Rice how to cook rice

How To Cook Rice (Perfectly)

Learning how to cook rice is an essential skill in the kitchen. And the good news is that it’s quite easy to master. All you need is a pot, water, rice, and a bit of patience. No fancy rice cookers or equipment are needed to make perfectly fluffy and tender rice.

A humble pot of rice can easily turn any meal into a scrumptious feast. It’s the perfect blank slate – so use it as a side dish or the base of a healthy dinner. And yes, you can even meal prep it (we’ll get to that part).

Rice has over 15 vitamins and minerals including B-vitamins that help with metabolism, as as well as iron and zinc to help keep our bodies running as they should. The brand I personally use and love, Lundberg Farms, has been growing healthy, great-tasting rice since 1937 while respecting and sustaining the earth for future generations. I also love that they’re a leader in organic farming.

Today, I’ll walk you through two easy methods of cooking rice that work every time. The traditional method and the pasta method. I’ll also share some fun facts and tidbits about rice, because the more you know the better! Now grab a pot with a lid, your bag of rice, and let’s get cooking.

Short vs Medium vs Long Grain Rice

There are more than 40,000 varieties of rice in the world. That’s a lot. So to make things easier they’re classified by grain length – short, medium and long. The length of the grain is also an indicator of the final texture of the cooked rice. Here’s a few examples:

Now that you know that the length of the grain translates to a specific texture, you can choose the right rice for the right recipe.

Brown vs White Rice

Rice can be found in numerous colors, including red, black, and purple (yes, purple). But let’s chat about the two most common colors – brown and white rice.

Aromatic Rices: Basmati vs Jasmine Rice

You now know that basmati and jasmine are two varieties of long grain rice. But certain rice varieties give off pleasing fragrances while being cooked so they’re considered aromatic rices. Here’s what makes them unique.

Both of these varieties can be found in brown and white versions.

What About Wild Rice?

Wild rice is not a true rice, it’s a grain produced from an aquatic grass that grows primarily in the Great Lakes region in North America. It’s quite long and has a firm, chewy and nutty texture. I love wild rice and use it all the time in salads, like my wild rice and arugula salad. And you can often find it in rice blends with other rice varieties, for a tasty and colorful option.

How To Cook Rice

To get started, just memorize this sequence: Rinse, cook, rest and fluff. Below are two variations of this sequence, and they’ll generally work with short, medium, or long grain white rice. Note that this will not work with brown rice. See my tip for brown rice below.

Traditional Method

The Pasta Method

Brown Rice Cooking Tips

Because of the outer bran, brown rice typically requires more water and a longer cook time. Always check the backside of your packaging because each variety may be different. But generally, for one cup of brown rice you’ll need 1 3/4 cups of water (if using the traditional method) and cook for 40 minutes.

Because brown rice can often be undercooked or overcooked and gummy, it’s an ideal candidate for cooking as per the pasta method. Just use a spoon to take a few grains out, let them cool a bit and taste to see if the rice is done. If it’s not, just keep cooking until it is.

Should You Add Butter, Oil or Salt to the Water?

It’s completely optional and certainly not needed to make perfectly fluffy, tender rice. But it’s does give it a nice flavor, if you’re not adding additional flavors or spices. Try it out for yourself. Just add one tablespoon of butter, ghee or oil to the water next time and 1/2 teaspoon of salt for one cup of rice.

Want to know another way to add flavor? Swap out the water for chicken or vegetable broth. Or replace some of the cooking water with coconut milk to make coconut rice.

How to Cook Rice – Step-by-Step Video

Want to see exactly how I cook rice? Watch the video below as I walk you through both methods and share two tasty rice recipes!

How To Store And Freeze Rice

The best thing about making a big pot of rice is that you can portion it for meal prep or store in the freezer for later. The key to storing rice is to cool it quickly and then place it in the fridge immediately. You can cool it faster by spreading it on a plate or baking sheet. You just don’t want it sitting at room temperature for more than two hours, as that can breed bacteria.

Cooked rice can store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Note that it may get a bit dry after awhile, so splash a little water before reheating.

For freezing, store the rice in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, you can thaw it in the fridge overnight or pop it right into the microwave. Make sure to stir halfway if you’re microwaving.

Turning Rice Into Easy Dinner Ideas

The options are really limitless, but here’s a few of my favorite dinner ideas:

And for a classic rice based beverage, you can’t beat horchata!

How to cook white rice – easily and perfectly

How to cook rice in a pot on the stove (my default), microwave or oven! My method to make steamed rice is simple and foolproof – no rinsing, no colanders, or any of the other fussy techniques called for in other recipes. Your rice will be fluffy and tender every single time – never gluggy or mushy. And I’m a rice snob!

