Cooking a pot of rice is a simple and essential skill, but cooking brown rice is sometimes a little trickier. Because the grain’s bran is intact, it takes longer to cook and it can be challenging to strike the optimal texture - chewy but not soggy, tender but not crunchy. But master this recipe and follow these tips, and you’ll be on your way to perfectly cooked, tender grains. Here’s how to cook brown rice on the stove, and in a rice cooker, and some of our favourite recipes for this nutritious and versatile grain, from breakfast to dinner to dessert.
Brown Rice vs. White Rice
Brown rice contains the whole part of the grain, including the fibrous bran, germ and endosperm. Because the bran is intact, brown rice takes longer to cook (almost twice as long as white rice) and tends to have a chewy consistency. The germ also contains nutrients, such as fibre, magnesium and other vitamins and minerals. White rice has had the bran and germ removed. As a result, white rice tends to cook faster, has a softer texture and contains fewer nutrients than brown rice.
Brown Rice to Water Ratio
To cook brown rice on the stove, a good rule of thumb is to follow a 2 to 1 ratio of water to rice. So, for 1 cup of rice, you would use 2 cups of liquid. When in doubt, check the package directions for the optimal ratio for short-, medium-, and long-grain.
How to Cook Brown Rice on the Stove
Cooking rice is easy, but there are a few key steps to achieving perfectly cooked brown rice with a not-too-chewy, not-too-soggy texture.
1: Rinse the Rice
Rinse 1 cup brown rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water for 30 seconds. Drain.
2: Measure the Water
Combine the rice, a big pinch of kosher salt and 2 cups water in a wide, medium saucepan.
3: Simmer the Rice
Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.
4: Remove the Rice from Heat
Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
How to Cook Brown Rice in Rice Cooker
Many rice cooker models come with a pre-programmed setting for brown rice, though it can be advantageous to cook it on the normal setting to have more control over the temperature and time. When in doubt, consult the user manual for optimal cooking times and water-to-rice ratio for your particular make and model, as well as the type of rice you’re cooking.
How to Make Brown Rice Taste Good
- Cook in broth: swap out the water for chicken or vegetable broth, though be sure to adjust the seasoning to compensate for the broth’s sodium content. No broth? Add a stock cube.
- Toast the grains: sauté the rice in olive oil (or coconut oil, sesame oil or butter) before cooking to toast the grains; this will give them a toasty, nutty flavour.
- Add aromatics: while you’re toasting grains, add aromatics such as chopped onions, garlic, shallots, ginger or spices before cooking.
- Add extra seasoning: cooking brown rice with salt is essential for flavourful grains, but you can also infuse more flavour by adding olive oil and butter, swapping in garlic salt, or adding spices such as cayenne, ground ginger or cumin.
- Finish with fresh herbs and citrus: once the grains have cooked, experiment with folding in combinations of herbs and citrus, such as coriander and lime, parsley and lemon or chives and orange, depending on the desired flavour profile.
- Stir in add-ins: turn brown rice into a fast side dish by adding shredded cheese, grated Parmesan, salsa, canned beans or chopped, cooked veggies.
- Experiment with condiments: amp up grains with different types of vinegars (say rice wine or balsamic), soy sauce, chili or hot sauce.
