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! Iโve been using this brown rice cooking technique for years, and it never fails.
A few reasons to love this recipe:
- You donโt 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 itโs not a quick-cooking variety).
- Itโs so easy to remember, youโll never need to look up how to cook brown rice again.
For this technique, youโll 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 Iโm so thankful I did. Their recipe calls for 12 cups of water (thatโs a lot) per cup of rice, and Iโve learned that it really only needs 6 cups.
However, you donโt actually have to measure the water as long as youโre 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, youโll 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 itโs 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: Iโve forgotten to rinse my rice before, and the rice turned out almost as good. The cooked grains are a little more starchyโyou can see a thin layer of gluey starch at the bottom of the pot after steaming. If youโre 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 nutritionistโs 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. Youโll find brown rice risottos, paella, mujaddara and more.
1) Thai Red Curry with Vegetables
Gluten free and vegan
โMade 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 canโt go wrong with the recipe. And so I would feel confident making this recipe for company too.โ โ Poornima
2) Kale, Black Bean & Avocado Burrito Bowl
Gluten free and vegan
โIโve 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 itโs easy to pack and reheat and leftovers taste just as great. Thanks!โ โ Lauren
3) Extra Vegetable Fried Rice
Gluten free and easily vegan
โI made this last weekend and love love loved it so Iโm making it again this weekend! My husband really liked it too, and itโs 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, Iโve email subscribed and have just purchased your cookbook! Thanks Kate!!โ โ Julia
4) Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Crispy Baked Tofu with Honey-Sesame Glaze
Gluten free and vegan
โAnother amazing recipe, perfect combination of sweet and spicy. I pitched this to my meat loving boyfriend as vegetarian general tsoโs, and it worked! Every recipe I cook from this blog is so delicious โ 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.โ โ Ailla
5) Anything-Goes Kale Salad with Green Tahini Dressing
Gluten free and vegan
โThank 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.โ โ 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. Donโt forget to follow us on Pinterest for a steady stream of recipe inspiration!
I followed this instruction and it came out great! Thank you so much!!
Youโre welcome, Martha!
The recipe sounds good but it doesnโt say whether to add the salt and other seasonings to the water or after the rice is drained. Please let me know. Thank you.
I made some brown rice following these suggestions. It was perfect. Love it. The the instructions on the bag made the rice sticky. I cook rice and chicken for our dogs . They will like it better too iโm sure.
Water boiled away before the 30 mins was up and then stuck to the pan. It sucks to go to a recipe and then follow it to a T and then it ruin dinner.
Hi Steph, Iโm sorry to hear that. How much water did you add? How old was your rice?
Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out undercooked. I had to steam the rice for another two hours. Then i thought about soaking rice overnight, followed the recipe again and it still was undercooked loll. I donโt think the recipe is bad, itโs just a feature of rice. If not for you, I would not know how to cook such rice, so thank you!
Hi Anri, Iโm sorry to hear that. Did you have enough water?
It is the small things, working together, that slowly heal the soul, or at least that is what I believe. Therefore, I do not consider it being overly dramatic to write that using this recipe has contributed, along with a range of other things, to keeping me alive.
An event that occurred approximately four years ago stripped away almost every ounce of hope and self-confidence that I had. Since that day, I have found myself inexorably drawn towards suicide. The accompanying pervading depression makes doing anything feel akin to climbing a mountain, and having done so in the past, I can assure you that this is no exaggeration. Therefore, you might well imagine how little motivation I have for cooking anything.
Kate, you have prepared for us a recipe that is practically fool proof. I can assure you that this is most definitely true, because there is no greater a fool than myself. I doubt that it will surprise you to read that last night I was able to make brown rice, which was actually fluffy. One of the most difficult things for me to do is to accept that I have accomplished something that is good. What you have freely given out made such a rare event possible.
Due to having a learning challenge โ I detest describing it as a disability โ which makes me see many things in a literal way, understanding some recipes can be nigh impossible. The inevitable result is frustration and failure. However, not with your recipe, not by a long chalk. Well written, straightforward instructions, so easy to understand and implement. I particularly value Kate, your advice to leave the rice, with the lid on, for ten minutes. Far superior to advice I received in the past, being to drape a tea towel over the top.
It may seem trivial to others, and perhaps I will be an idiot in the eyes of others for writing such things about a simple recipe, if so that is fine, it will not be the first time and definitely not the last time. Nonetheless, for me it is one tiny step back towards life. It is one short moment in which I can think well of myself. It is at least one time that I did not fail.
Thank you Kate for your generosity in freely giving this recipe to all of us.
All my best to you and your loved ones and to all who read this comment โ even those who think me an overly dramatic foolโฆsmile.
Kez.
Hi Kez, Iโm sorry to hear about your difficulties. Iโm so glad C+K can be a light to you and give you something to enjoy.
Excellent recipe โ thanks a lot. Fanny
Iโm glad you found it helpful, Fanny! Thank you for your review.
OH MY GOODNESS! This is now the Bible of brown rice cooking. I will take this method with me for the rest of my life! LEGENDS!!
