How Long to Cook Rice (Every Type, With Water Ratios)

Rice cooking time chart (stovetop)

These times are for the absorption method: rice and a measured amount of water go into a pot, come to the boil, then simmer covered on the lowest heat until the water is gone. Times start when the water returns to the boil and you turn the heat down.

Packet instructions vary between brands and harvests, so treat these as a starting point and adjust by a minute or two the next time. For a hands-free simmer, start the 20 minute timer, or set any length on the countdown timer for brown rice.

Step by step: fluffy white rice on the stove

• Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. This removes loose starch that makes rice gummy.
• Put the rice, the measured water and a pinch of salt in a heavy pot with a tight lid.
• Bring to a boil uncovered, stir once, then cover and turn the heat to the lowest setting.
• Start your timer and do not lift the lid. Steam is doing the cooking.
• When the timer rings, take the pot off the heat and leave it covered for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Fluff with a fork and serve.

The resting step matters more than most people think. While the pot sits, moisture spreads evenly through the grains, so rice that looked slightly wet at the bottom and firm at the top evens out.

Rice cooker, Instant Pot and microwave times

Rice cookers use less water than the stove because less steam escapes; follow the marks inside the bowl. In a pressure cooker, use a 1:1 ratio for white rice and about 1:1.25 for brown.

Fixing common rice problems

• Crunchy in the middle: there was not enough water or the lid leaked. Sprinkle in 2 to 3 tablespoons of hot water, cover and steam on low for 5 more minutes.
• Wet or mushy: too much water, or it was stirred. Spread it on a tray to steam off, or turn it into fried rice the next day.
• Burnt on the bottom: the heat was too high. Use the smallest burner on its lowest setting, or a heavier pot.
• Sticky basmati: it was not rinsed, or it was stirred while cooking. Rinse well and leave it alone.

How much rice to cook per person

One cup of uncooked white rice (about 180 to 200 g) makes roughly three cups cooked, which serves two to three people as a side or two as a main. A good rule is 75 g (a generous third of a cup) of uncooked rice per person as a side, or 90 to 100 g if rice is the main part of the meal.

Brown rice swells slightly less, so allow a little more. Leftover rice is useful for fried rice the next day, as long as it is cooled and refrigerated quickly as described below.

Risotto, paella and rice pudding

Some rice dishes do not use the absorption method at all. Risotto made with arborio or carnaroli rice takes 18 to 20 minutes from the first ladle of hot stock, stirring often, and should be creamy with a slight bite. Paella rice such as bomba cooks uncovered and unstirred for about 18 to 20 minutes, then rests for 5 minutes. Stovetop rice pudding with short-grain rice simmers gently in milk for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring now and then so it does not catch.

For dishes like these with several stages, a timer per stage keeps things on track. The multiple timers page lets you name each one, such as "stock", "rice" and "rest", so you know which alarm is which.

Cooling and storing cooked rice safely

Cooked rice can carry spores of a bacterium (Bacillus cereus) that survive cooking. If the rice sits warm for hours, they can produce toxins that reheating does not destroy. The safe habit is to cool leftover rice quickly, ideally within an hour, by spreading it out in a shallow container, then refrigerate it. Eat it within a day and reheat it only once, until it is steaming hot all the way through.

If you are cooking rice alongside a curry and a side dish, run them together on multiple timers so each one has its own labelled countdown and alarm.

Frequently asked questions

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