Thai-style sticky rice (also sometimes called glutinous or sweet rice) is the perfect side dish for grilled meats, spicy Thai salads, or your other favorite Thai dishes. Use these step-by-step instructions for the stovetop (no special equipment required) or Instant Pot to make sticky rice that will easily roll into balls.
Today, let's round out my favorite Northeastern Thailand meal which started with Gai Yang and Green Papaya Salad. We’re talking sticky rice! In Northeastern Thailand (or with meals from that region), sticky rice is used like a utensil (instead of a fork and spoon) and is eaten with every bite of the meal. The individual grains of rice cling to one another, hence the “sticky” in the title. You roll the rice into a small ball and then pinch it between your fingers to form a scoop for salads, sauces, or grilled meats.
For the five years that Frank and I lived in Bangkok, sticky rice made a frequent (almost daily) appearance. Here's how to make authentic sticky rice at home!
What Makes Sticky Rice “Sticky”?
Three things give sticky rice that unique sticky texture:
- Glutinous or Sweet Rice - Start with the right variety of rice. It is labeled “glutinous” or “sweet”. Other types of rice (like jasmine rice) will not work.
- Soaking in Water - Before cooking, the rice must be soaked in water for 4 to 10 hours.
- Steaming - The rice is steamed over simmering water. Authentic sticky rice cannot be boiled directly in water like other types of rice.
Is it Necessary to Pre-Soak Sticky Rice?
Yes. Sticky rice must be soaked in water for 4 to 10 hours before steaming. During this time, the rice grains will swell slightly.
When I first started testing this recipe, I came across a bunch of recipes on the internet that insisted you could make sticky rice with out soaking it first. I tested those methods and never had success in creating the authentic sticky rice that I know and love. Many of those recipes also had you cook the rice directly in water, instead of the traditional method of steaming the rice over simmering water.
Through all of our testing for this recipe, Frank and I agreed that soaking for 4 to 10 hours and steaming were both necessary to achieve that stickiness and roll-ability we look for in authentic Thai-style sticky rice.
How to Make Sticky Rice on the Stovetop
- Soak rice in water for 4 to 10 hours.
- Place a colander inside a Dutch oven or large pot with a lid. (It’s okay if the lid sits slightly ajar or there is a small gap above the colander.)
- Add water so that it reaches to just below the bottom of the colander.
- Drain the soaked rice into the colander and put it inside the Dutch oven.
- Bring water to a simmer and cover with a lid.
- Steam rice, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Using a large spatula, flip the entire portion of rice like it’s a pancake. (This will help it to cook evenly; don't worry if it doesn't easily flip in one movement, just use your spatula to work through all of the rice until it is flipped.)
- Put the lid back on and continue steaming the rice for another 10 to 20 minutes, checking it for doneness every few minutes towards the end of the cooking time.
- Serve warm, within 10 to 15 minutes of preparing it.
How to Make Sticky Rice in the Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker
- Soak rice in water for 4 to 10 hours.
- Add 1 cup water to the bowl of the Instant Pot / pressure cooker.
- Using a colander that will fit inside the bowl of the Instant Pot (and is approved for use under pressure), drain the soaked rice.
- Place the colander with the rice into the bowl of the Instant Pot. (Note: The water should not touch the rice; if needed, add a rack so that the rice sits above the water.)
- Close and lock the lid.
- Set the pressure cook / manual setting on high for 12 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 12 minutes and then manually release.
- Unlock the lid but leave it on, slightly ajar, until ready to serve. Serve rice warm, within 15 minutes of preparing it.
Thai Recipes to Serve with Sticky Rice
- Thai Massaman Curry with Beef
- Thai Red Curry with Chicken
- Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)
- Thai Green Curry with Chicken
Favorite Tools for Making Sticky Rice
- 6-Quart Instant Pot Duo - This is the Instant Pot that I have.
- OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Steamer - If cooking in the Instant Pot, you'll need a steamer that will fit inside. I’ve been using this OXO version in my Instant Pot for several years. It’s approved for use under pressure and the holes are small enough that only a few grains of rice tend to sneak through. I like that it’s adjustable so that it fits many different pots I own.
- Stainless Steel Colander - If cooking on the stovetop, you need a steel colander that will fit inside a pot. This pack includes three colanders in different sizes, so if you don't already have a colander that will work, this pack will surely have a size that will work.
- Le Creuset Dutch Oven - For stovetop sticky rice, you need a large, sturdy pot for steaming the rice. I use my Dutch oven for everything, and it works well for steaming sticky rice.
How to Make Sticky Rice (Stovetop or Instant Pot)
Equipment
- Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker or Large Pot
- Colander
Ingredients
- 2 cups Glutinous or “Sweet” Rice (see note)
- Water
Instructions
- Measure rice into a bowl and cover with water by a few inches. Soak for 4 to 10 hours.
