• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Recipes
    • Easy Dinners
    • Dessert
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Thai
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegetarian

Inquiring Chef

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Easy Dinners
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home > Recipes > Thai

    How to Cook Jasmine Rice

    Published: Feb 8, 2021 · Modified: Apr 24, 2022 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 1 Comment · This post may contain affiliate links.

    rice in a bowl on a grey countertop
    a bowl of jasmine rice on a grey countertop
    fluffing rice with a fork in an instant pot
    a bowl of jasmine rice on a grey countertop
    jasmine rice
    instant pot jasmine rice
    jasmine rice
    a bowl of jasmine rice on a grey countertop

    Make perfect, fluffy Jasmine Rice every time with these step-by-step instructions for the stovetop or Instant Pot.

    Confession: for the longest time I was afraid of making rice. It seemed like every time I tried it would come out either undercooked or sticky. When Thai Food Month rolled around, I’d be making my own green curry paste, but would freeze up when I had to make a pot of Jasmine Rice. Turns out you only have to make a couple of bad batches of rice to scare you off the whole endeavor. 

    But there’s no denying that when it comes to cooking Thai food at home, great Jasmine Rice is often the foundation. It’s exactly what you need to tame the heat of a great Pad Krapow, soak up the creamy sauce from a classic curry, or start a batch of Crispy Rice.

    a measuring cup full of rice

    I know that many of you swear by your rice cookers, and I totally hear you! But at the end of the day, I also wanted to be able to make Jasmine Rice on the stovetop and in my go-to kitchen appliance - the Instant Pot. So a couple of years ago, I set out to find the formula for a great pot of Jasmine Rice.

    Let’s get back to basics today. Let’s make Jasmine Rice!

    What is Jasmine Rice?

    Jasmine rice is a fragrant, long-grain rice that is common in Thai cuisine as well as in many other Asian and  Middle Eastern cuisines. When cooked, the grains should be separate, smooth, and tender. They should be a tiny bit sticky but not clump together.

    adding rice to a saucepan

    Tips for Making Great Jasmine Rice

    1. Rinse well - this releases starch and is the most important step to separate tender grains of rice. 
    2. Rub the pot with oil - Rubbing the pot with a small amount of oil before cooking the rice prevents any grains from sticking to the sides during cooking. This is key with both the stovetop and Instant Pot. In the Instant Pot, it adds an extra benefit of minimizing foaming under pressure.
    3. Adjust for age of rice - This is useful for any type of rice you're cooking. See below for more on this.
    oiling a saucepan to cook rice
    fluffing rice with a fork

    How to Cook Rice on an Electric Stove

    For the past three years I’ve been cooking on an electric stove which I find to be a bit finicky when it comes to moving food quickly from high to low heat. In the case of cooking rice, it is particularly important to reduce the heat under the pan as soon as it begins to boil so that the rice doesn’t absorb the water too quickly. Here’s the method I’ve found that makes all the difference in producing great rice.

    1. On the electric stove, turn on two burners - one on low-medium and one on high. 
    2. Bring the water to a boil on the high burner.
    3. As soon as it begins to boil, stir in the rice and then cover the pan. Move the covered pan to the low-medium burner and finish cooking there (turn off the high burner once the pan is moved).
    fluffing rice with a fork
    fluffing rice with a fork

    Why the Age of Rice Matters

    New, fresh rice grains will absorb water more easily, so you'll need less water to get perfectly cooked rice. Old rice grains that have been sitting at the grocery store or in your pantry for a few months will absorb water more slowly, so will need more moisture. Keeping this fact in mind will help you to adjust your cooking method slightly and will give you great rice each time. 