Use this recipe for: short, medium and long grain white rice. See separate directions for: jasmine, basmati and brown rice.

How to cook rice

Everyone should know how to cook rice perfectly – without a rice cooker! So today, I’m sharing how I cook rice, 3 different ways:

Stove in a pot (13 min) – the best results, the way I usually make rice;

Oven (35 min) – the most hands off way, and the easiest way to cook rice in big batches;

Microwave (12 min) – the fastest, hands off way

Which rice to use for this recipe

Use this rice recipe for:

long grain white rice

medium grain white rice

short grain white rice except sushi rice (which is a type of short grain rice, see below)

See separate recipes for:

DO NOT use this recipe for:

sushi rice – use the directions in this recipe

wild rice (cook per this recipe), black rice, or other special rices

risotto rice – use a risotto recipe

paella rice – use this Paella recipe

Wondering about the difference between rice types?

The general rule is that the shorter the rice grain, the stickier the rice. Sticky doesn’t meany gummy! It just means the grains stick together more, rather than being crumbly, so they are easier to eat with chopsticks.

The longer the grain, the less sticky it is. Basmati is the least sticky rice (Indian food isn’t eaten with chopsticks!), short grain is the most sticky. (eg. Sushi rice is a type of short grain rice, and it has to be sticky in order for sushi rolls to stay together. You can’t make sushi rolls with basmati rice!)

Rice to water ratio

For 1 cup of rice, you will need 1.5 cups of water for to cook rice on the stove or in the oven.

The water needs to be increased to 2 cups to cook rice in microwave.

If you rinse the rice*, reduce the water by 2 tablespoons per cup of rice.

* You don’t need to rinse rice to have fluffy rice if you use the right cooking method and rice to water ratio! More on the to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse debate below.

JUMP TO Video | Recipe

How to cook rice on the stove (my default method)

Place 1 cup of rice (no rinsing!) and 1.5 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high – no lid;

Turn heat down to low, cover with lid, and leave for 13 minutes;

With lid still on, remove saucepan from stove and stand for 10 minutes; and

Fluff with a rice paddle, rubber spatula or fork, marvel at perfect fluffy rice!

JUMP TO Video | Recipe

This is my default way of cooking rice, and of the 3 methods I’m sharing today, it yields the best result – the closest to using a rice cooker. All the rice cooks evenly, the grains are tender but not mushy, and the surface of the grains are not mushy and gummy.

There is no need to rinse rice if you use my rice cooking method!

JUMP TO Video | Recipe

How to cook rice in the oven

Useful for hands off, big batch rice cooking.

Place rice and boiling water* in a small casserole with a lid (or use a pan and foil);

Cover with lid, bake at 200°C/390°F (180°C fan) for 35 minutes;

Remove from oven and stand for 10 minutes; and

Fluff with fork, marvel at perfectly cooked fluffy oven baked rice.

* Boiling water helps rice cook more evenly in the oven because the water doesn’t require time to come up to temperature in the oven (which can take over 10 minutes).

JUMP TO Video | Recipe

This is my next preferred method to cook rice. It’s not as perfect as rice cooked on the stove because some of the rice on the edges gets a wee bit crispy. But it is still very very good and the small compromise is worth the convince of this entirely hands-off method of cooking rice.

Some people think rice should not be sticky at ALL, but that’s not right! Rice is supposed to be a bit sticky, otherwise 5 billion Asians would struggle to eat rice with chopsticks!

JUMP TO Video | Recipe

How to cook rice in the microwave

Useful emergency method! I use this when I’m scrambling for rice props in photos!

Place 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of boiling water in a microwave proof round^ container that’s 3 to 4 times taller than the water level (the water bubbles up quite a lot);

Microwave uncovered for 12 minutes on high;

Remove from microwave, cover then rest for 10 minutes;

Fluff and enjoy!

* Most microwaves heat things from the outside in. Using boiling water helps rice cook more evenly.
^ Round container cooks more evenly than square or rectangle, but not critical.

JUMP TO Video | Recipe

Cooking rice in the microwave is just as fast as using the stove, but it’s more hands off. BUT microwave rice is not quite as good as cooking rice on the stove. The rice doesn’t cook quite as evenly, but the difference is marginal and I’m pretty sure only rice snobs can tell the difference!

You might turn your nose up at the thought of microwave rice… but it’s super handy to know how!

When I’m cooking on the job and need rice for stir fries or curries or something else I’m shooting, rice gets made in the microwave more often than not – for sheer convenience. Things get pretty hectic around here on shoot days!