If cooking on the stovetop:
- Place a colander inside a Dutch oven or large pot with a lid (it’s okay if the lid sits slightly ajar or there is a small gap above the colander).
- Add water so that it reaches to just below the bottom of the colander.
- Drain the soaked rice into the colander and put the colander inside the Dutch oven.
- Place over medium heat bring to a simmer.
- Cover the Dutch oven / pot and reduce heat so that the water stays at a low simmer. Steam rice, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Using a large spatula, flip the rice like it’s a pancake. (This will help it to cook evenly)
- Put the lid back on and continue steaming the rice for another 10 to 20 minutes, checking it for doneness every few minutes towards the end of the cooking time. (You’re looking for the rice grains to be separate and firm, but stick together when rolled / pressed between your fingers.)
- Take the rice off the heat, but leave the lid on until ready to serve. Serve rice warm, within 15 minutes of preparing it.
- If cooking in the Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker:
- Add 1 cup water to the bowl of the Instant Pot.
- Using a colander that will fit inside the bowl of the Instant Pot (and is approved for use under pressure), drain the soaked rice.
- Place the colander with the rice into the bowl of the Instant Pot. (Note: The water should not touch the rice; if needed, add a rack so that the rice sits above the water.)
- Close and lock the lid.
- Set the pressure cook / manual setting on high for 12 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 12 minutes and then manually release.
- Unlock the lid but leave it on, slightly ajar, until ready to serve. Serve rice warm, within 15 minutes of preparing it.
Notes
Nutrition
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Joshua
Nice recipe
Diana S
Hi,
Thanks so much for this recipe!
My family was so excited we could make our own sticky rice and home!
Just a question, have you made a larger recipe of sticky rice in your Instant Pot? I’m finding the 2 cups is not enough for our family.
If I was to make 4 cups of sticky rice, do I still use the same amount of water in the bottom of the Instant Pot?
Jess
Hi Diana - I’ve wondered this for my own family, but have never tried to double the recipe. My guess is that it would work fine, although if I tried it, I would probably add a minute to the pressure cook time. You shouldn’t need to increase the water at all since no water really escapes during the cooking process, the amount listed should be fine. Just double the rice.
Diana
Thanks so much!
Susan
Does leftover sticky rice reheat well? I usually make extra jasmine rice and freeze it for later meals. Would that work for sticky rice?
penoliva nickles
Thank you,
you helped me to make my first sticky rice.
I am 72 years old. I know veat little about cooking good food.
Have a wonderful day with your family. SMILES!
From: Penny Nickles
Lacey
I just followed your Insta pot directions with sticky rice, but I’ve noticed when I pulled out my steamer basket all the rice on the top layer was still uncooked and the bottom layer was cooked. Any thoughts?
Jess
I'm so sorry it didn't work out, Lacey. My guess is either that you're working with older rice and / or that it needed a longer time to soak before cooking. If the rice is a little bit older (this may not have to do with how long you have had it and might even be that it sat in the store for a long time), it may not cook in the time given. Sometimes you can remedy this with a longer pre-soak. Next time, I'd recommend doing the full upper end of the pre-soak time range.
Dave
Flippy rice after about 15 minutes and then when you're soaking it you can put a spoon in it and it will be ready in about 2 hours wait for the rice to crumble
Diana
If I am using an 8 qt instant pot I assume I need to put 2 cups of water at the bottom? Or?
Jess
Yes - 2 cups in a larger machine
Kb
This recipe worked great for me. No soak recipes did not. I didn’t like the rice slipping through my steamer so I put a small square of cheesecloth over it.
Kelly Newcomer
Thanks, I'm looking forward to trying this in my instant pot. I have been using a Thai pot with a huge bamboo basket I found in Minneapolis at the Shuang Hur store... We had a social worker who is Hmong, and she suggested we use a pandan leaf in our sticky rice as it steamed. I really love the flavor. We find the pandan leaves frozen at the same store. Do you use pandan?
Jess Smith
Hi Kelly - yes! We often use pandan leaves - that's such a great tip I should add to the post. You can add them to the IP and it will infuse the rice with that nice floral scent / flavor. The very first time I had sticky rice it was as a kid when I had a babysitter who was Hmong - she used to make it for us all the time as a snack with peanut dipping sauce - yum!
Mary Kelly
What if you don't have a Dutch oven? How else do you can make it? I want to try it.
Jess Smith
Hi Mary Kelly - any large heavy-bottomed pan will do. So if you have another large saucepan with a lid, that should work just fine.
Denise
I do it by putting water in the bottom of a 10-12" skillet, placing a splatter screen that fits over the skillet on top, spreading the rice on the splatter screen, and covering the rice with the lid of the skillet. (if the screen & pan aren't very close in size, I sometimes wrap some foil around the edge to cover the gap between lid, screen, and pan to prevent steam from escaping. It works great! (I soak the rice for an hour or two first...using hot water for soak if I'm in a rush.) (Never use hot tap water...heat cold water as hot water from tap can carry metals from pipes.)
