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!
Was just reading your site. Thank you- I only use brown rice- my rice cooker broke – didn’t knew I could just cook it on the stove
worst soggy rice ever
I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you, Mike.
Thank you!!!!!!!! Literally the best brown rice I’ve ever made! I’m so excited!
I’m happy you loved it, Greg.
It is a running joke with our friends that I make terrible rice. White rice, brown rice, wild rice, in a slow cooker, in a pan, whatever way. I do not make it well…
I made this and it came out PERFECT. I actually took a bowl upstairs to my husband to show him how perfect it was made! Also, super easy to make!
Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you, Priti!
I made this rice this morning and it turned out great!
Great to hear!
Was so anxious to try this but discovered I had quick cooking brown rice so, I went for it anyway. Rinsed. Boiled for 15 minutes. Drained. Steamed for 7 minutes. It was perfect! Maybe folks with the mushy outcome used quick cooking? 30 minutes for quick cooking would have definitely turned mine into goop.
Thank you, Barbara! I’m glad you tried it.
I just tried this method and it works great! THANKS SO MUCH for sharing! (I do cook my rice 35 min. and then drain and steam. I like my rice more tender.)
You’re welcome, Cindy!
Have to admit that I had my doubts but decided to give your recipe a try. The rice turned out perfect! It is fully cooked with firmness on the outside which equals perfect. This is easier than the baked Cook’s Illustrated recipe which I’ve used for many, many years. This is a keeper.
I usually have rice that’s still too hard, so I tried this and it was total much. It wasn’t at a full boil when I added the rice so that may have contributed but it turned out awful ♀️
Hey Emma, sorry to hear that! Were you using brown rice? This method only works with brown rice, not white rice.
Thanks so much for this I’ve never been able to cook rice lol but I tried your method this evening and it turned out perfectly :) many thanks
You’re welcome, Hannah! Thanks for your review.
I was a little suspicious of the recipe! Seeing the six cups of water I thought there’s no way it would turn out light and fluffy. Proved me wrong! :) This is definitely my new go-to method for brown rice. Thanks!
Happy to prove it works! Thanks for sharing, Anne.
Does this work for 7 grain rice too?
It might vary based on the rice blend.
Brown rice DID NOT come out as promised. It is was mushy and gummy and stuck together. Horrible. Had to throw it out. I followed your recipe to a T. Did not work. So annoyed and disappointed.
Hi Maria, I’m sorry to hear that. So interesting! What type of rice did you use?
32 minutes total cooktime plus 10 minutes streaming means the total cooktime is 42 minutes.
Hi Stephanie! I have that note under total cook time. :)
I made this recipe tonight for the first time to go in a ground turkey sausage, mushroom, fire-roasted, spinach dish. It is supposed to be served as a side, but we like it stirred into the skillet dish.
Definitely a keeper! Thanks for the wonderful suggestion. Now, what about other rices? Long-grain white? Basmati? Jasmine? Can they be prepared in the same manner?
Most brown rices can follow this approach. There might be some variance, but a good base to follow!
I have made brown rice before that was not very good and this technique improved it vastly!
Great, Katy! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! I had a full bag of brown rice that I wanted to cook then freeze in individual containers. This was such an easy way to do it. No fuss! I didn’t even on the water, just used a big pot and drained the excess.
It turned out perfectly and I’ve used up all the individual containers so I’m making it this way again for another bag. I just pop the container out of the freezer and either defrost in the fridge or microwave as needed. Saves time having cooked rice on hand.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Penny!
I recently made the switch from white rice to brown rice but kept messing up the brown rice. I tried this technique out last night and it turned out so well! Thanks for the tips!
Amazing! This rice turned out perfect the first time I tried your recipe! 70 years old and I can finally make fluffy brown rice! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Kathy!
I loved this way to make brown rice. I like my rice on the dry side so I only did the 30 minutes of boiling it with 4 cups of coconut juice and 2 cups of water …..I think the steaming effort would be too much for me.
Merci!
I’ve been the kind of person who’s consistently messed up rice of any kind unless it was in a rice cooker. This was the first recipe that yielded perfect results- and best of all, I have this gift for life. Namaste my dude, namaste
Hooray! That’s great, Alisa.
Found you via Google after years if getting fed up of hit and miss brown rice. This method worked absolutely perfectly – thank you!
You’re welcome, Hannah!
I will never make brown rice any differently. This is PERFECT!
I’m glad you think so!
Thank you, so much!!!!
I have always been intimidated by cooking rice – what if it sticks!!!???? What if it isn’t done!!!??? What if it’s gooey???!!! – so I’ve always used instant. It never tasted very good, but at least I knew how to “cook” it.
This recipe works so well. So effortlessly.
So. Thank you again. You have changed my life in the kitchen.
Next I’ll try one of the recipes above.
All best wishes,
Paul
I cook my brown rice in the oven. Turns out perfectly every time:)
Oh my days, you’re a LEGEND!! I watched LOADS of videos and read websites and wasted alot of good organic rice :(. Last night I thought I’ll give it another go, but couldn’t watch a video cos I was on the phone…. this popped up, I was skeptical but IT WORKED. I’m elated, honestly thankyou so much, time to stock up on the rice lol !
I made this last night. It came out perfectly and I’ll be using this method from now on! When I drained the water I added sautéed shallots, mushrooms and garlic. It was yummy!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Debi!
Why am I just learning how to make the tastiest, easiest rice at 68 years old??? Thank you!
