Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
How to Cook Brown Rice Recipe
One of the simplest ways to cook dinner brown rice is determined by what kind of brown rice you’ve – and I cooked a LOT of brown rice to determine this out! Do you know brown basmati rice cooks in half the time of lengthy grain, and brief grain brown rice is healthier baked than cooked on the range?
BIGGEST TIP – ignore the packet instructions, DO NOT use the absorption technique. And make this Brown Rice Salad!
Additionally see methods to cook dinner:
White rice | Jasmine | Basmati | Sushi rice | Risotto (straightforward approach!) | Paella | Quinoa | Cauliflower rice
It is a recipe for methods to cook dinner brown rice so it’s fluffy and tumbles out of the pot like THIS ↓↓
The problem with cooking brown rice is that it has a more durable hull than white rice, being the nutritious bran layer than is left on throughout milling. So all too usually, recipes will lead you down a path to both overcooked mushy surfaces with cooked insides, OR the floor is likely to be excellent however the inside continues to be onerous.
The brown rice cook dinner time varies drastically relying on what kind of brown rice you’ve.
Effectively, you may ignore all these different recipes you’ve used prior to now. That is all you must find out about methods to cook dinner brown rice completely and constantly, each single time:
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Decide what kind of rice you’ve received; and
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Prepare dinner it in keeping with the desk beneath:
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Completely cooked during – not overcooked and mushy, nor undercooked within the center;
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Could have a wonderfully cooked floor that’s neither gummy/slimy, nor unpleasantly moist and soggy;
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Could have the slight chew that we love about brown rice, from the layer of bran that’s saved on throughout milling – the great things, the flavour and vitamin!
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Can be superbly fluffy – if you happen to used medium/lengthy grain or basmati rice; or
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Can be a bit sticky and clump collectively as supposed – if you happen to used brief grain rice.
For those who don’t know what kind of brown rice you’ve, match it as finest you may to the images above.
Use this for: medium grain, lengthy grain and brown basmati rice.
Overview: This technique is for lengthy rice grains that cook dinner up fluffy and separated, somewhat than clumping collectively. The fast boiling retains the grains agitated in order that they don’t stick collectively. This “onerous and quick” boil technique is good to cook dinner by means of the powerful, nutritious bran layer on the skin of brown rice.
The Boil and Drain technique is rather like cooking pasta – with one crucial distinction: resting. When the rice is drained, you’ll discover the grains are unpleasantly soggy. If you return it to the pot and go away it coated for 10 minutes, the grains will take in the surplus water and remodel into fluffy perfection!
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half-hour – medium grain and lengthy grain brown rice
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12 – 14 minutes – brown basmati rice
A KEY STEP many recipes get flawed
Take care to shake off extra water nicely if you drain the rice, and to tip out each drop of water from the pot so it steams dry with the residual warmth. You probably have a slick of water left on the bottom of the pot if you tip the rice again in, the rice will take in that water and find yourself over bloated.
Additionally, make sure that to place the pot again on the turned off range whereas the rice is resting. That further little little bit of residual warmth will assist the rice “steam dry” to perfection.
That is brown basmati rice that’s been cooked utilizing the Boil and Drain technique:
Use this for: brief grain. Additionally superb for medium grain and lengthy grain (although Boil and Drain is healthier for these).
Overview: Wonderful completely fingers off technique to evenly cook dinner by means of brown rice. Marginal bits of crispy brown rice on the rim of the floor, but it surely doesn’t trouble me within the slightest. (The truth is, I wish to choose them off for myself!)
This massively ignored technique of baking rice is good as a result of the baking vessel is just not in direct contact with the heating component (like with stovetop cooking) so that you don’t have to fret a couple of scorched base, and the lengthy, sluggish 75 minute cook dinner time permits for the powerful outer layer of the brown rice to cook dinner by means of completely.
Key Step: BOILING water
You will need to use BOILING water not chilly faucet water for the baked technique. In any other case it takes a great quarter-hour or so for the water to warmth up sufficient to start out cooking the rice throughout which the rice is simply wallowing and bloating in heat water, leading to mushy rice.
The Absorption Technique of cooking rice is the strategy whereby rice and water is put in a saucepan and cooked over low warmth so the rice absorbs the water, and it’s NOT drained. That is how I cook dinner all white rice – on a regular basis rice in addition to Jasmin and Basmati.