    Although there is no way to know exactly how old your rice is (unless you harvested it yourself!), you can make some guesses based on where it was purchased and how long you know rice sits in your pantry. If you purchased the rice recently from a place that has a lot of turnover (like an international grocery store), it is probably quite new and you will not need as much water - remove 1 tablespoon of water per cup. If the rice is older and has been sitting in your pantry for a few months, add an additional 1 tablespoon of water per cup. 

    rice in a bowl on a grey countertop

    Best Dishes to Serve with Jasmine Rice

    • Thai Red Curry with Chicken
    • Thai Green Curry with Chicken
    • Thai Chicken Satay
    • Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)
    • Instant Pot Chickpea Curry
    • Instant Pot Thai Panang Curry
    • Thai Cashew Chicken
    • Lemongrass Roasted Salmon
    • Sweet Chili Chicken

    Favorite Tools

    • Saucepan or Instant Pot
    • OXO Good Grips 6-Inch Fine Mesh Strainer for Frying 
    • Pyrex 2-cup Glass Measuring Cup
    a bowl of jasmine rice on a grey countertop
    a bowl of jasmine rice on a grey countertop
    Print Recipe
    5 from 4 votes

    How to Cook Jasmine Rice {Stovetop and Instant Pot}

    Make perfect, fluffy Jasmine rice every time with these step-by-step instructions for the stovetop or Instant Pot.
    This recipe makes between 2 and 4 servings, depending on how much you plan to serve and / or if you’re using it to make another recipe like fried or crispy rice.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Thai
    Keyword: DIY Thai, perfect jasmine rice, Thai rice
    Servings: 3
    Calories: 237kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $1.00

    Equipment

    • Saucepan or Instant Pot

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup Jasmine Rice (1 cup Jasmine Rice = 230g)
    • 1 teaspoon Cooking Oil
    • 1 cup Cool Water (1 cup Water = 250ml)
    • Pinch of Salt (optional)

    Instructions

    • Rinse rice in cool tap water, using your fingers to swirl the rice around to remove as much starch as possible. (You can do this in a fine mesh strainer or by placing the rice in a pot of water and pouring the starchy water off.) Drain well.

    Cook Rice:

    • Instant Pot - Rub the inside of the Instant Pot with oil. Combine rice, water, and salt (if using) in the bowl of an Instant Pot. Close and lock the lid. Turn the knob to “sealing”. Pressure cook on “High” for 3 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then manually release any remaining pressure. Once pressure has been released, remove the lid.
      Stovetop - Rub the inside of a heavy-bottomed saucepan with oil. Combine water and salt (if using) in the pan. Place over high heat. When the water begins to boil, stir in rice and immediately cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer rice, covered, until all of the water has been absorbed, ~20 minutes. Move pan off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes. (Tip: If your stove is electric and the temperature does not come down quickly when going from high to low heat, use two burners and transfer the pot of rice to the cooler burner as soon as it starts to boil.)
    • Fluff rice with a fork to gently break apart rice. Serve warm.

    Notes

    Adjusting for the age of rice - The age of the rice you use will affect how well the grains absorb water and, therefore, how much water you need to use. If you purchased the rice recently from a place that has a lot of turnover (like an international grocery store), it is probably quite new and you will not need as much water - remove 1 tablespoon of water per cup. If the rice is older and has been sitting in your pantry for a few months, add an additional 1 tablespoon of water per cup. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

    *This post contains affiliate links*

    Related

    « Crispy Baked Spring Rolls
    10 Home-Cooked Meals for Date Night In »

    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. restaurantthatdeliversnearme.website

      April 20, 2021 at 11:20 am

      Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Welcome! We're Jess and Frank. Since 2010, we have been serving up easy, original recipes here on Inquiring Chef.

    More about us →

    Latest Recipes

    • Shrimp and Chive Dumplings
    • Dumpling and Potsticker Dipping Sauce
    • Crispy Chickpeas {Stovetop, Oven, or Air Fryer}
    • Fourth of July Cookie Bars

    Trending Recipes

    • Crispy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
    • Honey Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry
    • Mason Jar Overnight Oats
    • Beef and Broccoli Ramen Stir-Fry

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Follow us on Instagram and Pinterest

    Contact

    • Email Us

    Copyright © 2022 Inquiring Chef

    • Pin
    • Share
    • Yum
    • Tweet
    • Email