How To Cook Jasmine Rice

Ingredients

Below you will find information about the ingredients and how to prepare the recipe. For the measurements and detailed instructions scroll down to the printable recipe card.

Here’s what you need to cook perfect Jasmine rice:

For the basic Jasmine rice, you will need just 3 ingredients:

• Jasmine rice – this is a long-grain Thai rice that is buttery and fragrant, it goes great with every Asian dish
• water
• salt – to season the rice

For a delicious twist on the basic Jasmine rice recipe, you can try this garlic butter rice, coconut rice, cilantro lime rice, or Thai coconut sticky rice with mango made with Jasmine rice!

Rice to water ratio

The perfect Jasmine rice to water ratio is 1 1/4 cups of water for 1 cup of Jasmine rice (190g).

Using too much water results in mushy rice!

Perfectly cooked Jasmine rice should be soft (but not too soft), slightly chewy, slightly sticky (yes, Jasmine rice will be slightly sticky), fragrant, and you should be able to make out individual grains of rice.

How to cook perfect Jasmine rice step by step (on the stovetop)

STEP 1: Add rice, water, and salt to a medium pot. Stir to combine.

STEP 2: Bring to a boil over medium heat then lower the heat to low, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 12 minutes. Make sure the water is simmering – it should not be cooking rapidly but it also can’t barely simmer.

STEP 3: Take the pot off the heat, and leave the rice to rest for 10 minutes (with the lid on).

STEP 4: Open the pot and fluff the rice with a fork.

Enjoy!

Do you have to rinse Jasmine rice?

The answer is no!

Some recipes will tell you if you don’t rinse Jasmine rice it will turn out gummy or gluey. After testing multiple batches side-by-side, I really can assure you that the difference between rinsed rice and rice that has not been rinsed is very small. It is so small that I do not rinse my Jasmine rice on a regular basis!

Jasmine rice for me is usually a side dish, so after making the main dish I usually do not have the patience for the extra step of rinsing the rice. It comes out just fine without it!

The most important thing about cooking Jasmin rice is the right rice-to-water ratio and a tight-fitting lid!

Jasmine rice is naturally slightly sticky so even if you rinse it, it will still be that way. It’s softer than other rice types.

If you do want to rinse your rice, you can, of course, do so! Add your rice to a medium bowl, add water, and stir the rice until the water is cloudy. Strain the cloudy water on a sieve and repeat the process two more times.

Since some of the water will stay in the rice, add 2 tablespoons less water to the recipe!

Top tips for perfectly cooked rice

• Make sure you’re using a tight-fitting lid – this is really important! if your lid does not fit your pot tight, more water will evaporate during the cooking process and you will end up with undercooked rice or rice that has stuck to the bottom of the pot!
• Make sure the water is simmering – it should not be cooking rapidly but it also can’t barely simmer. If the water is cooking too rapidly you will end up with burned rice and if it just barely simmers, it may be undercooked at the top.
• Please note that this particular water-to-rice ratio is right for Jasmine rice and may not apply to other rice types.
• It’s important to salt the rice before cooking it.
• Like with every recipe, you could have different results in your kitchen so if your rice is not cooked after 12 minutes, try cooking it for 13 minutes (also see troubleshooting below).
• It’s important to rest the cooked rice – do not omit this step!
• Sometimes I like to toast the rice in 1-2 teaspoons of butter before adding the water and salt (just cook it with butter for a minute or until it smells fragrant). It improves the flavor of the rice.

Troubleshooting

• The rice is too hard -> the heat was too high / the lid was not tight-fitting / not enough water / you need to cook it for 1-2 minutes longer.
• The rice is burned at the bottom -> the heat was too high. Lower the temperature – every stove cooks differently.
• The rice is mushy – it has been cooked for too long or too much water has been added.
• The rice is unevenly cooked (fully cooked at the bottom and undercooked at the top) – the heat was too low and water was barely simmering or the lid was not tight enough and too much water is evaporated.

Storage

You can store cooked rice in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Store it in an airtight container. Reheat it in the microwave or in a pot/non-stick pan with butter until warm.

You can also freeze rice for up to 6 months.

What to serve it with

• Salmon Stir Fry
• Thai Red Curry with Shrimp
• Pineapple Fried Rice
• Sweet and sour chicken with pineapple and bell peppers
• Orange maple salmon
• Salmon with almonds and orange ginger sauce