Whereas it can work if you happen to soak the rice for two hours, then cook dinner on a low warmth for half-hour, I concluded that it was not the very best nor simplest way for brown rice due to the next
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It’s troublesome to attain consistency – typically the rice comes out fairly good, cooked by means of with a pleasant floor on every grain. However typically, it got here out with a slimy or gummy floor which is absolutely disagreeable. An ideal result’s extremely prone to minor variations in pot measurement and range energy. I additionally received buddies to strive, and had combined outcomes;
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Not so good as Boil & Drain or Baking – even after I “nailed it”, the rice isn’t nearly as good as utilizing the Boil & Drain or Baking Strategies. The rice within the decrease a part of the pot was at all times extra moist and barely softer than very best.
Conclusion: give the absorption technique a miss!
Why is it so onerous to cook dinner brown rice utilizing the Absorption Technique?
As a result of brown rice grains have a tough vitamin hull (the bran layer which is eliminated for white rice). That is more durable and takes longer to cook dinner. It is vitally onerous to seek out the proper steadiness utilizing the low-heat absorption technique such that the onerous hull is completely cooked in the identical time it takes for the within cooks by means of. All too usually, you find yourself overcooking the hull with a purpose to cook dinner the center (ie mushy outsides), or undercooked onerous inside with completely cooked outsides.
Right here’s a “profitable” pot of brown rice cooked utilizing the Absorption Technique. It’s onerous to inform from a photograph, however these rice grains have been softer and much much less fluffier than utilizing the Boil & Drain Technique AND Baking Technique (that is medium grain brown rice).
Technically, any rice that doesn’t have the hull eliminated is a brown rice, so this consists of issues like pink rice, black rice and many others. However for the aim of this recipe, I’m overlaying the 4 widespread varieties of brown rice (all pictured in graphic at high of put up):
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Quick grain brown rice rice – brief and stubby, this cooks up sticky so the grains clump collectively, making it very best to choose up with chopsticks and use for issues like sushi the place you need the rice to stay collectively. That is uncommon in Australia, I’ve solely used it a handful of occasions, at all times from speciality shops or markets. And I’ve additionally learn that it’s widespread for brief(ish) medium grain rice to be labelled “brief grain rice”. Most sushi retailers in Australia seem to make use of medium grain brown rice;
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Medium grain brown rice (beneath left) – barely longer than brief grain, it is a nice all rounder that’s barely stickier than lengthy grain, however not as sticky as brief grain (simply sticky sufficient to make sushi rolls). Commonest rice kind in Australia;
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Lengthy grain – longer nonetheless, cooks up fluffy and doesn’t stick collectively as a lot (although it nonetheless does a bit). Superb for salads (assume – tossing with dressing); and
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Basmati (beneath proper) – the least sticky of all of them! Historically from the Indian sub-continent so very best with all issues curry in addition to Center Jap meals.
When to make use of which rice?
When used cooked – like serving with stir fries, or in rice salads and rice soups – the kind of brown rice doesn’t actually matter aside from issues like sushi when the rice wants to stay collectively (use brief grain).
Nonetheless, it does matter when raw rice is utilized in a recipe as a result of the cook dinner time and liquid quantities required is determined by the kind of brown rice used. The recipe writer ought to (hopefully!) specify which kind of rice to make use of.
Professional tip: you get what you pay for
Not all rice is created equal. For those who purchase economical house-brand rice, it is not going to style nearly as good because the premium manufacturers. That is notably prevalent with basmati rice – the cheaper manufacturers will at all times style extra “crumbly” and nearly watery, whereas premium high quality has a a lot definitive, nice texture and flavour. This is applicable to each white and brown rice.
I’m in Australia and I usually use SunRice (Australia’s largest rice producer) which is an excellent high quality for on a regular basis functions.
Ahh, the chances in your newfound perfectly-cooked-brown-rice life!! To smother in stir fries, make fried rice, rice salads (this one or this fabulous new one), and the a whole lot of recipes on my web site that finish with the phrases “serve with rice”.
Mainly, anytime a recipe requires utilizing or serving with cooked white rice, change it out with brown rice for the added well being advantages and flavour!
PRO TIP: Fried rice is wonderful made with brown rice as a result of the grains are a little bit firmer than white rice so that you don’t even must refrigerate in a single day! I’ve fairly a couple of so that you can select from:
That’s why I didn’t thoughts experimenting – as a result of I knew none would go to waste. As a baby, we have been scolded for leaving a single grain of rice in my bowl. “A rice farmer picked that along with his naked fingers!” my mom would inform us, guilting us into respecting each grain of rice.
I do assume that even again then, the farmers had a little bit assist from equipment. 😂 Nevertheless it was nonetheless a lesson nicely discovered! – Johnsat
Why brown rice is healthier for you
Brown rice has extra vitamin than white rice which is generally simply empty carbs. Throughout milling, the hull of rice grains is eliminated to make white rice. This hull is left on for brown rice, and it comprises bran and germ that comprises fibre, nutritional vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, all of that are good-for-you vitamin.
