How to Cook Perfect Brown Rice
This stovetop brown rice recipe yields perfectly fluffy brown rice, every time, with any variety. You'll never want to cook brown rice any other way!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
Repeat after me: No more mushy rice! No more mushy rice! I’ve been using this brown rice cooking technique for years, and it never fails.
A few reasons to love this recipe:
- You don’t need a rice cooker or any special equipment (just a pot with a lid, and a kitchen stove).
- You can use this technique on any type of brown rice (long, medium or short grain, as long as it’s not a quick-cooking variety).
- It’s so easy to remember, you’ll never need to look up how to cook brown rice again.
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.
I originally found this technique on Saveur, and I’m so thankful I did. Their recipe calls for 12 cups of water (that’s a lot) per cup of rice, and I’ve learned that it really only needs 6 cups.
However, you don’t actually have to measure the water as long as you’re using a large enough pot. If too much water evaporates during the cooking process, just add more and return the water to a boil. Your rice will still turn out perfectly!
Watch How to Cook Brown Rice
How to Cook Perfect Brown Rice
Once you try this easy technique, you’ll never want to cook brown rice any other way. You can scale this recipe up or down as needed. The basic ratio is 1 part brown rice to 6 parts water, which yields 3 parts cooked rice. As written below, the recipe yields 3 cups cooked rice.
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice (short, medium or long grain brown rice will work, as long as it’s not a quick-cooking variety)
- 6 cups water
- Salt, soy sauce or other desired seasonings, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, using at least 6 cups water per 1 cup rice. Rinse* the rice in a fine mesh colander under running water to remove excess starch.
- Add the rice to the boiling water. Reduce the temperature as necessary to prevent overflow, but maintain a steady boil. Boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
- Drain off the remaining cooking water and return the rice to the pot. Cover the pot and let the rice rest, off the heat, for 10 minutes. Fluff, season as desired, and serve.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Saveur.
*Note on rinsing: I’ve forgotten to rinse my rice before, and the rice turned out almost as good. The cooked grains are a little more starchy—you can see a thin layer of gluey starch at the bottom of the pot after steaming. If you’re in a hurry, skip the rinse.
Make it gluten free: Rice is gluten free, so just be mindful of your additions. Soy sauce, for example, is not gluten free (substitute certified gluten-free tamari instead).
Wild rice option: For wild rice, use 8 cups water and boil for 40 to 55 minutes, until tender but pleasantly chewy.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
5 Recipes Featuring Brown Rice
The following recipes feature this brown rice cooking technique. I have many more brown rice recipes here. You’ll find brown rice risottos, paella, mujaddara and more.
1) Thai Red Curry with Vegetables
Gluten free and vegan
“Made this yesterday following the recipe quite faithfully. Hubby said it tastes exactly like the red curry at our favorite Thai restaurant! This is a winner and will be bookmarked and made often! The details provided in the recipe such as time to cook at each step ensure that you can’t go wrong with the recipe. And so I would feel confident making this recipe for company too.” – Poornima
2) Kale, Black Bean & Avocado Burrito Bowl
Gluten free and vegan
“I’ve made this twice now and love it! The lime juice-marinated kale totally converted me to eating raw kale! This is a perfect recipe to make for weekday lunches in the office because it’s easy to pack and reheat and leftovers taste just as great. Thanks!” – Lauren
3) Extra Vegetable Fried Rice
Gluten free and easily vegan
“I made this last weekend and love love loved it so I’m making it again this weekend! My husband really liked it too, and it’s a tall order to get him to eat a lot of vegetables so this will be entered into our regular rotation for sure. So glad I found this blog, I’ve email subscribed and have just purchased your cookbook! Thanks Kate!!” – Julia
4) Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Crispy Baked Tofu with Honey-Sesame Glaze
Gluten free and vegan
“Another amazing recipe, perfect combination of sweet and spicy. I pitched this to my meat loving boyfriend as vegetarian general tso’s, and it worked! Every recipe I cook from this blog is so delicious – all I want to know is when is the Cookie and Kate cookbook release date! Thank you, Kate, your recipes have renewed my love of cooking and make breaking bread with loved ones even more special.” – Ailla
5) Anything-Goes Kale Salad with Green Tahini Dressing
Gluten free and vegan
“Thank you so much for this lovely salad, beautiful and delicious! The dressing is such a nice combination. Just the thing after a weekend of not-so-healthful eating.” – Wendy
More resources you might appreciate: 23 make-ahead breakfast recipes, 45 recipes that pack well for lunch and 20 simple weeknight dinners. You can shop my essential kitchen equipment here. Don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest for a steady stream of recipe inspiration!
