Perfect Jasmine Rice
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
With the right water-to-rice ratio, you can make perfectly cooked jasmine rice every time.
Named after the sweet-smelling jasmine flower, jasmine rice is a long grain rice native to Thailand with a delicate floral and buttery scent. The secret to cooking it perfectly is using the right water-to-rice ratio. Typically, the instructions on the package call for 1½ cups water for every 1 cup of rice. That’s fine if you like your rice “al dente,” but I prefer mine more tender, so I use a bit more water. Many recipes call for rinsing the grains before cooking but I think it’s an unnecessary extra step; even when you rinse jasmine rice, the grains have a slightly sticky texture and cling together.
As simple as rice may seem to prepare, it can be difficult to get “just right.” The key is usually tweaking the water-to-grain ratio or the cooking time. I often add a bit less water than I think I need in the beginning, then taste after steaming. If the rice is still too firm, I add a few tablespoons more and steam a bit longer. Jasmine rice is ideal for making fried rice. For more foolproof rice and grain cooking methods, see my basmati rice and couscous recipes.
What You’ll Need To Make Jasmine Rice
Step-by-Step Instructions
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Stir in the rice and salt.
Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes until all of the water is absorbed.
Taste the rice to test for doneness; it should be perfectly cooked, but if it is still too firm, add a few more tablespoons of water, cover the pan, and let the rice absorb the water off of the heat for a few more minutes.
How To Freeze Jasmine Rice
Cooked jasmine rice can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Putting it in a flat layer in sealable plastic bags works well, as the rice will take up less space in the freezer. There is no need to thaw the rice before reheating; simply remove it from the freezer and reheat in the microwave with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.
You May Also Like
- Perfect Basmati Rice
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Basmati Rice Pilaf with Dried Fruit & Almonds
- Mexican Rice
- Fried Rice
Perfect Jasmine Rice
With the right water-to-rice ratio, you can make perfectly cooked jasmine rice every time.
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups water, plus more if necessary
- 1½ cups jasmine rice
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the rice and salt; cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes until all of the water is absorbed. Taste the rice to test for doneness; it should be perfectly cooked, but if it is still too firm, add a few more tablespoons of water, cover the pan, and let the rice absorb the water off of the heat for a few more minutes.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Cooked jasmine rice can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Putting it in a flat layer in sealable plastic bags works well, as the rice will take up less space in the freezer. There is no need to thaw the rice before reheating; simply remove it from the freezer and reheat in the microwave with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 169
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 108 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
For those who cast stones at an “American Style” of cooking, grow up. How ethnocentric can you get. I too have grown up Amerasian as my mother is from South Korea…yes, I’ve had a rice cooker sapping my parent’s energy bill my whole life too but I’m not blasting this recipe because I grew up differently. Yes, it’s preferable to wash the rice and yes, maybe it should soak but the person posting this recipe is trying to inform people. If your method is so perfect, why search this recipe? Try to be a bit less critical or not post at all. Thanks once upon a chef!
That was my comment. I was not casting stones. I said the recipe was fine, but for those of us who prefer rice the way they make it MOST other countries around the world, reduce the water. Why did I search for this recipe? Because I’ve used a rice cooker 99.9% of my life to make rice. I decided to make jasmine rice along with thai curry but was at my girlfriend’s place and she doesn’t own a rice cooker. I followed this recipe and it came out too soggy for our taste. I adjusted the recipe the next time and it came out perfect. I neither slammed Jenn nor said her recipe was bad. I simply provided an alternative opinion for those interested…
Hurrah! The first time I’ve actually cooked the rice and NOT had hard bits in it. I cooked for the 15 mins and as it still seemed a little damp on one side of the pan and al denté on the other I stirred it and took it off the heat and covered with the lid for the recommended 2 mins. Resulet! Perfect sticky rice – enjoyed by all! Thanks.
1:1 rice to water, 1:1.5 is too much water and it comes out all mushy.
Exactly what I experienced, horrible rice recipe. Way too much water. So many fake reviews on this recipe it’s ridiculous.
If I need to increase this recipe for Jasmine Rice from 4-6 to 8-10 what proportions would I use?
(The recipe calls for 2 3/4 cups water to 1 1/2 rice)
Hi Elsie, I’m not sure what the math would be (that’s not my strong suit 😊), but you could just double everything. If you have leftovers, they freeze nicely.
This turned out awful, ended up needing to be on low for closer to an hour rather than 15 minutes then turned out super mushy. Just awful.
Just saying, if this is a “perfect” rice recipe then you shouldn’t have the option to need more water. This recipe works the best for me when I dont put a lid on the pot and simmer the water out
My fault for thinking her perfect was the same as mine. Rice was mushy and way too soft and sticky. Live and learn.
I made the rice exactly as written and it turned out great. Cooked through but not mushy. It was fluffy and had an ever so slightly sticky texture. Perfect to have with my chickpea curry. Thank you!
This recipe is fine but as an Asian who has literally been cooking and eating rice my entire life, I cannot agree with the definition of al dente. To the rest of the rice-eating world, Americans consistently make rice with too much water. So I’d say this recipe errs slightly on the side of soggy. Also, you have to wash the rice, repeatedly, and presoak for up to an hour. That’s not optional in a Japanese household. My mom might disown me if she found out I wasn’t washing the rice thoroughly. It looks better, tastes better, and is more hygienic…
I couldn’t agree more. After living in South America for many years, I could never go back to cooking rice the American way.
Perfect rice! I have never added rice to boiling water. It came out light and fluffy. The best I’ve ever made. This is my new method going forward.
Turn out perfect. I had tried to cook jasmine rice before and it never turned out good. I did cook it on low about 20 mins. Thanks
I wound up with a pot full of watery rice…
Sorry you had a problem with this! Did you make any adjustments to the recipe? Any chance you could’ve made a measuring error?