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice – medium grain, long grain or basmati
- 8 cups water (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 cups short grain brown rice (medium grain ok too)
- 2 1/2 cups BOILING water (Note 2)
- Quick cooking rice (ie par boiled) – will not work
- Brown jasmine – not yet tested
Instructions
- Rinsing rice: only required if you purchased from bulk bins. If you rinse, reduce water by 1/4 cup for baked version.
- Boil water: Bring water to a boil in a small pot or large saucepan over high heat.
- Boil rice: Add rice, then boil rice until just cooked, a tiny bit firmer than you want (it gets softer during Rest step). Use these times as a guide (Note 3):– Medium and long grain rice: 30 minutes– Basmati rice: 12 minutes (1st check) to 14 minutes
- Drain VERY well (key tip! Note 4): Drain rice in a colander, shaking the pot well to remove as much water as you can, and shaking the colander to remove excess water from the rice. Pot should steam dry from residual heat.
- Rest: Return rice to now-dry pot. Put lid on and put it back on the turned off stove. Leave for 10 minutes.
- Fluff and serce: Fluff rice with fork and serve.
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types).
- Combine rice and water: Pour rice and boiling water into a 20cm/8" square pan or round casserole pot. Cover with lid or foil.
- Bake 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Rest, fluff & serve: Remove from oven, stand 10 minutes then fluff with fork and serve.
Notes
1 cup uncooked brown rice = 2 3/4 cup cooked = 2 to 3 servings.
BEFORE YOU START:
a) Identify what type of brown rice you have. If you do not know, use the photos in the post to match your rice grain. If you are still unsure, use the Boil and Drain Method and start checking rice doneness from 12 minutes – it’s the most universally safe method;
b) Determine the cooking method based on rice type by looking at the ingredients list above;
c) Rinsing – only required to clean if you purchased from bulk bins. If you rinse, you MUST reduce water in baked method. Read Note 5; and
d) Boil and Drain First Timers, or if using a new type or brand of rice, always check the rice (very!) early to see if it’s cooked. Rice goes from soft to overcooked in mere minutes, and not all rices are created equal.
Brown rice type and method:
Short grain – this sticky rice is best baked. Boil and drain isn’t suitable for sticky rice.
Medium grain – sits between sticky short grain rice and fluffy long grain rice. Boil and Drain is best (fluffiest result) but baked is very good too (useful hands-off method).
Long grain and basmati – these long slender grains of rice are most definitely best cooked using the Boil and Drain method for the fluffiest result. Baking works too, but the texture of the rice at the base ends up stickier than ideal, while the rice on the surface is closer to what it should be.
1. Water volume – as you scale up the recipe, you don’t need to scale up the water volume as much. You just need plenty of water that the rice can absorb (it will almost triple in volume) and enough extra bubbling water to keep the rice bouncing around. Think of it like pasta! So for 1 cup rice, you need 8 cups water, but then for 2 cups of rice, you need only 12 cups of water. And so on.
2. Boiling water – important to use boiling water to skip the time it takes for water to heat up in the oven. If you don’t use boiling water, the rice is just soaking in water for 20 minutes or so until it starts cooking, and you’ll end up with soggy rice (as well as increasing cook time).
3. Why do you have to check early when boiling? Because I’ve found that from brand to brand, the perfect cook time can differ. It’s utterly frustrating! But there seems to be no universal standard for brown rice grain sizes, and rice can go from perfect to overcooked in mere minutes. So the golden rule is – CHECK EARLY!
(And once you’ve perfected your preferred rice brand, you’ll know the perfect boil time – stick it on your fridge!).
4. Excess water – shaking off excess water from rice and pouring out every drop of water from the pot so it steams dry in seconds with the residual heat are two key tips for perfect rice using the Boil and Drain method. If the rice is soggy or if the base of the pot is covered in water when you return the rice to the pot, it will absorb that water and end up over bloated.
Resting rice after cooking is especially critical for Boil and Drain because the rice is “wet” straight out of the pot. During the resting phase, the water on each rice grain gets absorbed into the rice, leaving you with perfect rice grains!
5. Rinsing rice – You don’t need to rinse brown rice for it to be fluffy with these cook methods. You only need to rinse if you are concerned about cleanness – eg if you purchased from bulk bins.
How to rinse rice: Place rice in bowl, fill with water, swish until murkey, drain, repeat 3 more times. Water will never be fully clear. If you rinse, DO NOT leave rice soaking in water before cooking, it will affect the cook time (soaked rice cooks faster). In fact, you should rinse immediately prior to cooking.
If you rinse rice, REDUCE water in Baked Method by 1/4 cup (65 ml).
6. Nutrition per serving, assuming 1 cup of uncooked rice serves 3 people.
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