How to freeze and reheat rice so that it is still light, fluffy, moist, and as delicious as when it was first cooked. This is an amazing option for when you want to make some rice ahead of time. Check out these important tips so that your rice reheats perfectly.
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Best Way To Freeze And Reheat Cooked Rice
There are many reasons why you might want to freeze some cooked rice and reheat it later. Maybe you made too much at dinner or you're wanting to save yourself some time by making it in advance.
This cooking hack comes in handy in so many different situations. Either way, it is super easy to freeze cooked rice and reheat it in a way so that it is still fluffy and delicious!
❄️ How To Freeze Cooked Rice
- Make your favorite rice dish like normal. Prepare your favorite type of rice using whatever method or recipe you like! Go ahead and leave off any fresh garnishes that you would normally add right before serving, such as green onions or shredded coconut.
- Fluff up your cooked rice. Once it has finished cooking, use a fork to fluff it all up. Don't skip this step as it is the secret to keeping a perfect texture after it has been frozen!
- Spread the rice and let it cool. Grab a baking sheet and spread out the rice in an even layer, continuing to fluff it as you go. Next, allow it to cool completely. You can leave it on the counter or pop it into the fridge for this.
- Portion and freeze the rice. Once cooled, portion the rice into individual servings and place each serving into freezer-safe storage bags and squeeze out any excess air. Gently pat the rice flat and move it into the freezer.
🔥 How To Reheat Rice In The Oven
- Preheat the oven. To get started, preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Add some water. Place your still-frozen rice onto a baking sheet (do not thaw it). Lightly sprinkle it with some water, using no more than ½ of a tablespoon per 1 cup of rice.
- Bake. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake the rice in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes.
- Fluff. Afterward, use a fork to fluff it up again. This is also when you can add any fresh ingredients that your dish might need.
- Serve. Serve immediately.
♨️ How To Reheat Rice In The Microwave
It is best to stick to the oven method if you are reheating larger quantities of rice (like for a group). However, if you are only needing to reheat enough rice for 1-2 servings then you can use the microwave.
To reheat small servings in the microwave, simply sprinkle the rice with some water and heat it in small increments of 20-30 seconds until it is warmed all the way through.
💡 Tips & Tricks
- Use a fork to fluff your rice, not a spoon. A spoon will cause it to get smashed.
- Make sure your rice is completely cooled. If you freeze it before it is done cooling, you could wind up with one giant, frozen chunk.
- Make sure you reheat your rice while it is still frozen, don't let it thaw out first or it can make the texture chewy.
- It is best to freeze rice when it is freshly cooked in order to retain moisture.
❓ Can I Freeze Cooked Rice?
Yep! You can freeze any type of rice you like, white or brown! This is actually the perfect solution if you make too much rice for dinner (in addition to using the leftovers for some yummy fried rice)!
❓ When Should I Freeze Rice?
It is important that rice is frozen as soon as possible after it was cooked (and cooled). The bacteria that can cause food poisoning thrives at room temperature, so it is best to pop your rice into the freezer as soon as it has cooled completely.
❓ How Do I Store Frozen Rice?
For the best storage convenience, try to freeze your rice flat. Once frozen, the cooked rice can be kept for up to 1 month. After you reheat it, it is best to not freeze it again.
Now that you know how to freeze and reheat rice, what rice recipe are you going to make first? Leave a comment down below and let me know!
🍚 Tasty Rice Recipes To Make
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📖 Recipe Card
How To Freeze and Reheat Rice: Instant Pot Basmati Rice (+Tips and Tricks)
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice (rinsed)
- 1 ½ cups water (or broth)
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil (or butter, optional)
- 1 pinch salt (optional)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Place your basmati rice in a fine sieve mesh and rinse with cold water, using your fingers to stir the rice. Rinse until the water runs clear, and there is no white or milky appearance the water.
- Transfer the rinsed basmati to the inner pot of your instant pot or pressure cooker and add water ( or broth ), cooking oil or butter, and a pinch of salt ( optional ). Make sure that all the grains of rice are at the bottom, and none are stuck on the sides of the inner pot. *You can saute the rice for 2 - 3 minutes prior to adding water, if desired.
- Seal and lock the lid in place, and set the 'manual' high pressure cook time to 5 minutes.
- Allow the natural release to run for 10 minutes, then finish by quick-releasing the remaining pressure and removing the lid.
- Use a fork to fluff the rice, and serve.
Notes
- The basmati rice does not need to be soaked before cooking in the instant pot. However, depending on your personal preferences, you may find that method to yield the best results. Rinse the rice in cold water to rinse off starch and prevent the grains from sticking to each other. Do drain off any excess water completely!
- This IP basmati rice recipe quantity can be reduced or increased, using a 1:1.5 rice to water ratio. You can use 1 cup rice and 1 ½ cup water, 2 cups rice and 3 cups water, 3 cups rice and 4 ½ cups water, etc with the same cooking time successfully.
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or butter ( or your choice of cooking oil ) can be added when cooking your rice.
- You can enhance the flavor of your basmati by sautéing the rice with oil for about 2 minutes, prior to adding the water and pressure cooking the rice. Cook your rice for 4 minutes on ‘high setting’ rather than 5 minutes as directed above, if using this sauté option.
- Use a broth or stock to match your protein for adding more flavor to the basmati rice. Simply swap the same amount of chicken, beef, seafood, or vegetable broth or stock for the ratio of water needed for your desired portion size of cooked rice.
- If you use water and not broth, you can add a pinch of salt to enhance the nutty flavor of your basmati.
- Basmati is a long grain rice, and cooks differently than standard white rice. Do not use the ‘rice’ setting ( low pressure ) on your instant pot or electric pressure cooker.
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