Great to hear, Kirby! Thank you for your review.
Followed instructions ver batim, probably good even without the 10-minute dry sitting, but this rice turned out so great. Thanks for sharing!
Youโre welcome, Lincoln! I appreciate your review.
Thanks for the recipe! I use this all the time to cook brown rice now. Would red rice be cooked the same way?
I havenโt tried it, so I canโt say for sure. I appreciate your review.
I absolutely love this recipe! Itโs my tried and true and never fails. However, if I wanted to only cook 1/4 cup rice would the measurements be quartered? Therefore, 1/4 cup dry rice and 1.5 cups of water? This may seem like an obvious thing to do but I tried it and it didnโt turn out so good so Iโm wondering if ratios change. has anyone tried this?
Hi! Just cut everything to match the same ratios. You can always drain off the extra liquid if you have too much remaining.
Followed the recipe except I doubled it to 2 cups rice but let it boil 30 mins. Maybe shouldโve doubled the cooking time ad well? Turned out just as dry. sticky and goopy had I followed the cooking instructions on the bag. I love brown rice so I really hope it was the cooking time.
Hi, Iโm sorry to hear that! If you double the recipe, you will want to make sure you have enough water and large enough pot to cook the rice in.
Love this recipe! Rice turned out perfect. Will be making my brown rice this way from now on. Thank you!!
Youโre welcome, Donna! Thank you for your review.
Please help. Mine still came out mushy. I did Everything as written. Even rinsed.
Hi! Iโm sorry to hear that. Was it older rice?
I understand that, in many countries, people rinse their rice before cooking it. However, I read somewhere that rinsing removes some of the nutrients. (If Iโm wrong about that, Iโd love to see some references.) Hence, I donโt rinse.
I do toast rice (and most other rice-like foods such as quinoa and farro) before boiling. I put the rice in a pot with nothing else, turn on a low flame, and shake the pot occasionally for five minutes or so. (Most risotto and paella recipes toast the rice, although sometimes with oil.) I find that toasted rice clumps less after it is boiled. Try it and see if it works for you.
This is how I always saw my mother, both grandmothers and a multitude of aunts make white rice in Pakistan, and how I make it now (basmati, always basmati). However, instead of following a specific time duration, since grains can be different, we eyeball it. The grain has to be*just about* done when itโs time to drain the water; the final cooking takes place in the last few minutes on low (which step is called โdumโ in Urdu). Weirdly, I never thought to use this technique for brown rice. Thanks for the tip!
Youโre welcome, Sadaf!
Perfect! Why do the bags NOT have this recipe on it? Thank You for the best Brown rice recipe ever!
Youโre welcome, Alicia!
I havenโt tried your method yet, but this is very similar to the way I used to cook rice (both brown and white) in the โ70s!!
I used the Galloping Gourmet method, where you rinse the rice in a strainer, put it in a pot of boiling water (same as you do) and then after 10 minutes drain the rice into a collander and steam, covered, over hot water for 8 minutes. I think for brown rice you would boil for 15 and steam for 12. It always came out perfectly!
We started eating brown rice again so Iโm excited to try your method, which is even easier than the Galloping Gourmet. Thank you for the recipe!
I hope you try this recipe and let me know how you think it compares! I appreciate your review.
Thanks for the brown rice tips and much more. Trying it tonight.
Youโre welcome, Karen! I appreciate your review.
THANK YOU! I kept messing up my brown rice by trying to cook it similarly to white rice โ boiling in an excess of water is definitely the way to go for me.
Iโm happy to hear it worked well! Thank you for your review, Annika.
When you say to drain the water then add the rice back to the pot โ are we supposed to dump the rice from the pot then put it back in? Or tilt the pot so the excess water comes out?
Hi! I drain mine in a fine mesh colander and then put it back in the pot. I hope that helps!
Really basic question but I want to try this out and want to make sure itโs perfect. When boiling the rice, should it be left alone for the 30 minutes or should it be stirred occasionally?
Hi Michelle, You can stir it, but you shouldnโt need to stir. Make sure you keep an eye on it, as nothing should ever be unattended.
I want to thank you for the recipe ,I made your way and it was easy and perfect.
This is the only way I do brown rice now! I use an enameled cast iron Dutch oven (Le Creuset knockoff) because it keeps the heat so even and stays warm while Iโm pouring the water off. You rock!
Iโm glad it worked well for you, Diana! I appreciate your review.
This recipe is outstanding! Iโm wondering if you have a similar one for white/basmati/jasmine rice. Mine never comes out as good as the brown rice of this recipe.
Great to hear! Thank you for your review.
This recipe just made my day. I have tried different ones without much success, so my hopes were not high when I lifted the lid after the 10-minute rest time to taste. Mind. Blown. I never thought I would be able to actually like brown rice (Iโm transitioning to a WFPB diet) and I was sad about saying goodbye to white rice. 100% recommend!
Iโm curious do i strain the water from the rice then return it to the pot covered? Or do i just pour what water i can out?
