Here’s how to cook rice the fast way—and it turns out perfectly every time! Includes both brown rice and white rice.
Looking to make a pot of rice? Let me tell you: once Alex and I learned the best way of how to cook rice, it was life changing! This method results in perfectly cooked rice, every time! And if you use it to cook brown rice, it cuts the time drastically: from about 55 minutes down to 35 minutes! Over here we’ve been trying to eat brown rice more often. Using this “fast method” makes it much easier to make this healthy and gluten-free whole grain part of an quick dinner. Ready to started?
How to cook rice
The method we use to perfectly cook rice is called the pasta method. So forget everything you’ve learned about how to cook rice! Here, you’ll boil a large pot of water, just like you would for pasta. Then you add the rice and let it boil with the water boiling rapidly. It’s completely different from the typical simmering method. But it’s much more repeatable! You won’t have mushy or crunchy rice. And while its not necessarily much faster for white rice, it’s significantly faster for brown rice.
Ready to see how it’s done?
Step 1: Rinse the rice.
Use a strainer to rinse the rice under cold water, then drain it completely.
Step 2: Boil the rice.
Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the rice and stir. Continue to boil uncovered until tender, with the water bubbling rapidly. For white rice, cook 9 to 12 minutes. For brown rice, cook 20 to 25 minutes.
Step 3: Taste to see if it’s tender.
This step is important! At the beginning of the timing, taste the rice to see if it’s tender. If it’s not, keep cooking for a few more minutes until the rice is tender. Because all rice types and brands are slightly different, so you’ll have to adjust according to the specific rice.
Step 4: Allow to steam.
Steam the rice: Pour the rice into a strainer, then return it to the pot. Cover the pot and allow the rice to steam for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the salt.
For specific instructions on each rice type, go to How to Cook White Rice and How to Cook Brown Rice.
Rice ratios: cheat sheet!
Here are a few handy ratios when cooking this whole grain! These ratios work for both brown and white rice.
- What’s the water to rice ratio? 6 cups water to 1 cup dry rice
- How much does 1 cup dry rice make when cooked? 1 cup dry = about 3 cups cooked
- How much is a serving size of rice? 3/4 cup to 1 cup rice per serving
- How many calories in 1 cup of cooked rice? 1 cup cooked = 200 calories
Can you cook rice in an Instant Pot?
If you have a pressure cooker, it makes cooking rice a breeze! It’s even easier to cook rice in an Instant Pot, because it’s totally hands off. Alex and I love cooking whole grains like rice and quinoa in our Instant Pot. It’s totally hands off and leaves the stove (and your attention!) free for cooking other things.
To cook rice in an Instant Pot, go to White Rice in an Instant Pot or Brown Rice in Instant Pot.
Brown rice vs white rice
What are the differences between brown rice and white rice? Is brown rice healthier? Calorie-wise, they are very similar. Brown rice actually has more calories than white rice, about 216 calories per 1 cup vs. about 200 calories for white rice.
Because brown rice is less processed than white rice, it has nutrients. Here’s why: White rice has its hull, bran and germ removed. Brown rice has only the hull remove, but keeps the nutrient-packed bran and germ. So brown rice keeps the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It also has more fiber than white rice.
Conclusion: Brown rice has slightly more calories than white rice. Brown rice has more vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber than white rice.
This recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
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How to Cook Rice
(8 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
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Pin RecipeDescription
Here’s how to cook rice the fast way—and it turns out perfectly every time! Includes both brown rice and white rice.
Ingredients
- 1 cup white or brown rice (long or short grain)
- 6 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Rinse the rice: Using a strainer, rinse the rice under cold water, then drain it completely.
- Boil the rice using the “Pasta Method”: In a saucepan over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the rice and stir. Continue to boil uncovered until tender, with the water bubbling rapidly. Cook 9 to 12 minutes for white rice or 20 to 25 minutes for brown rice. Start tasting; if the rice is tender, remove the heat. If not, keep cooking a few minutes more until the rice is tender. All rice types and brands are slightly different, so you’ll have to adjust according to the specific rice.
- Steam the rice: Pour the rice into a strainer, then return it to the pot. Cover the pot and allow the rice to steam for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the salt.
- Category: Essentials
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Basics
Keywords: How to Cook Rice, Cooking rice in a pot, Can you freeze cooked rice, How to cook fried rice
How to cook whole grains
Looking for more tutorials on how to cook grains? Here are our favorite methods:
About the Authors
Sonja Overhiser
Cookbook Author and writer
Sonja Overhiser is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best healthy cookbooks of 2018. She’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the food blog A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Sonja seeks to inspire adventurous eating to make the world a better place one bite at a time.
Alex Overhiser
Cookbook Author and photographer
Alex Overhiser is an acclaimed food photographer and author based in Indianapolis. He’s host of the food podcast Small Bites and founder of the recipe website A Couple Cooks. Featured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Alex is author of Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best vegetarian cookbooks by Epicurious.
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