How to Cook Jasmine Rice
Published Feb 08, 2021•Updated May 14, 2026
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Make perfect, fluffy Jasmine Rice every time with these step-by-step instructions. You can use the stovetop or Instant Pot method using a 1:1 ratio of rice to water. OR, if you’ve heard that you can boil jasmine rice in a big pot of water – yes, you can! I added notes for this method in May 2026. I’ll show you how.
Confession: for the longest time I was afraid to cook jasmine rice. It seemed like every time it came out either undercooked, broken, or mushy. As someone who spent five years in Thailand and cooks a lot of Thai food, perfect jasmine rice is a non-negotiable. So recently I set out to find the secret for a perfect pot of jasmine rice. And I nailed it and show you how to nail it too.
What is Jasmine Rice?
Jasmine rice is a fragrant, long-grain white 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.
Jasmine Rice and Thai Food
A great jasmine rice recipe is the foundation of any great Thai meal. (The exception is if you’re making Thai food from food from Northeastern Thailand, in which case you’ll want to opt for my sticky rice recipe. Jasmine rice is 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 Thai Fried Rice, Crispy Rice or Pineapple Fried Rice.
Jasmine Rice: The Classic Method
Here is the most common way to cook jasmine rice which involves rinsing it well and cooking it in a small(ish) amount of water on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. Want to try boiling it like pasta? Jump ahead to the next section.
- Rinse the rice well. This is important for perfect cooked rice. Rinsing the rice in cool tap water removes excess starch.
- Rub pot with oil. Whether using the Instant Pot or a heavy-bottomed saucepan on the stove, rub the inside of the pot with a small amount of oil to avoid sticking.
- Combine rice and water. If using the Instant Pot, combine rice and water in the bowl and close and seal the lid. If using the stovetop, bring water to a simmer and then stir in the rice.
- Cook. Cook on high in the Instant Pot for 3 minutes and then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. On the stove, simmer the rice and water for 20 minutes, covered with a tight fitting lid.
- Fluff and serve warm.
Keep in mind that brown rice requires a different method for cooking. Brown rice requires a longer coking time and more water, so use a recipe specifically written for that variety.
Recipe Tips
- Rinse well – Rinsing the rice releases starch and is the most important step to separate tender grains of rice.
- 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.
- Adjust for age of rice – This is useful for any type of rice you’re cooking. See below for more on this.
Tips: Cooking 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.
- On the electric stove, turn on two burners – one on low-medium and one on high.
- Bring the water to a boil on the high burner.
- 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).
Jasmine Rice: Boil it like pasta
Updated May 2026: I now only cook my jasmine rice this way because it doesn’t require you to rinse it first. It’s so easy! Important: this will NOT work with all types of rice. It’s only reliable with jasmine rice.
You can cook jasmine rice exactly like you would boil pasta. To do this:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Make sure there is plenty of room for the rice without crowding, just like you would if you were cooking pasta. This should use a stockpot, not a smaller saucepan with a handle like you would usually use for rice.
- When the water is boiling pour in the jasmine rice and give it a stir to loosen up any grains that might be stuck together.
- Boil for 9-11 minutes. Boil the rice for 9-11 minutes, keeping an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t boil over (just like you would with pasta). Taste test the rice at the 9 minute mark and see if it’s tender. The age of the rice makes a difference, so if it’s not tender after 9 minutes, keep boiling until it is, checking every minute.
- Drain quickly and well. Drain the rice through a mesh strainer, gently shaking it release as much water as possible.
- Serve immediately.
Why the age of rice matters
New, fresh rice grains will absorb water more easily, so you’ll need less water for this jasmine rice recipe. 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 think it might have been sitting in your pantry.
How to Store Jasmine Rice
To store cooked jasmine rice, allow it to cool completely. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Allow the rice to defrost completely before reheating it in the microwave.
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How to Cook Jasmine Rice
Equipment
- Saucepan or Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice (1 cup jasmine rice = 230 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil
- 1 cup cool water (1 cup water = 250 milliliter)
- pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
Stovetop or Instant Pot Method:
- 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.
- 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.
The Boiling like Pasta Method (skip the initial rinsing):
- Bring a very large pot of water to a boil. (Use a pot like you would for spaghetti, like a stockpot.)
- When the water is boiling, add the rice. Stir it a few times to loosen up any grains of rice that might be stuck together.
- Boil the rice for 9-11 minutes, until tender. Check the rice at the 9 minute mark, and then continue checking every minute after that until tender.
- Drain the rice through a fine mesh strainer, gently shaking the strainer to release excess moisture.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thanks for the recipe.