The Absolute Best Way To Cook Brown Rice
People usually either fall into two camps: a brown rice hater or lover. At Delish, we reach for brown rice just as often as white. It's higher in fiber, protein, and antioxidants — what's not to love?! And the only difference when cooking the brown stuff is that it takes a little longer. With a few simple steps and an easy-to-memorize ratio, you'll be making brown rice and getting those extra antioxidants with the snap of a finger. No rice cooker needed!
1. Know the ratio.
Brown rice has the same ratio as white rice; memorize it — 2:1. That's 2 cups of water to every 1 cup of dry rice.
2. Rinse it.
You probably haven't thought about rinsing your rice, but just like rinsing your potatoes, it's an important step. Rice has a lot of tiny particles on it and rinsing first will help improve the texture.
3. Boil it.
Place your perfect ratio of water to rice, along with a generous pinch of salt, in a saucepan and bring to boil. As soon as your rice comes to boil cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and lower heat to a gentle simmer.
4. Time it.
Brown rice takes a lot longer than white rice. Set your timer to 45 minutes and DO NOT peek at the rice while it's cooking; you don't want to lose any steam so keep the lid on the entire time. When your timer does go off, check to make sure the water is absorbed. If it still has a little water left and the rice isn't quite soft enough, give it another 5 minutes.
5. Let rest.
Turn off the heat, but leave the lid on and let your rice rest for 15 minutes. This prevents the rice from getting sticky and will give you perfectly fluffy brown rice.
Now that you've got your perfect brown rice, make sure you're storing it properly so none goes to waste! If you've got leftovers, be sure to pack them up and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking—a good airtight container is your best bet. Once refrigerated, it will last 5 to 7 days.
Not sure what to do with your leftover brown rice? Throw it in a stir-fry, use it in your Buddha bowls, or reheat and top with a pat of butter simple side with your favorite salmon recipe!
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