Perfect Stovetop Jasmine Rice

This recipe shows you how to cook jasmine rice on the stove top! It comes out perfectly fluffy every time (never mushy!) and is a good base for salmon bowls, stir fries or my homemade lentil dahl.

If you’re a regular around here, you know I love a good rice bowl. My honey sriracha salmon bowls are super popular, but my chicken shawarma bowls are a favorite right now. For any good bowl, you need a good base, and this recipe will show you how to cook jasmine rice that is perfectly fluffy, tender and flavorful every time.

Stovetop rice can be annoying to cook- it’s often too mushy or the water evaporates before the rice actually cooks. If you follow this guide I promise you will get perfectly tender jasmine rice every time.

Jasmine rice is a long grain rice from Asia, known for its sweet aroma and slightly nutty flavor. It’s fluffy and soft, without being overly sticky. It’s great for stir fries, curries, bowls and even desserts. And yes, jasmine rice is naturally gluten free and safe for people with celiac disease to eat! Enjoy this rice with cilantro steak and rice bowls.

Tips before we cook!

• Don’t follow the instructions on the package of your rice. Those will often tell you to use more water than you really need which will lead to mushy rice. For this recipe we’re using slightly less water and then steaming the rice instead!
• If you want to boost the flavor profile here, you can swap the water for vegetable or chicken broth or even bone broth to up the protein content. You’ll want to use the same ratio- 1 1/4 cups of liquid for every 1 cup of rice.

How to cook jasmine rice

Add the rice to a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for about 30 seconds. Add to a pot on the stove with the water and salt. Keep uncovered and bring to a rapid boil.

Reduce the heat to very low and cover with a lid. Let simmer, undisturbed, for 10 minutes.

Without stirring, add the butter in the pot, quickly cover again, and let steam for 10 more minutes. If you aren’t adding the butter, just skip this step, remove from the heat and let steam with the lid on for 10 more minutes.

Use a fork to fluff the rice and mix the butter around. Enjoy and try with my street corn chicken and rice bowls or my gluten free fried rice.

Rinsing vs. not rinsing

This is kind of a hot topic in the rice world, but I generally prefer to rinse my rice and find it usually leads to fluffier, less mushy rice. This is because it rinses off some excess starch. I rinse mine in a fine mesh strainer- the water won’t run off clear, just rinse for about 30 seconds to remove any debris and excess starch.

Some say you should soak and then rinse rice before cooking but I find this to be an unnecessary step. Just rinsing for about 30 seconds is enough!

Frequently asked questions

How can I store cooked rice?

Once prepared, cooked jasmine rice will store in the fridge for about 3-4 days in an air tight container. Let it cool, then transfer to an air tight container. To freeze, also let cool completely, and freeze for up to 4 months. I like to portion it out in smaller containers so I can just thaw what I need.

How much water do I need?

Most recipes and rice packages will tell you 1 1/2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice, but I find this often leads to mushy rice. The key with this recipe is to use just 1 1/4 cup of water and actually let the rice steam to finish cooking rather than letting it boil the whole time. This way, the steam will continue to cook the rice instead of adding more water which will prevent it from getting mushy.

Speaking of water, you want to start with cold water to cook the rice. This will allow the grains to heat up gradually with the water and allows for more even cooking.

Try these reicipes next!

• Vegan Mexican Rice
• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Beef & Rice Skillet
• Mexican Green Rice

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