Hi! Yes, drain the excess water and then cover as it states in step 3.
Do the rice grains cooked with this recipe come out opened or do they stay unopened? Thanks
Hi Lena, they donโt open like farro. They more soak up and become softer texture. Does that make sense?
I could never cook brown rice. whether I under cooked it or over cooked it; it always seemed gritty, with just a poor texture always. It was never pleasing and so I stayed with a variety of white rices because they were more pleasing to eat. (Always regretting I could not cook brown rice)
This technique is amazingโฆ did I say amazing? Yea, amazing. I love it! Thank you so much for posting it. It poofs the rice wonderfully and the texture is amazing, not mushy or anything.
I am so happy I can start using brown rice for everything. Itโs said to much more benificial for the body. Thanks again
I forgot to rate it on my last comment. Absolutely 5 stars x 20 = 100 stars. LOL great job! thx.
Thank you, John!
Absolute perfection. I am 80 years old and after making 18,326 pots of rice, I have finally achieved the pinnacle. Thank you thank you. Not only is the rights perfect, but incredibly easy to make. And I found to heat it up later I put it in a strainer and place that over simmering water and it is still as perfect as when it was made. Thank you thank you.
Wow, I canโt believe how well it turned out the first time. This is a meal-prep game changer!
Perfectly done, I will always use this method
Iโm glad you loved it, Joanne! I appreciate your review.
Hi, this recipe for brown rice caught my attention. Iโm one of the โ tried for yearsโ club. I cook my white rice in chicken broth with garlic onion spices. If I use this method, in which Iโd be pouring broth down the drain will the rice retain flavors during the cook time?
Iโd love to switch to brown but hubs is not fond of rice unless itโs soft, lots of flavor and sometimes even a hand full of diced veggies in it. I on the other hand can eat any rice, any time cooked any way!
I used your method for cooking my short grain brown rice and it turned out beautiful!! Thanks for sharing.
This technique was life changing, thank you so much! I just made the best wild/brown ride combo of my life.
That said, I just tried it with whiteโฆand enjoyed rice pudding for breakfast.
Youโre welcome, Therese! Iโm excited you are enjoying it.
Thank you for sharing this! I have a microwave rice cooker that cooks white/basmati rice to perfection but canโt quite get brown rice down. I wasted so much brown rice trying to cook it on the stove I just stopped using brown rice altogether. This formula/recipe has brought it back into my diet! Perfection! I might even brave your suggestions and try wild rice (Iโve never gotten wild rice just right, either) :)
I was so hopeful. Trying to figure out what I did wrong. My rice came out super wet and mushy. Any ideas what went wrong?
Iโm sorry to hear that! How long did you cook it for? Was it in a large enough pot?
Iโve been fiddling with recipes for brown rice fir years with varying degrees of success. Iโve now used this recipe four times and it worked great every timeโthank you for a reliable way to cook brown rice!!
Thanks for sharing this! Mine turned out like risotto/oatmeal consistency. Do you think itโs because I stirred it while it was boiling?
How long did you cook it for? Did you have a large enough pot?
WOW! This was great. My roommate has been making brown rice forever and it always seemed like wet cement to me. This was wonderful and with this recipe Iโll be making and eating it instead of white rice a lot more.
This recipe worked for me. Thank you!
Youโre welcome, Kim!
Amazing!!!thank you so much for this post!
It works perfect every time. โ
Look no further because this is a fantastic recipe!
My rice cooker undercooks brown rice. My InstaPot burns brown rice. So after many failed attempts at trying to cook brown rice, I am so excited to have Kateโs easy recipe with fluffy brown rice!
Thank you for this, Kate!
I did the long grain brown rice as recommended.. it got mushy and waterloggedโฆ I drained and steamed and then steamed more. Iโm sad because I wanted it betterโฆ once I added cranberries , roasted sweet potato, pecan red pepper and goat cheese . Some balsamic a lil rice wine vinegar and maple syrupโฆ . I was happy again but it was not nice separate ricesโฆ
Iโm sorry to hear that, Holly. It sounds like the pot may have not been big enough or overcooked. If there isnโt enough room in the pot, that can be the result.
Cooked your way. Was great. Tried Brown rice in steamer b4 and no good. Either tough or mush. Thanks for the method
Youโre welcome, John!
The rice was perfect! However, after the 30 minutes were up and I drained the water, there was layer of brown sludge sitting on top of the rice (not sure what it is tbh). Is there any way to get rid of it or avoid it somehow?
Hi! Did you rinse the rice before? You can always rinse it again.
Iโm so happy with this simple way of cooking brown rice. Thank you so very much for posting !
Youโre welcome, Vivienne!
Iโm a convert! So easy and the best texture, not stodgy and sticky. Just the best!!!
Great to hear, Kelly! I appreciate your review.
This is simply brilliant!
I am from Germany and my mother, who was an excellent cook,
did rice that way and it always came out perfect.
I had forgotten, so thank you very much for the tip.
Thank you, Dolli! I appreciate your review.