Here’s a look at the rice cooked in the microwave. Hard to capture the texture in photos, but it is fluffy and doesn’t have that unpleasant gluey surface on the grains. You can see it better in the recipe video below!

JUMP TO Video | Recipe

The biggest mistake you’ve been making all your life

The biggest mistake people make when cooking rice is using too much water with most recipes calling for 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice for stovetop cooking. This virtually guarantees overly soft rice with gummy surfaces.

The problem of too much water is then exacerbated by rinsing the rice, with promises that removing the excess starch will make your rice fluffy. Ever weighed your rice before and after rinsing? All that extra weight = water.

So actually, recipes that call for 2 cups of water AND rinsing rice end up using almost 2 1/4 cups of water for 1 cup of rice = overly soft rice with gummy surfaces.

The perfect rice to water ratio is 1:1.5 for the stove. If you insist on rinsing the rice, reduce the water by 2 tablespoons.

JUMP TO Video | Recipe

There is no need to rinse rice to make it fluffy!

There’s a widely held belief that rinsing rice is the key to to successful rice, that doing this washes away excess starch on the rice grains which makes the rice extra fluffy.

Yes that’s true, it does wash away excess starch.

But your rice will still be beautifully fluffy even without rinsing if you use my 1:1.5 rice to water ratio and cooking method for the stove (or other methods above).

The only reason to rinse rice are under the following circumstances:

to clean it – if you’ve purchased it at street markets or similar (ie not in packages at grocery stores) and you’re concerned about how clean it is, washing the rice will remove impurities;

flavoured rices – there are some rice recipes I’ve shared that call for rinsing in circumstances where other ingredients create a thicker cooking liquid. So to ensure the rice is still fluffy, I rinse the rice and sometimes even par boil it beforehand eg. Biryani, Curried Rice with Carrots, Coconut Rice.

If you DO rinse rice, you need to reduce water by 2 tablespoons for each cup of rice because the rice has some remaining water clinging to it (weigh your rice before and after rinsing – the weight increase is all water!).

How do you wash rice?

Easiest way is to use a bowl, fill with water and swish rice around, then pour water off. Do this 4 times or so. Note: The water will never get completely clear.

JUMP TO Video | Recipe

Troubleshooting!

Scorched base – when you fluff the rice, you discover the base of the pot is burnt.

Heat was too high – some stoves are more powerful than others, and might be too powerful for the saucepan size you are using. Move to a smaller burner.

Pot is too large – don’t use a large pot for a small amount of rice. This causes the liquid to evaporate too quickly inside the pot, which will result in the rice being scorched.

Water not absorbed – don’t take the rice off the stove until the liquid is fully absorbed (tilt saucepan to check). 13 minutes is the average time for an average stove, but if yours is weaker, it might take 15 to 17 minutes. In addition, don’t skip resting the rice for 10 minutes after cooking. During this stage, any residual water will be absorbed!

Rice not properly cooked – unevenly cooked rice grains, with some still hard

Did you peek while the rice was cooking? That will allow steam to escape which stops the rice from cooking properly!

Did you rest the rice for 10 minutes? This is when the rice finishes cooking.

Did you use an appropriate size pot? Don’t use a giant cauldron to cook 1 cup of rice! That will make the liquid evaporate too fast.

Fix it! Add an extra 1/4 cup water for every 1 cup rice you used, then put it back on the stove with the lid on for 5 minutes on low, then rest 10 minutes.

Rice too hard for your taste – my recipe makes rice al dente, the Asian way, like it’s served at your favourite Chinese, Thai, Japanese and other Asian restaurants. It may be a touch firm for some people who grew up on softer rice. Use my base recipe as your starting point, then add an extra 2 tbsp water for your next batch and see if it’s soft enough for your taste. For each batch after that, add an extra 1 tbsp water until it’s the right texture for you.

Overflow mess on the stove or microwave – the saucepan should be about 4 to 5 times the water level and should have a heavy lid. For microwave rice, ensure the container is at least 4 times the height of the water level. Oven baked rice doesn’t have overflow problems because it cooks more slowly.

Cooking rice at high altitude – for stove, add 1 minute extra cook time for every 300m/1,000ft above sea level. This is the rule of thumb for boiling things at high altitude – because the boiling point of water is lower so things take longer to cook.

NO PEEKING, NO STIRRING! Do not lift the lid or stir the rice while it’s cooking. That’s the surefire way to ruin it! Lifting the lid releases the steam = undercooked / unevenly cooked rice. Stirring = activates starch = gluey rice (this is the worst!).

NEVER skip resting for 10 minutes – this is when the rice finishes cooking in the residual heat and the water on the surface of each grain is fully absorbed, leaving you with perfectly fluffy, never gluey rice.

