How to Cook Brown Rice

cooked brown rice in a bowl topped with chopped parsley.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: canadian

Diet: Gluten Free

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 40

Servings: servings

Calories: 171cal

Author: Ashley Fehr

How To Cook Brown Rice is my go-to method for brown rice that turns out fluffy, chewy, and never watery or crunchy. Once you’ve got it down, you’ll want a pot in the fridge for quick bowls, stir fries, and easy lunches all week!

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Ingredients

6 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
1½ cups long grain brown rice

Instructions

Combine the water and the salt in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
Rinse the rice well in a fine mesh sieve. Add to the boiling water.
Reduce the heat so that it maintains a low boil and cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When rice is al dente (nearly cooked but still has a bit of a bite), strain the rice through a fine mesh sieve until most of the water has run through (about 10 seconds or so). Place the rice back into the pot, cover with the lid and let rest for 3-5 minutes. Fluff and serve.

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Water: you can swap some or all of the water with chicken or vegetable broth for more flavor. Since we’re straining most of it, I recommend using just a little and adding more flavor after the cooking process if desired.

Rice: this recipe amounts and cook time is for long grain brown rice, not basmati or jasmine. For long grain white rice, the measurements remain the same but you will boil for 12-13 minutes until al dente.

Salt: this may seem like a lot but just like when cooking pasta, we are seasoning the water and not all of the salt is absorbed by the rice. This is just the right amount for perfectly seasoned rice. Feel free to add in other seasonings during the cooking process if you desire.

Storage:

Rice can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days if cooled and stored right after cooking, or frozen for up to 4 months. I recommend freezing in a large freezer bag for quick thawing.

Nutrition