How to cook basmati, jasmine and brown rice
How much water and how long for each kind of rice, step by step on the stove, brown rice in the oven, and how long cooked rice keeps, with the guidance behind every number.
Short answer: For white basmati or jasmine rice, bring 1 cup of rice and 1¾ to 2 cups of water to a boil, cover, turn the heat down and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, then let it stand covered for 5 to 10 minutes. Brown rice, brown basmati and brown jasmine included, takes 2 to 2½ cups of water and about 40 to 50 minutes. One cup of uncooked rice makes about 3 cups cooked.
Water and time for each kind of rice
For 1 cup of uncooked rice, simmered on the stove with the lid on. The figures come from two US university extension services (see the sources below); where they differ, the chart gives the range. Basmati and jasmine are long-grain rice: basmati cooks into separate, fluffy grains and jasmine is softer and a little sticky.
| Rice | Water | Simmer, covered | Behind the numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| White basmati or jasmine | 1¾ to 2 cups | 15 to 20 minutes | Nebraska Extension: 1¾ to 2 cups, 15 minutes, for long-grain rice. Utah State University Extension: 1¾ cups, 18 to 20 minutes, for white long-grain rice. |
| Brown long-grain | 2 to 2½ cups | 40 to 50 minutes | Nebraska Extension: 2 to 2½ cups, 45 to 50 minutes. Utah State: 2¼ cups, 40 to 45 minutes. |
| Brown basmati or brown jasmine | 2 cups | 40 to 45 minutes | Utah State University Extension. |
| Parboiled (converted) | 2 to 2½ cups | 20 to 30 minutes | Nebraska Extension: 2 to 2½ cups, 20 to 25 minutes. Utah State: 2 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. |
On the stove, step by step
- Measure. Put 1 cup of rice and the water from the chart in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. A teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of butter are optional.
- Boil. Bring it to a boil and stir once or twice as it starts to boil.
- Simmer. Turn the heat down to a simmer and put the lid on.
- Time it. Cook for the time in the chart. If the rice is not quite tender or the water is not absorbed, cover it again and cook 2 to 4 minutes longer.
- Rest. Take the pan off the heat and keep it covered for 5 to 10 minutes, then fluff the rice and serve.
The water is measured by volume, so the ratio works with any cup: for white basmati or jasmine, 1 part rice to 1¾ to 2 parts water. To convert cups to milliliters or grams, see the kitchen conversion chart.
Brown rice in the oven
- Heat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C) and bring 2½ cups of water to a boil.
- Put 1½ cups of brown rice, 1 teaspoon of oil and a pinch of salt in an ovenproof pot or dish with a tight-fitting lid.
- Pour in the boiling water, cover and bake for about 1 hour, until tender.
- Fluff the rice with a fork, cover it for 5 minutes, then uncover it and let it stand another 5 minutes.
Cooling, storing and reheating cooked rice
- Serve it straight away if you can. The NHS advises serving rice as soon as it is cooked; if that is not possible, cool it within 1 hour and keep it in the fridge until you reheat it or use it in a dish such as a salad.
- UK guidance: refrigerate cooked rice within 1 hour and eat it within 24 hours, and throw away rice left at room temperature overnight, says the NHS.
- US guidance: USDA’s FoodKeeper gives cooked rice 4 to 6 days in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer.
- Reheat once: the NHS says to reheat rice until it is steaming hot throughout, a core temperature of 70 °C for 2 minutes, and not to reheat it more than once.
The two countries set different limits; if you want one rule, the UK’s 24 hours is the shorter one. Uncooked rice in the pantry and more on cooked rice are in how long rice lasts.
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Where the numbers come from
Read on October 30, 2026.
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension: all about cooking rice (water, times, steps and yield)
- Utah State University Extension: cooking rice (water and times by type, resting, brown rice in the oven, basmati and jasmine)
- NHS: starchy foods and carbohydrates (cooling, storing and reheating rice)
- USDA FoodKeeper (cooked rice in the fridge and freezer)
Frequently asked questions
What is the water to rice ratio?
For white long-grain rice such as basmati and jasmine, 1¾ to 2 cups of water for each cup of rice. Brown rice takes 2 to 2½ cups, and parboiled rice 2 to 2½ cups. The ratio works with any cup, because it is measured by volume.
How long does it take to cook rice?
White basmati or jasmine rice simmers for about 15 to 20 minutes, parboiled rice for about 20 to 30 minutes and brown rice for about 40 to 50 minutes. Then let it stand, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes.
How much cooked rice does 1 cup of uncooked rice make?
About 3 cups of cooked rice.
How do you cook brown rice in the oven?
Heat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C). Put 1½ cups of brown rice, a teaspoon of oil and a pinch of salt in an ovenproof dish with a tight-fitting lid, pour in 2½ cups of boiling water, cover and bake for about 1 hour, until tender.
Can you freeze cooked rice?
Yes. USDA’s FoodKeeper gives cooked rice 6 months in the freezer and 4 to 6 days in the fridge. UK guidance from the NHS is to refrigerate cooked rice within 1 hour and eat it within 24 hours.
Can you reheat rice?
Yes, once. The NHS says to reheat rice until it is steaming hot throughout, a core temperature of 70 °C for 2 minutes, and not to reheat it more than once.
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