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Home Rice Recipes

Jasmine Rice

By:Nagi
Published:24 Jun '20Updated:26 Aug '21
238 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

You’ve been cooking Jasmine Rice wrong your whole life! Most recipes get it wrong because it’s not widely known that jasmine rice is softer than most, so you need LESS water than normal white rice so it’s fluffy rather than gummy.  Use just 1 1/4 cups water for every 1 cup of jasmine rice (the standard for typical white rice is 1 1/2 cups water to 1 cup rice).

Use for all things Thai – and anything really. It’s just a really great rice!

Plate of Jasmine Rice

Also see How to Cook: White rice | Basmati Rice | Brown Rice

How to cook Jasmine Rice

Jasmine rice is a lovely, subtly perfumed rice used across South East Asia. It’s strongly associated with Thai food, and used for serving with everything from Thai marinated chicken to Chilli Basil Stir Fry, Satay Skewers and the many Thai curries out there.

It’s also used to make Thai fried rice and Pineapple Fried Rice which is the other recipe I’m sharing today!

The BEST Pineapple Fried Rice! Thai version.

The secret for how to cook jasmine rice perfectly

What most people do not know is that jasmine rice is softer than most white rice, which means you need less water in order for the rice to cook so it’s soft and fluffy, rather than gummy on the outside.

So while most rice is cooked with 1.5 cups of water for each cup of rice, for jasmine rice, it’s reduced to 1 1/4 cups of water.

Yes, 1/4 cup really makes a difference! I made a lot of overly soft jasmine rice in my life that I was never really happy with until I finally figured this out.

Water to rice ratio - jasmine rice

There is NO NEED to rinse rice!!

Busting an age old myth here – that rinsing the rice is mandatory for fluffy rice. NO it is not! I have made so much rice in my time verifying this exact fact.

Here’s what I know:

  • No rinsing – if you use 1 1/4 cups of water for every 1 cup of jasmine rice, your rice will be fluffy even without rinsing

  • If you rinse, you must reduce the water by 2 tablespoons to factor in the extra water than remains in the rice (ie 1 1/4 cups water minus 2 tablespoons)

  • If you rinse AND soak for 1 hour, you must reduce the water by 3 tablespoons (ie 1 1/4 cups minus 3 tablespoons)

  • Rinsing vs no rinsing – rinsing yields a barely noticeable marginal improvement in fluffiness. It would not be noticeable to most people;

  • Only rinse IF you buy your rice direct from a rice farm, or similar, to remove debris and anything that night remain from the processing; and

  • No need to clean if you buy retail – If you buy rice at the store in shiny plastic packets, your rice should already be clean – and that includes less starch too.

Let’s face it. Rinsing rice is a pain. For an extra 2% fluffiness, it’s just not worth it (in my humble opinion).

If you need to rinse the rice to clean it, if you just can’t break the habit, or if your Asian mother would have your head if you didn’t, here’s how:

  • Place rice in bowl, fill with water. Swish with hand then drain. Repeat 3 to 4 times – water will never be completely clear. Drain in colander, cook per recipe.

How to wash rice

How to cook Jasmine Rice

Once you get the rice and water ratio right, then the steps are exactly the same as cooking normal white rice and basmati rice:

  • RAPID SIMMER – Put water and rice in saucepan, bring to simmer on high heat as fast as you can. You want the whole surface to be rippling, the edges bubbling and white foam;

  • COVER and turn to LOW – Turn heat down and cover, cook 12 minutes. Do not lift lid!

  • Stand 10 minutes to let the rice finish cooking. If you skip this, the grains are wet and slightly hard in the middle;

  • Fluff! Use a rubber spatula or rice paddle – this stops the grains breaking (Jasmine rice is softer than most white rices).

How to cook jasmine rice

And voila! Fluffy Jasmine rice. 🙂

Freshly cooked Jasmine Rice

Use for all things Thai, Vietnamese dishes, stir fries, and use for fried rice like Nasi Goreng. Though traditionally associated with South East Asian foods, it will goes perfectly with any Asian foods, and even Indian food if you don’t have basmati rice.