You’re welcome, Jane!
This cooking method is good for reducing the high levels of arsenic found in most of today’s rices. Using 6 cups of water removes roughly half of the arsenic, but using 12 cups removes even more. For details, see the informative video at NutritionFacts.org.
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-to-cook-rice-to-lower-arsenic-levels/
I haven’t yet tried cooking brown rice using this method, but will be doing so in the near future.
Thanks for the recipe. I’ve been struggling to get fluffy rice for a while.
As for the 6 vs 12 cups of water: The amount of water used originally may very well be useful when it comes to getting rid of as much arsenic as possible.
Dear Kate,
Recently lost the love of my life after 50 years of marriage due to an extended illness. Your simple technique for cooking brown rice is great. Became a rice lover while serving with the 173rd Airborne Vietnam 68-69. Had two R&R’s in Bangkok and ate different rice dishes daily. Will this technique work with Basmati or Jasmine strains? Have two of your cookbooks on the way from Amazon, one for me and one for one of my sons.
Best wishes and God Bless,
Doug
I’m sorry to hear about your loss, Doug! Yes, it should work with those types of brown rice as well. Just keep an eye on it. I hope this helps!
I made this tonight– 30 min of cooking (even with the sitting time) was not long enough, rice wasn’t cooked all the way. 50 minutes actual boiling time would work better.
Hello! What type of rice did you use and how large of pot?
I doubled the water and the rice for a big batch and it came out great. This will be the way I make brown rice from now on.
Went by recipe to the letter turned out tough and granular like granola! Awful!
Hi Cj, I’m sorry to hear that! Did you use enough water and let it cook long enough?
Hi Kate,
This is my new go to technique for cooking perfect brown rice. My friends were skeptical so I can’t wait to show off the skills you taught me. Many thanks!!
You’re welcome, Courtney!
I used this recipe last night for some brown basmati rice. I think I had more of a simmer-boil so I left the rice in a little longer than 10 after draining.
Best brown rice I’ve ever made. Even out of a container, it’s good!
What I really like – I can leave this on the stove after draining and not worry about the rice burning. I look for a lot of healthy recipes online and this is the first time I’ve written a comment. Big Eureka (hey girl!) moment forme in the kitchen.
I love how the rice turned out using this method. In the past I always worried about how much water to use. The rice came out nice and fluffy.
Great to hear, Carol!
I do this every time I cook rice now, and it has NEVER disappointed! I actually have people asking me for tips, and I always point them your way, haha. Thanks for this!
Wonderful to hear, Abigail! Thank you for your review.
This works! And so much more foolproof!
Great to hear, Betsy!
I have the long grain brown rice resting at this moment and am eager to try it when the 10 minute wait is over. It looked great after draining.
After draining, I found the rice to be nicely fluffy
Taste test: My husband felt something is missing. He likes a ‘crunch’ in his rice, as do I. I’m guessing next time I won’t pre-rinse the rice and will also try using wild rice.
I like this method of cooking rice and will try it again with the wild rice.
The only problem, for me, is I am easily distracted. I needed to set the timer to remind me to check to see when the water began to boil, again after the 30 minute boiling time, and again for the 10 minute resting phase.
All things considered, I like this method. You’re right, there’s not much to remember so I could do this without looking up ‘the perfect rice recipe’ again and again.
My brown rice turned out perfectly. I am so glad I found your site. I making my second batch and i’m going to take a picture and put that on Instagram. thanks so much
Can you do a version of this recipe with the instant pot?
Thanks!
Hey Elisa, I can try! With the time it takes to pressurize and depressurize the Instant Pot, I doubt it will save much time.
Kate, many thanks for sharing this cooking method for brown rice!
I enjoy rice as part of my meals, sometimes as the main part however I tend to cook mainly white varieties of rice because it is frustrating when the outcome is a tragic undercooked, wet mess of brown rice. I have had some luck with my rice cooker… if the planets are in correct alignment and there are no signs of shooting stars… just kidding..kind of lol.
I am looking forward to giving this recipe center stage in many of my weekly meals and report back with my success!
Yes! This a Perfect Brown Rice Recipe. Please suggest when to add Salsa to the rice to make Mexican Rice, and keep it fluffy? Same goes for Indian and Asian seasoning.
Hi Kate,
On Saturday the 29th of February my wife sent packing after 27 years and I was single for the first time in my life. I am in need to learn fast, how to cook. Your post along with Emma Christensen helped me to cook my first brown rice. Emma taught me to toast the rice first and you how to cook perfectly. The overall dinner worked (Turkey, roast carrot, potato, onion and brown rice with cranberry jam of course) and I have 3 bags of rice at 163~ grams in the freezer. Thank you, Scott.
Christensen post
https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-brown-rice-113856
Thank you so much. My brown rice was perfect after years of not getting it right.
Miraculous! Best brown rice ever. Not gluggy at all. I actually used 2 cups of homemade chicken stock and 4 cups of water.
Mine didn’t turn out. It needs more time steaming or more time boiling. Not sure. Will try again.
Wow! I tried this method and it worked out incredibly well! I was skeptical at first but as soon as I opened the cover after steaming I knew it was going to be epic. I also ran out of water during the boiling stage so I added 2 cups more and the rice still turned out amazing!
FINALLY, a brown rice recipe that provides great rice consistently! Thank you so much, this is the easiest and best brown rice which my husband loved. You are superstars for posting this one!