Ever wondered how to cook jasmine rice? Here is the guide on how to cook the perfect rice on the stovetop, in a slow cooker or Instant Pot.
Jasmine rice was a big staple of my diet growing up. Mama Lin always cooked jasmine rice for dinner. Even on rare occasions when my older siblings ordered pizza for dinner, Mama Lin would still cook rice to eat on the side. Dinner without rice simply doesn’t happen in Mama Lin’s house.
Because jasmine rice was such a big part of my upbringing, I cook it often—at least several times a month. I usually use my Instant Pot because it is the most convenient method. All I need to do is add rice and water to the Instant Pot, press the “Rice” button, and I have perfect rice in about 25 to 30 minutes. However, not everyone owns an Instant Pot, which is why I wanted to show you how to cook jasmine rice on the stovetop or in a rice cooker.
To me, perfectly cooked rice should be soft, chewy, and slightly sticky. You should be able to make out the individual grains of rice once it’s cooked. Cooking the rice with too much water breaks down the rice’s structure, leaving you with rice that has a mushy texture.
In the stovetop and slow cooker methods listed below, you’ll notice that I don’t use as much water as other recipes. Honestly, I think those recipes recommend using too much water. As a result, the rice on the bottom of the pot is usually mushy. Getting the perfect rice-to-water ratio is an art! Follow the recipes below to get perfectly cooked jasmine rice every time.
ENJOY THE JASMINE RICE WITH THESE DISHES
RECIPES USING COOKED JASMINE RICE
PrintHow to Cook Jasmine Rice 3 Ways: Stove Top, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot
My preferred methods for cooking rice are the Instant Pot and stovetop cooking methods. Cooking rice in the slow cooker is fine, but the rice loses some of its chewiness.
- Yield: Makes about 3 to 4 cups cooked rice on the stovetop and slow cooker methods; Makes about 5 to 6 cups in the Instant Pot method 1x
Ingredients
Stovetop Method
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1 1/3 cups water
Slow Cooker Method
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons water
Instant Pot Method
- 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
- 1 3/4 cups water
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in water and drain. Repeat this process 1 to 2 more times, until the water runs clearer.
STOVETOP METHOD
- Add the rice and 1 1/3 cups water to a saucepan with a lid. I prefer using a stainless steel saucepan for this. Cover the saucepan and bring the water to boil. This should take only a few minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low, and let the rice simmer for another 9 to 10 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed. I usually use a smaller burner for simmering.
- Turn off the heat, and leave the saucepan covered for about 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover the saucepan and fluff the rice with a fork. The rice is now ready to serve.
SLOW COOKER METHOD
- Coat the slow cooker with cooking spray. This prevents the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. This is particularly an issue if your slow cooker pot is made of stoneware like mine.
- Add the jasmine rice and 1 cup + 3 tablespoons of water to the bowl. Set the slow cooker on low and let it cook for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Check the rice to make sure it is tender. If you find some grains are a bit tough on the top, you can drizzle a small splash of water on top and flip all the rice over. Let it cook for another 20 minutes or so before serving.
INSTANT POT METHOD
- Use the small measuring cup that comes with the Instant Pot to measure the rice. You want to fill up that small cup twice. (If you lost that small cup, measure 1 1/2 cups of jasmine rice) Rinse the rice with 2 changes of water before adding it to the Instant Pot.
- Fill the pot with enough water to reach the “2” marker on the side of the bowl (about 1 3/4 cups water). Fasten the lid and press the “Rice” button on the Instant Pot. This will set the Instant Pot to cook on low for 12 minutes.
- Once the rice has finished cooking, let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before opening the lid to serve the rice. The pressure should have released automatically by then. If not, manually release any residual pressure before opening the lid.
Notes
I cook my rice plain because that is usually how it is prepared in Chinese cuisine. If you like more flavor, add a pinch of salt to the water or cook the rice with broth.
TJ. Jannazzo says
The one thing that I was looking for in the instapot resipe and did not get. Not everyone has a Instapot, some have other brands of pressure cookers. I don’t have settings for individual items. I need to know the formula to cook Jasmine rice in a pressure cooker. Rice + water + cooking time, resting time?
In the alternative I have an old Dazey rice cooker with “no” auto settings just a temperature control (like an old time electric skillet) I could really use your help!
Please I would love to how to make perfect rice…
Thank you, TJ.
Lisa Lin says
Hi, TJ. Let me get back to you on this. I know I used 1 1/2 cups rice, but need to confirm the amount of water I used. Just so you know, I don’t have any other pressure cooker besides the Instant Pot, so I will try to approximate the directions for you!
Lisa Lin says
Hi TJ, I have updated the recipe to reflect this. Again, I don’t have a regular pressure cooker, but 1 1/2 cups rice to 1 3/4 cups water, low pressure for 12 minutes, then rest for 10 to 15 minutes should work. Let me know if you try this formula.
TJ. Jannazzo says
Hi, thank you for the research sorry one last question. Do you release the pressure or does rest mean natural release? Thank you again…
Lisa Lin says
If the pressure doesn’t naturally release in 15 minutes, then release the pressure manually. In the Instant Pot, the pressure usually releases naturally in about 10 minutes or so.
CD says
I followed this recipe to cook rice for dinner tonight and it came out great. Thanks!
★★★★★
Laura says
I love Jasmine rice, and appreciate the different tips! Your recipe worked well for me, and I plan to use it again soon!
★★★★★
Lisa Lin says
Thank you, Laura!!
Kristie says
I am always searching for the best method to cook rice, and this one is the winner! I don’t eat rice nearly as often as I would like because I’m never pleased with the results and had finally determined that I’m just not a good “rice cooker.” I’m saving this to my online recipe box and will use it from now on. Thanks for making me a good rice cooker!
★★★★★
Lisa Lin says
Thanks, Kristie! I’m so glad you gave this recipe a chance!!
Shkodran Mustafi says
I’ve always struggled with jasmine rice on a stove… This recipe helped me get it perfectly. Highly recommended for anyone who wants the slightly sticky, crunchy, not stuck to the pan rice. I added a garlic clove and some sea salt for a bit of a punch 🙂
★★★★★
Lisa Lin says
Thanks for trying out the recipe, Shkodran!
Kris says
Finally, a stove top method that works and doesn’t result in mushy rice. Jasmine rice has always been a challenge for me. Thank you,
★★★★★
Lisa Lin says
Thank you, Kris!!