the most flavor-dense. If you're a fan of chicken ramen, this one will likely hit the sweet spot of that salty, brothy taste you love.

This might be the Minute Rice bowl best suited as a stand-alone snack or side dish. I'm getting rice pilaf vibes from this one, and while the Spanish Rice came in hot with the flavor, the Chicken and Herb is on a whole different level. 

If you were to add this to a meal, you'd be best served doing something simple: grilled chicken and vegetables that would allow the rice to deliver the excitement would work better than a main dish that requires the spotlight. Regardless of how you choose to eat the Chicken and Herb Seasoned Minute Rice bowl, I promise you'll enjoy it.

I'm not against simplicity, but I enjoy dishes that bring something beyond the basics to the table. Even as a kid, buttered noodles were never something I was terribly excited about, so buttered and salted rice hardly sounded exciting. Minute Rice proved me wrong.

All of the rice bowls are super easy to cook. You simply remove the plastic film from the top of the cup and microwave it for a minute. Once the cooking is complete, fluff with a fork and enjoy. I've had microwavable bags of rice before and have always come away somewhat underwhelmed by the texture, but Minute Rice has figured out the trick to tender, moist rice, with this flavor as the headliner.

The flavor is savory, mild, and delicious. Thanks to a slightly elevated moisture level, the Butter and Sea Salt Jasmine Rice stands out as the most versatile option on the list. Sure, it's 230 calories, but butter is in the name, so what did you expect? This variety doesn't carry a specific flavor that pigeonholes it into a particular cuisine, making it the perfect option to keep on hand at all times.

With so many flavors already on the market, Minute Rice had to be confident in its two new flavors before adding them to an already stacked lineup. The fact that the first of those two newcomers is landing on the list at number three is proof that the brand was justified in that confidence.

Have you ever added cheese to something and thought it was made worse? I certainly haven't, and Garlic Parmesan Rice is further proof that cheese is a miracle food. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is the third ingredient in this bowl — behind water and long grain rice — and it's evident from the first bite. The parmesan flavor hits first, with the garlic trailing closely behind. 

You could pair this rice with just about any protein and it would work. Plus, at 170 calories, it's one of the lower-calorie options, making it a great quick snack bursting with flavor.

The other new flavor edges out the Garlic Parmesan by the smallest of margins, thanks to the inclusion of real vegetables. Onion, carrots, red peppers, and corn are the show-stealing ingredients in this uber-tasty rice bowl. While it's less versatile than the Garlic Parm or Butter and Sea Salt, there's no arguing that this is anything but a very good fried rice, especially since it comes in a cup.

At 150 calories, you could easily eat this on its own or turn it into a meal with the addition of an egg or any other protein of your choice. I tend to add soy sauce to most Chinese rice dishes, but the soy sauce already in the Veggie Stir-Fry bowl is sufficient. Nothing needs to be added, nothing needs to be changed; all you need to do is microwave and enjoy a great bowl of veggie fried rice.

There's just something about yellow rice that always makes me smile. As the basis for so many Mediterranean dishes, yellow rice conjures images of fresh, vibrant foods that taste great while making you feel amazing. Turmeric gives yellow rice its color and pop of flavor, though Minute Rice also added a few other spices, including onion and garlic powder.

Another of the 230-calorie options, the Yellow Rice is simple but delicious. When I write reviews, I sample everything at once, which meant I had all nine rice bowls in front of me at the same time. After taking initial notes, I dug into the rest of my dinner — roasted pork tenderloin and vegetables — while going back for spoonfuls of each rice flavor. In the end, only one was finished completely: the Yellow Rice. It's not flashy, and while you could definitely eat it on its own, it's probably paired best with a light, bright summer meal. 

Minute Rice makes many great rice cups, and the Yellow Rice is my personal favorite. You'll have to try them all to decide if it's yours, too.

Minute Rice sent all of the samples I tried. I microwaved each one according to the package instructions, snapped a few pictures, and then tasted. 

My evaluations were based largely on flavor and texture, with consideration for how the bowls could be integrated into a meal or eaten solo factored in. All of the serving sizes are the same as is the price, $1.99 per two-pack. 

Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.