How do you cook rice without it becoming too gummy and sticky or too dry and chewy – without using a rice cooker or Instapot?? Follow these simple tips to cook the perfect pot of brown rice, white rice, or jasmine rice. No special equipment required!

If you’ve ever been frustrated that the rice you make on the stove never turns out like it does from a restaurant, a few simple tips and tricks could make a big difference!

Before running out to buy an expensive rice cooker, follow these tips to learn the traditional way to cook rice on the stove.

It’s also possible to cook rice like pasta, in an excess of water which you then drain, but I find it easier – with more consistent results – to use the process below.

Perfect Rice Tip #1: Rinse the Rice

When white rice is milled to remove the outer hull of the kernel, the process leaves a layer of starch on the outside of the rice kernels. Rinsing rice in cold water before cooking removes this extra starch, helping to prevent it from sticking together when cooking. If not removed, this starch can cause the rice to become gummy and sticky when cooked and prevent the rice kernels from separating.

Rinsing rice also removes any dirt, debris, or chemicals that might be on the rice from when it was harvested and stored. This applies to both white and brown rice.

How to Wash White Rice

Place white rice in a large bowl and add water to completely submerge rice. Stir the rice around with your hand or a spoon, then drain it through a colander or mesh sieve. Repeat once or twice until water is clear when drained.

How to Wash Brown Rice

Place brown rice in a colander or mesh sieve and run cold water directly through the rice, shaking it as the water runs through, until the water comes through the rice clear.

Perfect Rice Tip #2: Choose the Right Ratio of Water for Your Rice Type

The amount of water used when cooking determines how tender the rice will be. Follow the guidelines below the first time you cook rice, then adjust the water amount to your preference the next time you cook.

For more tender rice, add an extra ¼ cup water until you find your desired consistency. For chewier rice, reduce water by ¼ cup. Some climates and humidity differences can also affect how your rice turns out; start with the ratios listed below, then test it out and adjust the amount of water used yourself.

Note: it will NOT work to adjust the water amount for the rice you’re cooking; you’ll have to do this by “trial and error” each time you cook. For example, day 1 – try 1 cup white rice to 2 cups water. If the rice is too tender (soft or mushy) for your preference, then on day 2, try making the rice with 1 cup white rice to 1 ¾ cup water.

If you try and adjust the amount of water in the recipe you’re cooking while it’s cooking, it won’t turn out properly (see Tip #6).

The Perfect Ratio of White Rice to Water is 1:2

Use the ratio of 1 cup of white rice to 2 cups of water when making long-grain white rice. If the rice is too soft or mushy for your taste, decrease the amount of water used next time. If too chewy or not cooked enough, increase the amount of water used next time.

The Perfect Ratio of Brown Rice to Water is 1:3

Use the ratio of 1 cup of brown rice to 3 cups of water when making long-grain white rice. If the rice is too soft or mushy for your taste, decrease the amount of water used next time. If too chewy or not cooked enough, increase the amount of water used next time.

Note: my personal preference is 1 cup of brown rice to 3 ¼ cups of water. This yields a softer texture closer to white rice while still enjoying the nutty flavor of the whole grain.

Perfect Rice Tip #3: Cover with Lid

One of the keys to perfectly cooked rice is to keep the humidity constant and all the steam inside.

Unlike the “pasta” method of cooking rice, using this traditional technique the rice is cooked by absorbing all of the water it’s in – which is why the ratio of water to rice is so important. Leaving the lid on helps to minimize the cooking differences and will give you more consistency with how your rice turns out each time.

Perfect Rice Tip #4: Use the Correct Cooking Temperature: Bring to a Boil, then Reduce Heat to Low and Simmer

To cook your rice, add water, rice, and salt (recommend ½ teaspoon for every 1 cup rice) to a saucepan. Cover with a lid, turn heat to high, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, immediately reduce heat to low and simmer for the recommended amount of time.

Pro tip: to give your rice an extra bit of flavor, try toasting it in the dry saucepan before adding the water to boil. This works particularly well with jasmine and basmati rices.

Perfect Rice Tip #5: Use the Correct Cooking Time

Identifying the correct cooking time for your rice is all about finding out how long it takes for the rice to absorb all the water – in your house, in your humidity, and with the amount of water you add to the rice.

Thus, the cooking time can vary. Follow the guidelines below the first time you cook rice, then adjust the cook time to how long it takes to absorb all the water, but NOT scorch or burn.

Long-Grain White Rice Cooking Time: 15-18 minutes

Brown Rice Cooking Time: 45-60 minutes

Note: this cooking time is longer than I often see recommended in other recipes, but I find that our family prefers to use more water and cook longer for a softer rice kernel. It’s nice and fluffy and a bit more like the texture of white rice, but with the delicious nutty flavor of the whole grain.

Jasmine Rice Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes

Basmati Rice Cooking time: 13-15 minutes

Perfect Rice Tip #6: Don’t Peak! (& DON’T stir!)

It’s SO tempting to take off the lid and give your rice a quick stir periodically as it cooks.

Whatever you do, do NOT stir your rice as it cooks! This will lead to sticky, gummy rice even if you’ve done everything else correctly.

Leave the lid on and don’t mess with the rice during the full cooking time. Check it only at the very end of cook time to make sure all the water has absorbed. Do this by looking and listening for any liquid still simmering in the pot, or give it one quick stir – but avoid mixing your rice.

Perfect Rice Tip #7: Let it Rest, then Fluff with a Fork

Once all the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat to the rice, but leave it covered and let sit on the stove for 5-10 minutes. This extra time allows the rice to steam and become nice and fluffy.

Just before serving, use a fork to gently “fluff” the rice by inserting the fork towards the bottom of the saucepan and lifting the rice up, as opposed to mashing it down with a spoon while trying to serve.

And there you have it! Perfectly cooked rice using equipment you already have in your kitchen.

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Join our community and enjoy the camaraderie of other cooks of all skill levels who are constantly learning and sharing new tricks for making it easier to get dinner on the table.

Happy rice cooking!

Dietitian Ann

Recipe for Perfect Brown Rice

Ingredients

• 1 cup Brown rice

• 3 cup Water

• 1/2 tsp Salt

Instructions

1. Rinse brown rice: place brown rice in a colander or mesh sieve and run cold water directly through the rice, shaking it as the water runs through, until the water comes through the rice clear.

2. Combine brown rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cover with lid and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer about 45 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.

3. Once all water has been absorbed, turn off heat and allow rice to rest another 5-10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.

Recipe for Perfect White Rice

Ingredients

• 1 cup Long grain white rice

• 2 cup Water

• 1/2 tsp Salt

Instructions

1. Rinse rice: place white rice in a large bowl and add water to completely submerge rice. Stir the rice around with your hand or a spoon, then drain it through a colander or mesh sieve. Repeat once or twice until water is clear when drained.

2. Add rice, water, and salt to small saucepan. Cover, turn up heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15-18 minutes until all water has been absorbed.

3. Turn off heat and let rice sit another 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.

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