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Rice Timer
Tap your rice. Start the timer when the lid goes on at the lowest heat; it beeps when the simmer ends, then times the rest.
Step 1 / 2
18 min simmer, 10 min rest. About 2 cups of water per cup of rice; packets say 1¾ to 2.
15 min simmer, 10 min rest. 1½ cups of water per cup. Rinse until the water runs nearly clear.
15 min simmer, 10 min rest. 1¼ to 1½ cups of water per cup. It cooks soft and slightly sticky.
15 min simmer, 10 min rest. About 1¼ cups of water per cup. Rinse it well first.
45 min simmer, 10 min rest. 2 to 2½ cups of water per cup. The bran layer slows the water down.
50 min simmer, 5 min rest. 3 cups of water per cup; drain what is left once the grains split.
Rice cooking time and rice to water ratio
| Rice | Water per cup of rice | Simmer | Rest, covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| White long-grain | About 2 cups (packets: 1¾–2) | 18 min | 10 min |
| Basmati | 1½ cups | 15 min | 10 min |
| Jasmine | 1¼–1½ cups | 15 min | 10 min |
| Sushi / short-grain | About 1¼ cups | 15 min | 10 min |
| Brown | 2–2½ cups | 45 min | 10 min |
| Wild rice | 3 cups, drain the excess | 50 min | 5 min |
Stovetop absorption method in a pan with a tight lid, timed from when the lid goes on at the lowest heat. “Cup” is any one measure used for both rice and water. Brands, pans and burners differ, so treat these as starting points and use the packet ratio when it gives one.
How to use it
- Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain it. Measure the water from the chart for your type.
- Put rice, water and a pinch of salt in a pan and bring it to a boil. Stir once, put on a tight lid and turn the heat to its lowest setting.
- Tap your rice and press Start. Leave the lid alone for the whole simmer.
- When the timer beeps and switches to the rest, take the pan off the heat without lifting the lid. The steam inside finishes the cooking.
- When the rest ends, lift the lid, fluff the rice with a fork and serve it.
Why the lid stays on and the rest matters
In the absorption method the rice cooks in a measured amount of water, and by the end all of it is either inside the grains or in the air as steam. The lid keeps that steam in. Each time you lift it, steam and heat escape, the top layer cooks more slowly than the bottom, and the water you measured no longer matches the rice. Stirring does a different kind of damage: it breaks the softening grains and rubs starch off them, which turns the pan gluey.
When the simmer ends, the rice at the bottom is wetter than the rice at the top. Ten minutes off the heat with the lid on lets the moisture even out and the grains firm up, so they separate when you fluff them instead of smearing. Skip the rest and the rice is wet on top and stuck to the base.
How long brown rice and wild rice take
White rice has had its bran and germ milled away, so water reaches the starchy center quickly: 15 to 18 minutes of simmering is enough. Brown rice is the same grain with the bran layer left on. Water has to work through that tougher coat first, which is why brown rice takes about 45 minutes and wants more water, 2 to 2½ cups per cup.
Wild rice is the seed of a water grass, not a true rice. Cook it in plenty of water, about 3 cups per cup, for around 50 minutes until most of the grains have split open and show their pale inside, then drain off what is left. Basmati and sushi rice are the two that gain most from rinsing, because the loose surface starch on them is what makes basmati clump and sushi rice turn pasty.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the lid to check. If you need to look, use a pan with a glass lid.
- Stirring during the simmer. Stir once before the lid goes on and not again.
- Keeping the heat too high. The bottom scorches before the top is cooked; the water should barely bubble.
- Serving straight after the simmer. Without the covered rest the top is wet and the base sticks.
- Using a pan that is too small or a lid that does not fit. Starchy water boils over and the steam the rice needs is lost.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to cook rice?
White long-grain rice takes about 18 minutes at a low simmer plus 10 minutes resting off the heat with the lid on, so close to half an hour from the boil. Basmati, jasmine and sushi rice need about 15 minutes plus the same rest.
How long does brown rice take?
About 45 minutes of simmering and 10 minutes of rest. Use 2 to 2½ cups of water per cup of rice, and check the packet, because quick-cook brown rice has been part-cooked and takes far less.
What is the cooking time for basmati rice?
About 15 minutes at the lowest simmer with 1½ cups of water per cup of rice, then 10 minutes covered off the heat. Rinse it first so the long grains stay separate.
What is the rice to water ratio?
By volume, about 2 to 1 for white long-grain, 1½ to 1 for basmati, 1¼ to 1½ for jasmine, about 1¼ for sushi rice and 2 to 2½ for brown. Wild rice is boiled in about 3 parts water and drained.
Do I need to rinse rice before cooking?
Rinsing washes off loose surface starch, so the grains cook up separate rather than sticky. It matters most for basmati and sushi rice. Drain the rice well afterwards so the extra water does not upset the ratio.
How long can cooked rice sit out?
Not long. Cooked rice left at room temperature can cause food poisoning, so common food-safety advice is to cool leftovers quickly, within about an hour, and keep them in the fridge.