Oven baked rice comes out great every time! This dependable, hands-off method is so easy to execute and impossible to mess up. If you're sick of babysitting stovetop rice and washing sticky pots, this recipe is for you.
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Move over rice cooker, we don't need another appliance in this house! Making rice in the oven is beyond easy and it consistently comes out with the best, fluffy texture. No crunchy grains and nothing sticky or mushy about it.
Also, stove top rice requires a lot of attention. It's a battle to keep bubbles from overflowing and getting all over your burners. Baked rice is a game changer because it needs a lot less management.
I also used the baked rice method in my shredded chicken and rice casserole. It's delightful so be sure and give it a try!
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Why Baked Rice?
Save stovetop space: No free burners? No problem!
Fewer appliances: People with rice cookers rave they're amazing, but I really don't want another appliance taking up space.
Hands-off: Stovetop rice is needy and requires constant attention to prevent overflow and mess. Baked rice is low maintenance.
Large batch: Easily double this recipe! Simply use a larger baking dish (I recommend 9x13 inch) and note that cooking time will likely need to be adjusted up 5-10 minutes.
What Type Of Rice Should I Use?
Oven-baked rice calls for 3 simple ingredients: water, rice and an optional pinch of salt. But which kind of rice works best? I recommend long grain white rice, basmati rice or jasmine rice. Other varieties work but note:
- Short grain white rice: Cook time may increase 5-10 minutes.
- Brown rice: Cook time will increase 10-20 minutes.
Cooking Rice In The Oven
Keep scrolling for the full recipe card and measurements. We’ll start here with a quick overview!
- Get the oven nice and hot, preheat to 400°F (204°C).
- Add your uncooked rice to a 9x9 inch casserole dish. Rinse it beforehand if you'd like! I never rinse my rice and haven't had an issue.
- Now add water and a pinch of salt if you like. Salt adds a little flavor but it's completely optional.
- Tightly cover your baking dish with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes, until rice is tender.
- Fluff grains with a fork, serve and enjoy!
Stacey's Top Tip
It's very important to cover your baking dish. Foil traps steam, heats the rice up faster and ensures even cooking! I've tried baking rice without a foil covering and it didn't work well. Thankfully, you can learn from my blunder and avoid undercooked, crunchy grains of rice.
Jazz Up Your Plain Jane Rice!
Plain fluffy rice has it's time and place. It's a great side for many different meals. But, if you're looking to add some pizzaz, here are some ideas.
- Broth: Cook your rice in vegetable or chicken broth instead of water. If you've got broth base or bouillon powder on hand, simply stir a spoonful into your baking dish!
- Milk: Sub milk for water. Creamy coconut milk would be a yummy non-dairy option.
- Butter or oil: Add a couple pats of butter or a drizzle of olive oil.
- Seasonings: Extra salt, black pepper, taco seasonings, turmeric, paprika, curry and more!
- Cilantro lime rice: Squeeze fresh lime juice over cooked grains and garnish with cilantro.
- Vinegar: Add a splash of white or red wine vinegar for zesty flavor.
- Mix-ins: Sausage or vegetables like corn, peas, diced bell peppers, beans.
Serving Suggestions
I like eating oven rice with saucy meals like creamy chicken thighs, Swedish meatballs or curry.
You can also spoon cocktail meatballs over rice and make them into a full meal along with some roasted veggies!
And did you know that classic red chili over rice is a popular food pairing? Oh yeah! It's a thing.
Storing & Reheating Leftover Rice
Store: Store rice in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze up to 4 months.
Reheating: Microwave rice to re-heat! To prevent dryness, add a splash of water before microwaving or cover with a damp paper towel to create steam. This will freshen things right up.
I love using leftovers for fried rice or in poke bowls!
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Oven Baked Rice
Equipment
- 1 9x9 inch baking dish *To double recipe, use a 9x13 inch baking dish and slightly increase bake time.
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white rice *see note below
- 2 cups water
- Pinch salt *optional
Recipe notes:
Rice: You can use any variety of rice. My favorite is basmati! If you use a short grain white rice, increase cook time 5-10 minutes. If you use brown rice, total cook time will be close to an hour. Ratio: I recommend a 1:2 ratio. One part rice to two parts water. Cooking spray: In testing baked rice over and over, I've found it unnecessary to coat my baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. You can add it if desired! Water temperature: I add cool water to my raw, uncooked rice before baking. I've seen tutorials that suggest hot water is necessary and haven't found that to be accurate.Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Add rice to baking dish. You can rinse your rice beforehand if preferred. I don't ever rinse my rice and it hasn't caused any issues. Also, I do not grease my baking dish, but you can if you want. I've not had issues with sticking.1 cup long grain white rice
- Add water and salt. Salt is optional!2 cups water, Pinch salt
- Cover baking dish with foil. This is really important because the foil traps steam, creates even heat distribution and allows the rice grains to cook evenly.
- Bake 30 minutes. Fluff with a fork and enjoy! *Note: 1 cup of raw rice will make about 3 cups of cooked rice!
Storing leftovers:
- Store leftover rice in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 4 months.
Reheating leftovers:
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave. I cover my rice with a damp paper towel before microwaving to create steam. This keeps things tasting fresh!
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