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

How to Cook Jasmine Rice 3 Ways: Stove Top, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot

How to Cook Jasmine Rice Three Ways: Stovetop, 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.

Author: Lisa Lin
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

Ingredients

1 cup jasmine rice
water (amount depends on the cooking method)

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 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 cup + 2 tablespoons water). Fasten the lid and press the “Rice” button on the Instant Pot.
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 don’t typically cook rice with any seasoning because that’s not how it was prepared when I grew up. Feel free to add a pinch of salt or a bit of butter if you prefer.