I love this Kate, thanks! I always mess up cooking brown rice so I haven’t tried in a long time, even though I know it’s a bit healthier for you. I will give your method a shot :)
Let me know how it goes for you, Hayley!
Finally ready to try brown rice and I’m curious as to whether you use a specific brand or if you buy it in bulk and whether you prefer short or long grain?
Its not her method though as she states -_-
When you say “steam” does this mean , after draining excess water off, we just lid and let the rice sit?
Thanks in advance
Yes, exactly!
Holy cow, so easy! Thanks for sharing this awesome hack!
You’re welcome!
Wow – can’t wait to try this, Kate. I cook brown rice every week. Will the 30min/10min rule work for rice whose instructions say to cook it for 45 or 50 minutes? Thank you!
It has for me, as long as the water is boiling to start. Let me know what you think!
I am officially IN LOVE. I have tested this technique repeatedly, with different types of brown rice and rice blends and it has worked perfectly each time. SO MUCH SIMPLIER and quicker. Genius. The rice is slightly more al dente, but we prefer it that way. Thank you, Kate. One of the best cooking tips I have learned in a long time.
I love your site and hang on your words and recipes but-
Aren’t you pouring off a lot of nutrients when your drain off the rice?
Hi Bill! You want to make sure you don’t have any extra liquid for your rice usage. The nutritional content is in the grain itself. Some starches may be lost, but the grain is still the main nutrient source.
I have the same question but more related to the water used. What if I want to use broth to cook the rice so that the nutrients are absorbed? Wouldn’t it be wasting the broth? Thanks for your advice!
Brown rice has 80 percent more arsenic than white rice, so this recipe reduces the arsenic when you pour out the water.
So10 months later I try it for the 1st time. I still think you are losing nutrients but this method produces sublime rice.
It’s good for getting rid of arsenic! Google ‘rice’ and ‘arsenic’ for more information.
I’ve been using this technique since I first found it in your cookbook years ago. A total game changer!! This way, I have individual grains that aren’t all sticky and gummy!
I’m glad you agree, Jane!
I just tried it and this method works perfectly! Thank you! I had been using Alton Brown’s baked method for brown rice and it also works really well. But now I’ll have an option for this summer so I don’t have to turn on the oven. Great timing!
Hooray! Thanks for sharing, Tina.
Update: Now that I have made the brown rice a few times this way, I don’t think I’ll be going back to the baked method, even in the winter! This way is the absolute best! Thanks!
Thank you Kate…I never like how my rice turns out… sounds so simple! I love rice so I’ll make it more often now. YAY!
I hope this post helps! Thanks, Patricia.
Great to see this method here Kate, I always cook brown rice this way and it always turns out perfectly fluffy!
Thank you for sharing, Elena!
I’ve been using this recipe for several years. Turns out perfect every time and so easy.
I’m glad you love this technique as much as I do!
I’ve cooked rice this way for a while now. You’re right; it comes out perfect! I like to stir in some Better Than Bullion, butter/coconut oil/olive oil and black pepper after it’s finished steaming…
I also want to let you know how much I appreciate your generosity in the way you share your recipes. I ended up buying your book b/c I wanted to give a little something back! Thank you!
I’m glad you agree with my technique, Kate! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
The rice turned out perfectly! I eat brown rice several times a week, and I NEVER managed to make it correctly. Usually it ended up like a sticky clump. This was soo simple. The rice was cooked perfectly! Thank you so much for this recipe and all your awesome recipes!
You’re welcome, Terri!
Genius! Must try this method – makes so much sense. Being half-Asian, I love your accompanying recipes for the Brown Rice. Cook on, Kate! and be well <3
Thanks, Linda!
Kate I am LOVING your cookbook and the weekly email recipes!
For the brown rice recipe-our organic long grain brown rice from Costco calls for it to be rinsed before cooking-do you think I can skip this step since you boil in so much water and drain?
Love to hear that, Lisette! Thanks for your review. I still prefer to rinse my rice prior to cooking to make sure to rinse any residue off so it doesn’t cook into the rice.
Thank you so much!!!
