Baked Rice is a foolproof method for getting fluffy, tender grains that have just the right texture. Combine rice, water, and butter and let it bake in the oven instead of on the stovetop.
One of the reasons oven-baked rice turns out fabulous is that the heat is distributed more evenly throughout the cooking cycle. It’s also perfect to pop in the oven alongside Oven Baked Chicken Breasts, marinated pork tenderloin, or with Chicken Cordon Bleu!
Tips for Making Baked Rice
To get the best white rice in the oven, follow these tips for recipe success:
- Follow the ratios in the recipe below (and not the ratios on the package)
- Adding butter helps keep the grains from sticking.
- Boil the water before adding to the rice.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil to seal in the steam.
- Allow the rice to rest for 5-10 minutes after removing it from the oven before fluffing with a fork.
You can easily make baked brown rice too, it will take a bit longer to cook.
What Rice is Best Baked?
Any kind of rice can be baked. Just be aware that cooking times can vary greatly. Basmati rice is one of the most quick-cooking varieties. Brown rice, on the other hand, takes more than twice as long as conventional white rice.
This recipe uses regular long grain white rice. If you’re changing the type of rice, you will need to adjust the cook time.
What to Serve with Baked Rice
Baked rice is the perfect starchy side dish that pairs well with saucy recipes like Salisbury steak or Crock Pot pork chops with mushroom gravy. It’s an easy way to pre-make rice for fried rice too, or for General Tso’s Chicken!
Leftover rice will keep in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to four months.
How to Reheat Rice
To reheat rice in the oven or toaster oven, gently break up any lumps and moisten slightly with a small splash of water. Cover tightly and bake at 300°F for about 20 minutes.
Easy Ways to Cook Rice
- Brown Rice – made in the oven or stove
- Easy Rice Pilaf – filled with veggies!
- Cilantro Lime Rice – deliciously zesty freshness!
- Dirty Rice – southern comfort food staple
- Garlic Butter Rice – full of flavor!
Easy Oven Baked Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 ¾ cups boiling water*
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Pour all ingredients into a 2 qt baking dish and stir. Cover tightly.
- Bake until the water is absorbed, 22 - 27 minutes.
- Rest 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Side Dish
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Thank you! I live in Colorado at altitude, and good rice has eluded me for years. Someone recommended this, and I just opened it after the 5 minute rest. Delicious! Best rice I’ve made in years, and honestly, it is no harder than the stovetop. It’s my new method for sure.
I love this recipe! Makes cooking rice so easy. My stovetop heats unevenly making it hard to maintain a consistent temperature. Currently enjoying a sweet and sour stir fry with PERFECT, not mushy, not slightly undercooked, just amazingly fluffy and soft white rice.
A suggestion to others: I always make my rice with vegetable stock or bone broth instead of water to add flavor and nutrients. If you haven’t tried it, skip the salt and try some broth instead!
I will never ever do rice any other way.
How much cooked rice is considered a serving?
This recipe will make approximately 3/4 cup of rice per serving.
Will this work with brown rice.
For brown rice I would follow this recipe. I hope this helps!
Great recipe if you don’t want to babysit the pot before it boils. Rice is perfectly cooked and fluffy. I used Jasmine rice and basmati rice on different occasions. Pop it in the oven while baking chicken or fish.
Perfect rice. It turned out as good or better than my rice cooker. To make sure casserole lid fit tight, I covered dish first with aluminum foil (tip from another rice recipe).
This came out absolutely perfect. I CANNOT make rice on the stove for some reason. It’s either too wet or dry and crunchy. I’ve tried different ratios of water to rice, different pots, everything. This was so easy and effortless. I love that I can just pop it into the oven and come back later. This will be my go-to rice recipe.
It works! Delicious and incredible thank you so much!
I always cook my rice this way now; thanks for the great tip! I use coconut oil in place of the butter because I love the way it makes the rice taste and smell (plus I have a huge jar of coconut oil from Costco to use up).
how do I adjust for medium grain white rice?
For this recipe, we have actually never tested it with medium grain rice so I can’t say for sure. I would begin checking it a little early and continue cooking until it is cooked through.
how long can you keep the left overs?
Leftovers are good for 3-4 days. Enjoy Theshyone!
I love cooking rice this way, I saute a little onion to add to it also. Also have diced up tomatoes to add Put it in the oven and forget about it.
This baked rice recipe has changed my life. It’s perfect every time. The cilantro lime rice also amazing. There is a Spanish yellow rice with pigeon peas recipe that I have tried to make the old fashioned way and never comes out right. Would you be willing to make it your way then post the recipe?
I am so glad you enjoyed this rice recipe Inez! I have not tried pigeon peas, but I think that sounds delicious!
How would I make this for 80 people??
I haven’t scaled this recipe to serve 80 people so I can’t say for sure how it would work out.
Funny you should ask! I have been doing this for a couple of months now, and again tomorrow (first time with Jasmine, wish me luck!)
You need huge pans! And DO NOT overcrowd the pans either. I split 18 cups of rice into two hotel pans, seal with foil, and cover with metal lid. Then I pray the foil doesn’t rip as I slide the super heavy pans in the oven. The hardest part is measuring the boiling water (you can imagine the size of pot needed).
Remember to rinse the rice well before starting to remove excess starch. That will help immensely in not making a rice loaf!
Good luck!
Do you have to rinse the rice before cooking?
I do not rinse the rice before cooking.
I always bake rice in the oven.‘ I make it in a stainless steel pot instead of a casserole dish. I use a medium sized pot which has metal handle and the lid also stainless steel. No plastic in the
oven.
I followed the directions and my rice came out perfect.
Rice is one of the very few things I couldn’t cook without screwing it up. It was always either too mushy or burnt. Not anymore! You’re recipe is perfect! Thank you!
Now, to find a fail proof biscuit recipe.
So happy to hear that, Maria!
Great recipe… so far no fail. I worried when I tripled the recipe and was a little worried about it the time. It came out perfect at 27 minutes. I just use my 9×13 baking dish, cover it with aluminum foil and go my merry way until it’s time to uncover, fluff and serve.
Look up “butter swim” or “pan biscuits”… I have not made any other biscuits since discovering that amazing versatile recipe! I use it for cheesy bread as well. Another simple one is Cree style bannock. You can even bake it as a large flat loaf and cut it after baking!
Fantastic recipe. Made this a few times in different portions, and is fantastic. I also start in a scoop of chicken bouillon to give extra flavor as well. It’s a very versatile recipe that can easily except other flavors as well!
Ive doubled, tripled and quadrupled this recipe. Ive used long, medium and jasmine rice. Cooked with canned beans, corn and olives(all drained) and it always comes out great. Its dummy proof. Thank u! I used to struggle with rice, now i never have a problem.