Jess Smith
Yes! This is a great way to do it. Leela at SheSimmers has a great tutorial on this method - https://shesimmers.com/2012/08/how-to-cook-sticky-rice-the-easy-way-and-without-a-steamer.html
Caleb
Lovely article, as a note though on the soaking process. If you don't have the plan ahead time of 4 hours there is an easy trick that my Laotian aunt taught me. Rinse the rice really well 3 to 4 times until the water runs clear. Then soak the rice in hot water, either the hottest you can get from your tap or water that you simmered on the stove(don't boil it, that is too hot and will start cooking the rice).
If you soak the rice in extremely hot water you can cut the soaking time down to an hour. This has saved me multiple times when I impromptu need some sticky rice for dinner.
Jess Smith
Thanks so much for sharing that great tip Caleb! I've also heard from others who grew up eating sticky rice that you can microwave the rice in water instead of soaking it at all. Haven't tried it yet, but need to soon.
Marcus
Hello. Followed the instant pot recipe. Ended up soaking for 18 hours. Placed in basket with a coffee filter @ the bottom to prevent rice falling through slots. At the end of the 12 min slow release I found the rice to be very dry. Not sure if that’s supposed to be? I sort of “fluffed” it up and put it back on for a 10 min pressure cook on low. Still came out dry and I believe not done (I don’t have any experience with sweet rice so I’m not sure). I’m currently trying another 5 min on hi pressure and going to do a 5 minute slow release. Hopefully it will work
Jess Smith
Hi Marcus - do you have any idea how old your sweet rice is? I'm suspicious that it might be quite old considering that it didn't even get tender after a second round in the IP. It shouldn't need 18 hours to soak. You might just need to try a new bag!
Marcus
Just got the bag last week. Says best before 9/22. The soak was 18hrs because I started it @ 9pm and didn’t have time to cook it till after 3pm next day. So I just let it soak.
Jess Smith
Got it, Marcus. It's always possible that it was still old, depending on how long it sat in storage or on the shelves before it reached your kitchen. I've never had any issue with the rice getting tender using these instructions except when I was using old rice. Soaking for too long can sometimes affect the flavor of the rice, but it shouldn't have prevented it from cooking. That's my best guess! Sorry I couldn't be more help, but maybe others will chime in here in the comments with their suggestions.
Elizabeth
How can you modify this recipe to make it sweet for mango sticky rice (khao neao mamuang)??? Thanks!!!
Jess Smith
Hi Elizabeth - I have a whole post on how to adapt it to make mango sticky rice here - https://inquiringchef.com/mango-sticky-rice/. Hope that helps!
Isabela O
My go to recipe for sticky rice. My mom is from northern Thailand and I grew up eating sticky rice. I was intimidated making it because she had the traditional steamer, but your instant pot version is so easy to use. I usually soak for 24 hours and will pressure cook for 14 minutes to get the texture that I like and let it natural release. When I remember, I'll throw in pandan leaves to flavor the rice. Yum! My ultimate comfort food.
Ben B.
I was told by either a Thai or a Laotian (at a Thai-Lao grocery store) that the rice needed to soak for 10 hours and be steamed in the cone-shaped basket or it wouldn't work. Ok, so I decided it was easier to buy from a restaurant. I then discussed this with a Thai woman who ran a Thai restaurant in Denver. She made a "Huh...No" face and said "No, it's fine in a rice cooker". so I bought one of the stovetop steaming rice cookers and did it that way for years. Eventually I bought an electric-boil rice cooker and... I see no difference between steaming or boiling.
Then I went to Chiangmai and surrounding areas in northern Thailand and ate street food as often as I could. The sticky rice in Chiangmai seemed the same as what I got from Thai restaurants at home, and as what I made in my rice cooker. I did not make it to Isan to try khao niao there.
For steaming, the soaking is important. For rice cooker, the soaking seems slightly important if it is the medium-long grain sticky rice rather than the pearl-like short grain sticky rice, but an hour of soak time has been plenty for me, when using the rice cooker, and can be omitted in a pinch. The ratio of rice:water is 1:1 for the short grain and 1:1+TBSP with the medium grain. If I do 2 cups medium grain sweet rice, I'll do 2 cup H2O +2 TBSP H2O. I prefer the medium grain.
This very morning, before leaving for work, I threw 2 c. short grain sweet rice in the rice cooker with 2 c. H2O and hit Start, and 25 mins later it was ready. Shoveled some in a ziplock to have with leftover stir fry for lunch. Simple. Done.
Jess Smith
Great tips! Thank you for sharing!
Chelsea
If I’m making one cup of sticky rice do I need to adjust the water or time?
Jess Smith
No need to adjust the water or time for 1 cup sticky rice. It should work just fine if using less.