Easy Baked Rice Recipe
Tired of mushy rice and having to wash sticky pots? This Baked Rice recipe is a tried & true, easy method for getting fluffy, perfectly cooked rice. And it doesn’t leave a sticky mess on the stovetop.
Oven Baked Rice
Do you cringe at the thought of making rice? Have you cooked rice in a pot only to have it stick to the bottom?
Does the thought of making a sticky mess on the stove top or digging out the rice cooker make you want to order take out? Me too!
That’s why I love to bake my rice and enjoy it without all the stress.
If you are like me, and you need a foolproof method for making fluffy rice the first time, you have come to the right place!
Cooking Rice in the Oven
If you haven’t tried baking your rice you are in for a life-changing recipe. And let me tell you why! It’s a hands free recipe with minimal prep.
And it gives you perfectly cooked rice grains that you can add veggies and extra flavor too. Plus it is super easy clean up and great for making rice for a crowd!
Ingredients Needed
Uncooked white rice – Long grain rice is best. Do not use minute rice or wild rice.
Butter – I prefer butter for this but you can use olive oil too.
Water – Boiling hot water or substitute chicken broth.
Oven safe dish – It needs a tight fitting lid. I prefer a Dutch oven but a 9×13 casserole dish works well too.
What is the best rice for the oven?
Any kind of rice can be baked but they require different amounts of liquid and cooking times.
This recipe works best for white rice. I prefer Uncle Ben’s converted rice but any long grain white rice will work for this recipe. Use your favorite!
Sushi rice, jasmine rice, and brown rice require different cooking times.
Looking for more leftover worthy dishes? Follow LTB on Pinterest and pin to a board!
How to Bake Rice in the Oven
First: Place uncooked rice and butter in an oven proof baking dish with a tight fitting lid.
Second: Bring water/broth to a boil in a separate dish. Gently pour boiling water over rice.
Third: Stir to make sure the rice is evenly coated in the water and all the clumps are broken up.
Fourth: Cover tightly with lid. (Add a layer of foil if needed). Bake until the rice is tender, light, and fluffy. Enjoy!
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
How long does it last?
You can store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Use any leftovers in this Southern Style Stewed Chicken and Rice recipe.
How long does it take to cook rice?
Baking rice in the oven takes about thirty minutes, but it all depends on how much you are making.
Most pans won’t be good for anything over two cups of rice. That makes 4-6 servings.
If not, then you will need a bigger oven safe casserole pan. Large amounts will require an hour cook time.
Serving Suggestions
While rice works as a main dish like a rice casserole, baked rice makes the prefect side dish. Pork chops, salisbury steak, or a rotisserie chicken are great with rice.
Do you cover rice when cooking in the oven?
You need a tight fitting lid so the the water doesn’t escape when baking. This steams the rice, like a rice cooker. If you don’t have a lid that fits, cover with foil.
Can you reheat baked rice in the oven?
Did you make a large batch? You can reheat leftover rice easily in the oven.
Just add about 1/4 cups of water per two cups of rice. Stir and fluff. Tightly seal the container like when you initially baked it.
Bake 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Fluff and enjoy!
I like to use it to make a new fried rice dish and use up extra or leftover vegetables.
Why is my rice crunchy?
There can be a few reasons why your rice turned out hard or undercooked.
- You didn’t add enough water. Be sure to add the full amount of water or stock.
- The heat was too high and the water evaporated before the rice could absorb it.
- The rice didn’t cook long enough. I like to check my rice 5 minutes or so before the end of the cooking time as oven temps can vary.
Tips for Perfect Rice
Preheat the oven – Start with a ready oven so cooking times are correct.
Don’t rinse – Do not rinse the long grain white rice. The variety you buy for this recipe is already prepped. I prefer Uncle Ben’s converted rice.
Boil the water – Make sure the water is boiling before adding to the rice so the cooking process starts right away.