Don’t bring to heavy BOIL – for stovetop rice, don’t bring it to a rapid boil because then it’s so hot, when you put the lid on it will trap in so much heat it will probably boil over. Just bring it to a simmer/gentle boil on medium high (see video!) so there’s big gentle bubbles on the surface and it gets a bit foamy. You may still get a bit of liquid boil over if your lid isn’t heavy enough – if this happens, just add 1 tablespoon extra water next time!

JUMP TO Video | Recipe

USEFUL TO KNOW

Rice to water ratio – 1 cup of rice to 1.5 cups of water for rice cooked on the stove. Increase to 2 cups of water per 1 cup of rice for oven and microwave.

How long does rice last in the fridge? 4 days in an airtight container. Some say it will go to 6 days, but I prefer to err on the side of caution.

Freezing rice – rice freezes extremely well! It will keep for 3 to 4 months in the freezer.

How to reheat rice – the best way is to place rice in a bowl, drizzle with 2 teaspoons water per 1 cup of cold rice, cover with cling wrap then microwave on high for 1 minute. The water will create a steamy environment and make the rice moist and fresh again.

Can you eat cold rice? Yes you can. But it’s not very pleasant – it’s hard and dry. Cold rice is perfect (and necessary!) for Fried Rice! Or use for Chinese Rice Soup (just add towards the end at the point where the rice would be cooked in the recipe.)

How much rice does 1 cup uncooked rice make? 1 cup uncooked rice = 3 cups (packed) cooked rice. It is enough for 3 normal servings, or 4 smaller servings.

Don’t have to use measuring cups – you can use anything to measure the rice and water as long as you use the same ratio. For example, 1 level mug of rice and 1 1/2 mugs of water. Or use a bowl or can or jug – anything!

Calories in rice – 1 cup cooked white rice has 206 calories.

What to serve with rice

Ah, the fun part!! Here’s just a few suggestions:

Stir fries – stir fries were made to soak rice with the tasty sauces!

Curries – curry sauces and rice are best mates, right??

With your favourite Chilli Con Carne (try this Shredded Beef version!)

Make Bibimbap – Korean Rice Bowl!

To be honest, I think that rice goes well with anything that’s saucey – Asian or not Asian. Because rice is a neutral flavour, it works well with anything!

Thai Basil Chicken

Congratulations – you’re now a Rice Master!

If you’ve made it this far, you’re now armed with the basics for how to cook rice perfectly! You’ll be able to make rice anytime, anywhere, without any special equipment.

A world of deliciousness awaits you – think of all the things you’re going to be on your rice, and cook with your rice! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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How to Cook Rice: A Step-by-Step Guide

Get perfect rice every time with these instructions for the classic method, the pasta method, the pilaf method and more.

Related To:

How to Cook Perfect Rice 01:37

Cook perfect, fluffy rice every time with our basic techniques.

There’s lots of info out there on how to cook rice — perhaps because it’s such a simple and inexpensive staple. But the back of the rice package says one thing about how to cook it, and your favorite blog says something else. Good news — you’ve landed on our tried-and-tested guide. We’ll walk you through all the different ways to make different varieties of rice, and ensure it never comes out mushy, gummy, or burnt. Looking to cook brown rice specifically? Check out our story How to Cook Brown Rice.

Food Network Kitchen’s How to Cook Rice: A Step-by-Step Guide.

Photo by: Matt Armendariz

First and Foremost: Always Rinse Rice Before Cooking

No matter how you’re cooking your rice (or which variety you’re making), it’s important to rinse those grains. Doing so removes excess starch. Left on the rice, the starch results in unappealing, gummy results. Some recipes will tell you to place the rice in a bowl and change the water several times, but we think the easiest technique is to rinse it in a fine mesh strainer. Agitate the grains with your hands as you run water over them to shower them evenly. When the water runs clear, you’re done rinsing. Having trouble seeing whether or not it’s clear? Put a clear bowl underneath the water draining off the rice, let any bubbles settle away and then take a look.

How to cook perfect rice every time

When it comes to cooking rice, practice really does make perfect. Follow these steps to find out how to make rice whether it’s basmati, brown, wild or sushi.

Rice is a cereal grain and is one of the most commonly used staples around the world, so learning how to cook rice so that it’s perfectly fluffy will help you master a wide range of tasty, thrifty meals for the whole family.

There are 40,000 varieties of rice and so many ways of cooking it, with almost every country having its own take on it. From sticky or steamed rice as an accompaniment to stir-fries, stews and curries, to one-pot meals such as Italian risotto, Spanish paella and Caribbean jambalaya. Rice can also be sweetened up in rice pudding, for classic creamy comfort.

