Depending on your stance, leftover takeout rice can be the bane of your existence or a blessing. For me, it’s definitely the latter. Extras are the basis for a superb reinvented dinner, namely fried rice. (If you’re not ready to use it, freeze the rice in a zip-top bag or airtight container, preferably after letting it freeze first on a sheet pan in a single layer to avoid clumps, which speeds up thawing and cooking.)

[A better pot of rice is within reach with these 5 tips]

Fried rice is an ideal weeknight meal, whether you want to improvise with what’s already in your kitchen or have a specific plan. Here are some recipes from our archives, which are great as written but are also easy enough to adapt. They’re so good, you may end up ordering more rice just to make them.

Fried Rice With Broccoli and Mustard Greens, above. This vegetable-loaded version uses a clever technique that has you cook the ingredients in stages, which is especially helpful if you don’t have a wok or large skillet.https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2020/08/22/leftover-rice-youve-got-a-head-start-on-these-8-fried-rice-dishes/