And just generally for anything you want to serve with rice, whether Asian or not! – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

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Plate of Jasmine Rice

How to cook Jasmine Rice (stove)

Author: Nagi
Prep: 1 min
Cook: 12 mins
Rest: 10 mins
Sides
Asian, Modern Vietnamese, Thai
5 from 102 votes
Servings3 - 4
Tap or hover to scale
Print
Recipe video above. The key to fluffy jasmine rice is to use less water than usual because it's a softer rice - only 1 1/4 cups for each 1 cup of rice. Most recipes get this wrong and the rice is way too soft/gummy.
Rinsing is optional - it barely makes a difference to fluffiness (see comments in post). And it's a pain! Also, if you rinse, you need to reduce water by 2 tablespoons to factor in that the rice becomes waterlogged!
1 cup rice = 3 cups cooked = 3 to 4 servings as a side.

Ingredients

No rinsing method:

  • 1 cup jasmine rice
  • 1 1/4 cups water (cold tap water)

Rinsed rice:

  • 1 cup jasmine rice
  • 1 1/4 cups MINUS 2 tbsp water

Instructions

No rinsing (my everyday method):

  • Place rice and water in a medium saucepan (one with a tight fitting lid). Bring to rapid simmer with NO LID on medium high.
  • Turn down to low or medium low so it's simmering gently, then place lid on. Do not lift lid during cook.
  • Cook 12 minutes or until water is absorbed by rice - tilt pot to check (if lid not glass, then QUICKLY lift lid to check).
  • Keep the lid on then remove from heat. Stand 10 minutes, fluff with rubber spatula or rice paddle, then serve.

RINSED RICE (Note 3):

  • Place rice in a bowl, fill with water and swish. Once cloudy, drain. Repeat 2 - 3 more times until water is pretty clear - it will never be completely clear.
  • Drain rice in a colander, transfer to saucepan.
  • Add water - 1 1/4 cups of water MINUS 2 tablespoons per 1 cup of rice. Follow cook steps above in No Rinsing.

Recipe Notes:

1. Saucepan:
  • Use a medium to large saucepan for up to 2 cups. For 3 cups rice+, use a pot.
  • If lid is not tight fitting or heavy, then you may get bubble overflow - reduce heat if this happens, it will subside as water gets absorbed by rice.
  • Glass lid is easiest - you can see what's going on inside without lifting the lid, especially useful at end to check if all water is absorbed.
  • Reason we bring to simmer without lid is to reduce risk of overflow once lid goes on. If you bring to simmer with lid on, you need to be more careful about exactly when you turn the heat down so it doesn't get foamy overflow. Much easier to to lid off first, then lid on when you turn it down.
2. You need simmer, if it sits there doing nothing then the rice bloats and goes gummy.
3. Rinsing - only rinse if a) force of habit you can't break; b) you bought direct from a rice farm or similar and the rice might need cleaning (Retail rice sold in packets is clean); or c) your Asian mum would have your head if you didn't rinse. 😂
Reduce water - If you rinse the rice, you must reduce the water by 2 tablespoons to account for the water that's waterlogged in the rice. That is - use 1 1/4 cups MINUS 2 tablespoons of water per 1 cup of rice (per ingredients list).
4. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 169cal (8%)Carbohydrates: 37g (12%)Protein: 3g (6%)Fat: 1g (2%)Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)Sodium: 6mgPotassium: 53mg (2%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 1g (1%)Calcium: 13mg (1%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Keywords: how to cook jasmine rice, Jasmine rice
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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238 Comments

  1. David Andrews says

    December 23, 2022 at 11:38 pm

    5 stars
    This has to be the best way to cook fluffy jasmine rice. Best rice I’ve ever cooled. Very impressed, obviously Dozer had some influence here. Thanks Nagi

    Reply
  2. Marea says

    September 13, 2022 at 1:12 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi, your method always turns out perfectly but I always have rice stuck to the bottom of the saucepan. Is this par for the course or am I doing something wrong.