When cooking plain rice (also known as long-grain), there are a few simple steps to follow so that you can enjoy deliciously fluffy results every time. Basmati (a type of long-grain rice) is the most commonly used variety around the world. Read on for a step-by-step guide, plus our top tips on how to cook brown rice and our favourite rice recipes.

How to cook basmati rice perfectly

This is our method for cooking the perfect plain rice. It’s also the one to follow if you want to flavour your rice with herbs and spices (more on that later).

Once you’ve got the hang of this basic recipe you can add flavour by infusing the rice with different fragrances and flavours. Experiment by boiling your rice with things like fresh herbs, a cinnamon stick, a few cardamom pods, a strip of lemon zest or even a green tea bag in the water with the rice.

There is another very simple method for cooking rice — the absorption method. For four people, add a mug of rice and 2 mugs of boiling water to a pan with a pinch of salt and pepper, then cook with the lid on over a high heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, until all the liquid has been completely absorbed. You can also add aromatics to the water with this method.

How to cook brown rice

Brown rice is just as easy to cook as white rice, but takes a little longer. The easiest way is to add rice (following the quantities on the pack) to a pan and just cover it with water. Cover with a lid and leave to tick away for about 25 minutes, or until cooked through – easy! Check out this recipe for Rice & peas with jerk roasted veg to try it yourself.

Other types of rice

Here’s how to cook other types of rice:

Arborio rice

Chicken & chorizo paella

Sushi rice

Sushi rice (also known as shari) is a short-grain white rice, which is cooked and seasoned with vinegar, salt and sugar. Each grain retains its original shape, and yet they magically stick together without being gluey. Learn how to make sushi with this Simple sushi recipe.

Sticky rice

Black rice

Amazing veggie chilli

Black rice (also known as purple rice) is grown across Asia. It’s source a fibre, making it highly nutritious. Uncooked, it’s inky black in colour, which turns purple when cooked, with a slightly chewy texture and a nutty flavour. It’s used in desserts in many cuisines, or can be served as a alternative accompaniment for dishes such as this Amazing veggie chilli

Wild rice

Pudding rice

Icelandic rice pudding

How to cook rice, the Japanese way

Published November 4, 2018 / Last modified December 20, 2019 By Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles / 66 Comments

I am going to share how to cook rice, the Japanese way that my father taught me. My father knew how to cook absolutely perfect, Japanese plain steamed rice.

Which Rice? What types of Rice?

Short grain Japonica preferably, “Koshihikari”. If you can get “Koshihikari” this is the rice I would buy. If there are Japanese or Asian grocery stores near you, get Koshihikari. They are not cheap compared to the other types of rice, like Jasmine rice or long grain rice. See below for options in US.

The rice packets that I usually buy from supermarkets in Australia

Koshihikari rice is Low GI(48)

Generally speaking, many rice GI values are quite high. Although Koshihikari is not. Koshihikari is actually low GI and it’s GI value is 48. So I continued to consume koshihikari rice when I was on low GI diet.

Fluffy Rice is a big NO NO

Japanese people love anything fluffy, like fluffy pancake and fluffy bread. But never ever fluffy rice. Perfectly cooked rice is shiny and firm but perfectly cooked through. It is like how the Italians fuss about cooking pasta al dente professionally.

My surprise to see how the rice is cooked in Australian households

I came to Australia about 20 years ago. Everything is so big and spacious, with friendly people. I fell in love instantly with Australia except for one thing, the way people cook rice. It was my jaw dropping moment when I saw they cook rice in a saucepan with a lot of water, and draining the water when the rice is cooked with sieves. What!?

How Japanese people cook rice at home?

My father’s tips on how to cook perfect rice, the Japanese way

Rice and water ratio is 1:1

It does not have to be a proper measurement cup. I even use a mug. One mug of uncooked rice, and using the same mug, add the mug of water to pour in.

Wash and rinse until the washing water becomes clear

Never ever open the lid

You need to be patient even though it is hard to resist. Do not open the lid, because opening the lid lets out the built up steam. So for that reason, do not open the lid.

Allow 10 minutes after the heat is turned off

After the heat is turned off, allow 10 minutes so the rice is cooked further with remaining steam.

Turn the rice gently from the bottom

How to store the leftover rice

Cooking more rice yields a better result. So I usually cook a minimum 2 cups of uncooked rice. Divide the leftover rice to the amount you will eat at a meal. Wrap them gently with cling wrap while it is still warm, place them in a ziplock freezer bag and freeze them. It will keep for about a month.

Koshihikari Available in US

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