How to Cook Brown Rice

Method10 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Choose one complete method. For the stovetop batch, rinse the 2 US standard cups of brown rice. Add enough water to stand 1 inch above the rice. Soak for at least 20 minutes, preferably 90 minutes; refrigerate the pot if soaking longer or overnight. Skip the rice-cooker batch below.

   Preferred rice soak: 90 minutes · 90 minUses 2 US standard cups uncooked brown rice, for the stovetop route only · Water for rinsing and covering the stovetop rice by 1 inch

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Drain and discard all the stovetop soaking water (2). Leave the soaked rice in the pot and add the 2 US standard cups of fresh cooking water.

   Uses All soaked stovetop rice, drained of its soaking water · 2 US standard cups fresh water, for the stovetop route only

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Cover the pot and heat on high until the water boils. Reduce to the lowest heat and cook covered for about 15–20 minutes, checking from 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.

   Check stovetop rice at 15 minutes · 15 minUses Soaked stovetop rice with fresh cooking water

4. 4

   Step 4: Switch off the heat and leave the stovetop rice covered for 10 minutes. Fluff and serve. This completes the stovetop route; do not continue with the rice-cooker batch.

   Covered stovetop rest: 10 minutes · 10 minUses Cooked stovetop brown rice

5. 5

   Step 5: For the rice-cooker route instead, measure 2 cups of uncooked brown rice using the small cup supplied with the cooker. The source describes this as about 1½ US standard cups. Rinse this batch in the cooker pot and drain. Skip the stovetop batch above.

   Uses 2 rice-cooker measuring cups uncooked brown rice, for the rice-cooker route only · Water for rinsing the rice-cooker batch

   
6. 6

   Step 6: If the cooker has a brown-rice setting, add fresh water to its brown-rice line marked 2, corresponding to the 2 supplied-cup measures. Skip the next plain-setting water instruction.

   Uses All rinsed and drained rice-cooker rice · Water to the brown-rice line marked 2, only with the brown-rice setting

   
7. 7

   Step 7: If the cooker has no brown-rice setting, add fresh water slightly above the plain-rice line marked 2 instead. Use this water-setting option only, rather than adding water again after the brown-rice option.

   Uses All rinsed and drained rice-cooker rice, only for the plain-setting route · Water slightly above the plain-rice line marked 2, only without a brown-rice setting

8. 8

   Step 8: For either rice-cooker water-setting option, soak the rice in that cooking water for at least 20 minutes, preferably 90 minutes, before starting the cooker. Keep the cooking water in the pot.

   Preferred cooker rice soak: 90 minutes · 90 minUses Prepared pot only if using the brown-rice water-setting option · Prepared pot only if using the plain-rice water-setting option

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Close the cooker and start its brown-rice setting, or its regular cook setting if there is no brown-rice button. Let the full cycle finish; cooking time depends on the appliance.

   Uses The one selected soaked cooker pot

10. 10

    Step 10: After the rice-cooker cycle finishes, leave the lid closed for another 10 minutes. Check that the rice is tender, fluff and serve.

    Closed rice-cooker rest: 10 minutes · 10 minUses Cooked rice-cooker brown rice