How to cook brown rice (2024)

FAQs

How is the best way to cook brown rice? ›

I use 2 cups of water for every cup of rice. Add the water and rice to a medium saucepan, and stir in a teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil. Next, it's time to cook! Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes, until the rice is tender and has absorbed the water.

To cook brown rice on the stovetop, a good rule of thumb is to follow a 2 to 1 ratio of water to rice; so, for 1 cup of rice, you would use 2 cups of liquid. When in doubt, check the package directions for the optimal ratio for short-, medium-, and long-grain.

Soaking is optional, but we recommend it! Soaking grains helps to remove some of the naturally-occurring phytic acid in the grain, which helps improve digestibility and speed cook time. To soak: Add rice to a large mixing bowl or pot and cover with twice the amount of lukewarm water (1 cup rice + 2-3 cups water).

Build flavors early on!

Ginger and garlic both make for exceptional brown rice. If you're going the spice route we love turmeric, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika with brown rice. Try adding some of these spices to the pot as you cook your aromatic vegetables. Cook in a flavorful liquid.

As a general rule, you should rinse all types of rice before cooking, including long grain, medium grain, short grain, brown, white, and so on. Rinsing rice ensures you will remove any debris, dust, or other harmful substances that may have snuck into the bag.

For this technique, you'll boil your rice in an abundance of water for 30 minutes. Drain off the excess water, return the rice to the pot, cover, and let the rice steam for 10 minutes. Ta da! Perfect brown rice, every time.

The correct cook time and water ratio for brown rice depends on the cooking method that you're using. Properly cooked rice should have a slightly chewy consistency. Overcooked rice will be mushy; undercooked, it will be hard and crunchy.

Excess Water and Incorrect Water Ratio: Too much water during cooking often results in mushy rice. The water ratio is critical; too much water causes the rice grains to absorb more liquid than they can handle, leading to a breakdown in their structure.

You can make great rice without soaking it, but if you want to create the ultimate rice, soak it. Soaking rice is just one of the tricks to keeping rice just the right amount of sticky. Soaking any variety of rice covered in water for just 30 minutes plumps the grains of rice.

Toasting the dry rice grains in a little butter or olive oil before adding the water brings out their flavor and adds a fantastic nutty note in the finished dish. I especially love doing this with brown rice and other whole grains like farro and barley.

How do you keep brown rice from getting chewy? ›

And finally, after cooking, let your rice rest off the heat with the lid on for about 10 minutes. This pause before serving helps the rice absorb the last of the moisture in the pot. If you skip it, the rice can be a little sticky and gummy when scooping it from the pot instead of light and fluffy.

Adding butter and salt is optional but it does give the rice a nice flavor. One Tablespoon of butter and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, to 1 cup of rice, is the norm.

Brown rice can be a healthy side dish or a base ingredient for many different recipes. Here are a few ways to try it: Add it to soup for healthy carbs. Stir fry vegetables and meat or tofu, then add some brown rice.

Brown rice is a more nutrient-dense product than white rice. Because of this, brown rice may help reduce blood sugar levels and aid in managing weight. But white rice is good for people with certain digestive issues and those who can't digest fiber-rich foods well.

Start by bringing the water to a boil. Add the rice, salt and butter, and give it ONE stir. Cover the pot. Return the pot to a boil, then turn the stove down to simmer and set the timer.