Brown rice is my freaking JAM, especially in sushi and with curry! I can demolish a bowl of rice with the best stew, roasted vegetables, tofu, and any soup. Now I will know how to cook the best brown rice because I usually tend to make the rice far too soggy!
I’m happy you found this post helpful, Cassie!
I am so grateful for your directions. I have avoided brown rice because I didn’t know how to make it – delicious! And, I’m grandma age…..thank you!!
You’re welcome, Cordelia!
I have been making my rice like this for a while after reading the Saveur article. A tip I have is to freeze (about 2 cups cooked) in quart ziplock bags. So easy to pull out what you need!
Thank you for sharing, Kim!
Best brown rice . I made 1/2 cup portion and it cooked lovely . Thank you . We’re big fans
You’re welcome, Justine!
At what point do you stir in the salt or optional seasonings? Thank you!
See the second step. Cover the pot and let the rice rest, off the heat, for 10 minutes. Fluff, season as desired, and serve. I hope this helps!
Hi! Big fan!! When you say ‘drain rice’ does that mean to spill off excess water or put rice in colander? Thank you!!
Correct!
I’m so glad you shared this. Last year I was gifted one of those home cooking boxes and the recipe called for making the rice this way. I though it sounded odd, but I treated the box as a cooking class and I followed all the instructions to the letter. It was a total game changer. I bought a colander with smaller holes so I can get the rice out easier.
Thanks for sharing, Susan!
Made the brown rice last night with the Thai red curry. Worked like a charm and was really good.
Great to hear that, Jim!
Crikey! I have tried and tried to cook rice before, and always had to laugh when at the end of the recipe it said, “Fluf with fork…” Mine was always like sticking a fork into cold oatmeal. But not anymore! This is a great tip on cooking rice and I love it! Many thanks!
Question: I realize that the cooking times may vary, but can one use this method with other rices, too–jasmine, basmati, etc.?
This method should work well with brown rice recipes, so yes! Thanks for your review.
Perfect. I added garlic and TRADER Joe’s Mushroom & Company Unami the last 10 minutes of boiling. I’m ready to pass my rice cooker on to someone else. I live on a boat, so one less one-item gadget is a double win. Thanks for the recipe!
hanks for sharing, Betheny.
Thanks so much, Kate – I’ll be sure to follow this in the future. Your recipes always seem to be fail-proof. I’ve been reading a lot recently about the importance of soaking our grains, nuts, seeds, beans, etc. in order to reduce inhibitors. If I were to soak the rice with an acid medium, do you have any ideas for cooking time? Do you think soaking for 12+ hours would halve the time?
Thank you again, and as I type this I just saw your wedding photos on IG. I’ve been following you for around 5+ years and am so happy to see you so happy! You deserve the world!
I’m glad you are successful with them, Bethan! As for soaking the rice, I’m not quite sure on your question as I would have to do some more research into it. I bet there are great resources you could look into! Thanks for your kind words on our wedding, too!
This came out perfectly! It was so nice and fluffy. Do you know if you can use a similar method for white rice?
Hi Sarah! I don’t typically cook with white rice, so I don’t have a fool proof method, sorry. If you try it, the timing should be a lot shorter as it doesn’t typically take as long to make.
I live at an elevation of more than 7,000 feet. Elevation messes with all sorts of cooking techniques from beans taking hours to soften to cakes falling to rice and pasta taking longer than at sea level. I found the first part of this recipe to be far too short – 40 or 45 minutes plus the steaming was necessary to get soft rice grains for me. I didn’t leave a review since I don’t see this as the fault of the method but rather a reflection of the fact that anything that requires boiling will likely be different for those of us living at higher elevations. I’ll continue trying as this approach seems promising although the times need tweaking for me.
Thank you for sharing, Sarah! Working with elevation is tricky!
Can you please tell me what brand you like for plain brown rice? It’s always a hit AND miss for me ;/
Hi Di, I don’t actually have a go-to brand. I do try to buy organic when possible.
Kate, Your recipes are the best. I am drooling over the Carrot Cake Recipe. Still haven’t made it but I think I will do muffins and freeze what I can’t eat in a few days. Every photo looks so delicious. Although I am a meat eater I can still make many of the recipes and just add a few strips of meat or fish. Your wonderful mane of hair encourages me to believe that even though you are a vegetarian YOU ARE HEALTHY. Gloria
Thank you, Gloria!
