How to Cook Instant Rice
| 2 min read
Medically reviewed by Shanthi Appelo, MS, RD
Key Takeaways
- Instant rice is pre-cooked and dehydrated before packaging, allowing it to cook in just 5 to 10 minutes.
- Regular rice undergoes only the milling process, making it less processed but requiring 20 to 30 minutes to prepare.
- Both instant and regular rice are naturally gluten-free, low in fat, and offer similar core nutritional benefits.
- Store leftover rice in an airtight container promptly and use within five days, or freeze for up to three months.
How To Cook Instant Rice or Minute Rice
Total Time:
10 minutes
Prep Time:
5 minutes
Cooking Difficulty:
Easy
Serving Amount
Ingredients
1 cup water or broth
1 cup instant rice
salt, if desired
Instructions
Step 1
In a small or medium sized saucepan, bring your water or broth to a boil on the stovetop. You can also use a kettle or electric kettle to heat the right amount of water, then combine that with the instant rice in a bowl or pot. Use a 1:1 ratio of cups liquid to cups of instant rice. One cup of uncooked instant rice will yield two servings of cooked rice.
Step 2
Once the water is boiling, carefully add your instant rice to the pan, pot, or bowl.
Step 3
Use a tightfitting lid to keep the pan covered and remove the pan from heat. Steam is essential to the cooking process, so keep the rice covered for the best results.
Step 4
Let the rice sit for 5 minutes or until the liquid is fully absorbed.
Step 5
After 5 minutes, uncover the pot and use a fork to fluff the rice. Mix in salt if desired according to preference and personal health needs.
