Get perfectly fluffy rice every time with this easy recipe using my foolproof method for Baked Rice! You don’t need a rice cooker or a pressure cooker – just mix everything together and let your oven work its magic!
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We often have rice for dinner. It’s easy to make, a little bit goes a long way, and it tastes great with just about any main dish!
What I don’t like is how, when I’m cooking rice on the stove top, I look away for a second and get boiling water sputtering over the edge of the pot. Or how it can sometimes stick to the bottom of the pan in a congealed mess. I see you.
We’ve all been there.
This easy rice recipe is so hands-off that the first time I made it, I was skeptical of it actually working.
I mean, I’ve made one-pot meals with rice before, so it should be a no-brainer, right?
Mix everything together, and just bake? It just seemed too easy! But guys, it works. And it’s so delicious! We love serving it with this Hawaiian Chicken Recipe or this Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin.
You can make it in a Dutch oven or a casserole dish, and you get perfect rice every time.
For more rice recipes, check out my Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, this Instant Pot Brown Rice, or even my Chicken and Rice Bake for a one-pot oven-baked meal!
Ingredients Needed:
- Rice: I have used white rice for this recipe, but you can use your favorite kind of long grain rice like basmati rice or jasmine rice. I have not tested this recipe with brown rice — it might work, but you may need extra water and cook time.
- Liquid: I have actually used chicken broth for this recipe to get a bit of extra flavor, but you can just as easily use water if you don’t have broth.
- Butter: use unsalted butter so you can better control the salt levels of this dish. You can always add salt to taste before serving if you need it.
- Salt: salt will enhance the flavor of the rice.
How to Make Baked Rice
This recipe is quick and easy to make. The full recipe is included in the recipe card below.
- Rinse: Rinse the rice well with water.
- Put everything in dish: Place the rice, water, butter, and salt in the greased baking dish and mix.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake.
- Serve: Garnish as desired and serve hot.
Baked Rice FAQs
This recipe adds a lot of liquid to the dish with the rice, but the rice you start with is just normal white rice. You can bake any kind of rice, but the baking time can vary a lot depending on which type you use. Basmati rice will be the quickest to cook, but brown rice can take more than twice the time.
If your baked rice is crunchy, it is likely that it’s not cooked through. This recipe works perfectly with the measurements listed, but if you increase the amount of rice it will take significantly longer to cook.
Store leftover rice in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the refrigerator for 1 day. Allow it to cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge. Reheat thoroughly in the oven or microwave with a little bit of extra water before eating it again.
Yes, you can freeze baked rice, but make sure to store it as soon as possible after cooking and cooling it down—this is a great way to meal prep! Store it in a freezer-safe container or in freezer bags, ideally in a layer about an inch thick, for up to 1 month.
Leftover rice is perfect for making fried rice, stirring into soups or making these Italian Rice Balls (one of my favorites!).
Tips and Notes
- Rinse rice. Rinsing the rice will remove a lot of the starch and keep it from getting too sticky!
- Greasing the dish. Don’t miss this step out, as you might find your rice sticking to the bottom of the dish. Use olive oil, butter, or a nonstick cooking spray.
- Quantity. Follow the quantities specified in this recipe, not what’s on the rice package, for the best results.
Baked Rice Variations
- Rice type. You can try this recipe with another kind of rice, but the cooking times may vary for each type.
- Garnish. Top your rice with herbs like fresh thyme, fresh cilantro, fresh basil, or even green onion for extra flavor. Alternatively, some lemon zest or lime juice will go a long way in adding a zing of flavor to this side dish.
- Seasoning. Add a teaspoon of your favorite seasoning blends for more flavor, or add Taco seasoning to use your rice in burrito bowls!
- Broth. Use a low-sodium chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth as the liquid to cook your rice in for extra flavor – it will add extra nutrients too!
Serving Suggestions
Serve your baked rice with a saucy main dish like my Baked Tuscan Chicken Breasts or this Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken.
We always have extra veggies on the side to make a complete meal. Green Beans with Bacon, Air Fryer Green Beans, Roasted Carrots, or mixed Roasted Vegetables would go perfectly with baked rice!
More Easy Side Dish Recipes To Try
Baked Rice
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1½ cups rice rinsed
- 3 cups water or chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Rinse the rice well to remove excess starch, and place in greased baking dish.
- Mix the water (or broth), butter, and salt together with the rice in the dish. Make sure the rice is covered in liquid before baking.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350F for 35 minutes.
- Garnish as desired and serve hot.
Notes
- Store: Store leftover rice in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the refrigerator for 1 day. Allow it to cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge. Reheat it thoroughly in the oven or microwave with a little bit of extra water before eating it again.
- Freeze: Store it in a freezer-safe container or in freezer bags, ideally in a layer about 1 inch thick, for up to 1 month.
Nutrition Information
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Dina says
You mentioned the amount of water is perfect.I do want to mention that at high altitude it does need to be increased. I usually add an extra 1/4 cup per cup of liquid specified. (I live in CO, when I moved here it took me a while to figure that out)
The Recipe Rebel says
Thanks for the tip!
Michele says
What size baking dish is used for this recipe? 9×13, 8×8? I imagine cook time is specific for size of baking dish.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Michele, as you can see from the picture this is more a rectangle dish and not a square. As stated in my post, you can use a dutch oven or a casserole dish but the cook time is the same. You are covering the rice completely with water weather using the dutch oven or dish. Enjoy!
Colleen May says
Hi! What type of rice do you prefer to use for this recipe? Thanks!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Colleen! I have used white rice for this recipe, but you can use your favorite kind of long grain rice like basmati rice or jasmine rice. I have not tested this recipe with brown rice — it might work, but you may need extra water and cook time. ENJOY!
Sue says
My mom was making this over 50 yrs ago, with beef broth and it was and still is a favorite 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
The Recipe Rebel says
We love it! Thanks Sue!
Debra Marmion says
I haven’t tried yet. I don’t care for white rice. How much more water and time would brown rice take? Has anyone tried it with brown rice?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Debra! I haven’t tested this with any other types of rice yet. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it turns out.