I never make brown rice good, either by the package in a pot or in a rice cooker. After reading how easy you say it is to make I tried it last night with the leftover in the bag, no measuring. OMG – the best!!!! My brown rice came out so fluffy and light. It even tasted different – meaning not sticky soggy mushy but like real rice.
I love your recipes! You got me hooked with Cookie. I have a Queensland Heeler, best dog ever! Cooke might be Luna’s cousin!
Great to hear, Joanne!
After measuring rice and water for over 30 years, this method works and is so easy. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome, Ann!
Just tried this method and I’m so excited about how it turned out. Thank you! Any chance this would work on other types of rice(white, wild)?
Unfortunately, those require different cooking times. White rice less and wild rice typically more.
Oh my I can finally cook some brown rice so Mexican rice watch out!
Let me know what you think, Sarah!
Wow this hack is super great! I make rice as the base for about 3/4 of my meals and this is by far the best cooking method for texture.
Thank you for sharing, Claire!
Hi Kate, that’s a great tip! Thanks for sharing. I made a small portion of brown rice this weekend and it turned out undercooked even when using a rice cooker! (maybe it’s time to retire it)
It’s often fine but never as good as I want it to be… I’m considering trying a different technique and this one sounds good! Even if it takes longer.
Do you salt the boiling water, add the salt in the last 10 minutes, or no salt at all? Have you tried making flavored rice with this technique? Spices would be lost when draining the water, right?
You’re welcome! I don’t salt the water for this one! Check out my cilantro lime rice and other dishes for ideas on adding spices!https://sooka.info/cilantro-lime-brown-rice-recipe/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Perfect! Doubled the recipe and it came out perfect. Never going back to the old method. Thank-you!
You’re welcome!
WHAT?????!!!!!!!! How did I not know this? Tried this method last night and the rice turned out perfect and fluffy. Thank you!
I’m glad it turned out so well for you! Thank you for sharing, Lisa.
I don’t usually comment but LOVE all your recipes and this one has CHANGED MY LIFE! I pretty much gave up on brown rice and was exclusively using quinoa but after using this recipe and having amaaaazing brown rice we’ve started using it again! Thanks for all your great recipes and ideas.
Life changing rice?! Ha, that’s great! Thanks for sharing, Lydia.
The recipe for perfect brown rice works! Thank you.
We always strained brown rice after cooking around 40 – 45mins, just like my Grandma did. But they get slightly mushy. I could never get BR gets consistency of a basmati rice. Let me try your technique.
Perfect, Thank you
I want to thank you so much for helping me to FINALLY know how to make fluffy rice. I had been frustrated for so long for getting sticky or mushy rice despite following the directions exactly. I tried different types of rice thinking that was the cause but now I know how to make any rice fluffy. Your method worked perfectly! My family thanks you :).
You’re welcome, Lori! I’m happy it worked so well for you.
just finished cooking brown rice using your method, perfecto!
made a batch yesterday– former method yuk, gluey etc..how I stumbled across yours today was timely, I shall pass this on to my grands , thanks a $1,000,000
I have to admit I was very skeptical about this one. But I tried it…and it worked! In fact, it worked very well. The new method for me. ‘At least 6 cups of water’ is true. I did about 8 cups and it cooked off in 27 minutes and I had to take it off he heat. Covered it and 10 mins later it was perfect. I like that this is flexible. previous attempts with brown rice have not been so forgiving.
I’m glad you were surprised!
I did exactly what it said on the rice and still it’s now where near fluffy!
I’m sorry this didn’t work for you!
Finally! Fully cooked brown rice that isn’t mushy! Thank you! Thank you!
So I tried this and the rice came out sticky and gummy. What did I do wrong?
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that. Did you rinse the rice prior? Did you allow it to steam at the end?
Thank you for your wonderful brown rice cooking method, I tried it tonight and it worked perfectly! I’m so happy to be able to use the
healthier option.
I’m glad it worked for you, Suzanne!
Thanks for the rice cooking technique! I’ve tried different methods and they work but I always ended up feeling like I still can’t really cook rice. I was Considering a rice cooker or an Insta pot, but no more!!thank you! I love the 30 minute boil. I just made a whole bag of rice in a large kettle in 30 minutes and it turned out perfect!
Hooray! That’s great, Mae. I’m glad it worked so well for you.
Thank you! This is recipe is magic!! It makes gorgeous rice, individual grains, and easy peasy. Just what I was searching for, and easier than I could have imagined.
thank you madam its informative