    Reply
  3. Bren says

    September 5, 2022 at 10:20 am

    5 stars
    This turned out perfectly. Followed the directions to the letter and it was excellent. The rice was the perfect amount of sticky and fluffy without being mushy or too hard.

    Reply
  4. Veronika says

    August 21, 2022 at 8:28 pm

    Great recipe! I tried the no risning method and the rice turned out amazing. I have always had problem with making rice because on the bottom, my rice became scorched. This time the rice way fluffy and nice thoroughly. I boiled on very low heat.

    Reply
  5. Crystal says

    August 10, 2022 at 11:10 am

    This came out perfect! Thank you!

    Reply
  6. Dylan G says

    August 4, 2022 at 7:55 am

    5 stars
    I’m a pretty avid cook, but have never been a huge fan of rice, so I never make it. However, my girlfriend loves it so I had to find a method that consistently made great rice.

    Out of a half dozen or so, this one takes the cake and is my go-to for long grain rice. It’s fluffy, soft (but not too soft), and great for an all purpose rice.

    Thanks to this recipe even I’m coming around to enjoying rice.

    Reply
  7. Elizabeth says

    July 19, 2022 at 8:22 am

    Hello! 3 cups of rice is more than I eat in a very long time. Can I cut this into thirds? Will it come out correctly?

    Reply
  8. Tracy says

    July 7, 2022 at 2:24 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is great. I love that it shared how to alter the water-to-rice ratio depending on whether you soak or rinse the rice. The rice was delicious!

    Reply
  9. Pat says

    June 28, 2022 at 6:19 am

    Rice should be rinsed before cooking. Put dry, uncooked rice in bowl of water, stir with hand, change water by draining in sieve, repeat until water is no longer cloudy. It rinses a lot of starch out of it. Starch which can cause sticky, clumpy rice. Also cuts back on gas! HA!

    Reply
  10. Evan says

    June 27, 2022 at 9:53 am

    You are a literal Godsend!!!! Thank you. This recipe comes out absolutely perfect every time.

    Reply
  11. sac moen says

    June 24, 2022 at 12:01 am

    Does this mean you start cooking with cold water and bring it to boil while the rice is in the cold water? Am scared it will soak and get gummy. Or do you mean we bring water to a simmer then put in the rice?

    Reply
  12. Paula says

    June 23, 2022 at 12:42 am

    Hello Nagi. Is it possible to use a rice cooker or is this saucepan method best?
    ps Love your recipes

    Reply
  13. Mary says

    June 22, 2022 at 11:33 am

    5 stars
    This was PERFECT! Only thing I added was a 1/4 stick of butter.

    Reply
  14. Kathryn says

    June 13, 2022 at 8:19 pm

    I have never ever been able to make rice 😝 it’s like I was cursed it just never works. Even in a rice cooker . Until now that is . I will never make rice any other way . Thankyou this rice recipe is king !!!

    Reply
  15. Ian C. says

    June 13, 2022 at 2:02 pm

    I read in a few places that you should rinse Jasmine rice before cooking it but all it gave me was a wet, starchy rice.

    I used your advice and got a nice dry, fluffy rice, which was exactly what I wanted.

    Thank you very much!

    Reply
  16. Allison says

    June 10, 2022 at 10:06 am

    5 stars
    I tried the no rinse stove top method and my rice came out so fluffy! Added a a tablespoon of butter and some salt. Perfect! My first attempt following the recipe on the bag was a disaster. This recipe is a keeper.

    Reply
    • Allison says

      June 10, 2022 at 10:07 am

      Added the butter and salt after the 10 minutes at the end was up and was time to fluff the rice. Forgot to specify that part.

      Reply
      • Lee says

        September 1, 2022 at 9:28 am

        This changed my life

        Reply
    • Allison says

      June 10, 2022 at 10:08 am

      5 stars
      I added the butter and salt after the 10 minutes at the end was up and was time to fluff the rice. Forgot to specify that part.

      Reply
  17. Allison says

    June 10, 2022 at 10:04 am

    I tried the no rinse stove top method and my rice came out so fluffy! Added a a tablespoon of butter and some salt. Perfect!

    Reply
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