Spinach Mushroom Rice

Bold in flavor, this spinach mushroom rice recipe is a great accompaniment to almost any meal! With hints of garlic, this side dish will be the star of the show!

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Spinach and mushroom rice in a silver skillet ready to serve..

Last Updated on January 27, 2022 by Betty Davies

Add some veggies and flavor to your plate with this yummy spinach mushroom rice. Brown rice is mixed with sautéed garlic mushrooms and spinach for a versatile side dish that works with so many different cuisines. Easy and quick to make, it’s a great way of sneaking in some extra veggies!

Close up of mushroom spinach rice in a skillet on a wooden chopping board.

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If you are bored of serving up plain old rice as a side with curries, chilies, stir fries and stews, this is an easy way to fancy it up! This spinach mushroom rice is full of savory flavor and will easily sit alongside a lot of your favorite mains.

The best bit is, is that this will only take you and extra couple of minutes to make compared to your usual plain rice, as you can cook up the mushrooms and spinach while the rice is cooking, then just mix everything together to serve.

Be sure to try my Garlic Lemon Spinach and Creamy Basil Mushrooms too!

Why you will love this recipe!

Simple ingredients: You only need a few everyday ingredients to cook up this vegetable rice. There’s nothing fancy about the ingredients, but the taste is restaurant quality.
Added veggies: We all know (or at least we should!) that we should be incorporating as much vegetables as we can into our diets. This dish is a great way to cram some extra veggies on to our plates.
Make ahead: This is a great dish for weekly meal prep and leftovers will keep well for several days to enjoy later in the week.
Dietary info: This spinach mushroom rice is gluten-free and vegetarian. I made this with brown rice which whole grains contain more nutrients and fiber than white rice, and the spinach and mushrooms provide a wealth of vitamins.

Rice with mushroom and spinach in a skillet with a wooden spoon.

Ingredients

Brown Rice: Brown rice has a slightly nutty flavor and it’s chewy texture works great alongside the soft mushroom and spinach. Use a good quality brown rice, it really does make all the difference.
Butter and oil: To saute the mushrooms and spinach. The salted butter adds a nice rich flavor and any high heat neutral flavored oil, like canola or vegetable, can be used.
Mushrooms: Use white or cremini mushrooms, slice them before cooking.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is best to use in this recipe, but you can use powder if you are in a pinch.
Spinach: Use baby spinach which is more tender and easier to eat.

How to make spinach mushroom rice

Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!

Cook the rice according to instructions (photo 1).
Saute the mushrooms and garlic in a skillet (photo 2).
Add in the spinach and wilt (photo 3).
Stir in the cooked rice to serve (photo 4).

Four step by step photos to show how to make the recipe.

Recipe Variations

This spinach mushroom rice is pretty irresistible as it is, but you can easily adapt it to suit your tastes or the main dish you are serving it with.

Rice: I LOVE this dish with brown rice, but it would work great with white or wild rice too.
Mushrooms: I used sliced white mushrooms, but you can use any other fresh mushrooms you like. Shitake, oyster or portobello would all work well.
Make it spicy: Add in some chopped red chili when cooking the mushrooms for a bit of heat.
Add cheese: Try sprinkling with some grated parmesan before serving.
Make it a meal: For a one pan meal, toss in some cooked shredded chicken to serve.
Make it vegan: Just skip the butter!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use frozen spinach?

I prefer to use fresh baby spinach in this rice dish. You can use frozen spinach nuggets, but you will need to thaw it before adding to the skillet. You can do this quickly by adding it to a pot of boiling water for a couple of minutes. Drain it and squeeze out the excess moisture before mixing in with the mushrooms.

How long does it keep?

Once you have made the recipe, transfer the rice to a storage container and let it cool fully before covering and refrigerating. It will keep well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Reheat it either in a skillet on the stovetop, with a little broth or water if needed, or in a microwave til piping hot.

Can you freeze it?

This is a great freezer friendly dish, and it will keep well frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Vegetable rice in a skillet with some served into a bowl.

Serving Suggestions

The flavor profile of this mushroom and spinach brown rice lends itself to all different types of cuisine, it’s so versatile! It will easily sit alongside Indian, Italian and Chinese cuisines, as well as dinners like grilled chicken, fish, stews and chilis. There’s really not much this rice isn’t good for! Try it with:

Recipe Notes and Tips

Cook the rice in salted water to add flavor right from the beginning. Cook the rice according to the package instructions.
The timings in this recipe are for brown rice, white rice will require a shorter cooking time.
Don’t slice the mushrooms too thinly, they will shrink when they cook.
If using frozen spinach, thaw it first.
If making ahead of time, let cool fully before storing.

Spinach mushroom rice in a white bowl with a spoon.

This spinach and mushroom rice recipe is an easy way to add some flavor to an otherwise boring side dish. Simple to make, I love the way it sits with so many different dishes, it’s a great go to for a weeknight dinner.

More Rice Side Dishes

If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and a comment below!