Stir the rice – Once the boiling water is added you need to stir the rice before baking. I like to use a whisk to break up the rice grains. If they stay in a clump in the water they will be mushy.
White rice only – This recipe will not work for brown, sushi, or Basmati rice. Those varieties require different amounts of liquid and cooking times.
Fluff with a fork – Don’t use a wooden spoon as it can smash the rice. Always fluff with a fork.
Seal the baking dish – Keeping the steam in the dish is key or the water will evaporate before the rice finishes cooking. Adding a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil under the lid will help keep steam from escaping if you have a loose lid.
Add some butter – The butter prevents the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. If you don’t want to use butter, then you can use olive oil instead or a light oil. You can leave out the butter altogether if you are watching calories and fat content but the rice may stick to the bottom of the pan.
Tips for No Leftovers
- For each cup of rice you can add 4-5 ounces of frozen or canned/drained veggies. My fave is green peas or pigeon peas.
- I like to use chicken stock or beef broth instead of water for extra flavor. Spice mixes like Italian seasoning are easy to add. But a teaspoon or two of lemon zest is super easy.
- When I cooked for 120 people at church I could easily make perfect rice without it being mushy and washing all those pots.
- Make a cilantro lime rice, pesto rice, or a Mexican rice just by adjusting the seasoning! A sprinkle of onion soup mix to the broth is amazing!!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Follow these tips for making easy oven-baked rice and it will come out perfect every time you need it. And in less than 30 minutes!
Oven Baked Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain rice I prefer Uncle Ben’s
- 3 1/2 cups boiling water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Place uncooked rice and butter in an oven proof baking dish with a tight fitting lid.
- Bring water/broth to a boil in a separate dish.
- Gently pour boiling water over rice.
- Stir to make sure the rice is evenly coated in the water and all the clumps are broken up.
- Cover tightly with lid (Add a layer of foil if needed).
- Bake for 20 minutes or until light and fluffy. Enjoy!
Notes
- When you bake rice in the oven, here are some tips to get the best rice!
- Preheat the oven – start with a ready oven so cooking times are correct.
- Boil the water – Make sure the water is boiling before adding to the rice so the cooking process starts right away.
- Seal the baking dish – Keeping the steam in the dish is key or the water will evaporate before the rice finishes cooking. Adding a layer of aluminum foil under the lid will help keep steam from escaping if you have a loose lid.
Nutrition
{Originally published 06/09/20 – photos and recipe notes updated 04/27/23 to improve reader experience.}
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I love how hassle free this is – I’ll never make rice on the stovetop again – thank you!!!
I never knew you could bake rice, so I had to try, it turned out perfectly with no spillover!! Thanks!
Hi. In the recipe header it says 20 minute cook time, but in the instructions it says 30 minute cook time. Please advise which is correct. Thanks!
Janine, I am so sorry for that typo! It should say 20 minutes. I find that if I seal it tightly, 20 minutes is the perfect time for fluffy rice. But I know that everyone’s oven is different and it can also depend on the dish that you are baking the rice in. I would start with 20 and check it every 5 minutes after that until the rice is to the correct doneness. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your recipe! The gas stove in our church is broken but we still need to cook for 140 people. We have two electric ovens, thank God! How did you prepare rice for 120 people, like you mentioned? Would using two large pasta steam pans (60 servings each), and upping the ingredients proportionately, work? Thank you for your advice!
Hey! When I cooked for that large of a scale I used the disposable large size “hotel pans” (https://a.co/d/886WVLX) or the largest size you can find at the store. I used 7 cups of white rice and 12.5 cups boiling water. I added ap inch of salt and a few pats of butter. I placed the rice, butter, and salt in the pan. Poured in the boiling water and stirred to break up the rice. Then I sealed tight with foil. Then baked for 45 minutes. Sometimes, depending on how the oven was feeling that day LOL, it would take an hour. I just checked and if not done, resealed and placed back in the oven. And because the pans were disposable, no dishes to wash! Hope this helps:)