4 Ways to Make The Perfect Jasmine Rice

Learn how to cook the perfect jasmine rice with four simple methods and helpful tips that will get you the most fragrant fluffy rice every single time using a stovetop, rice cooker, instant pot, and even microwave! 

Once you finish your perfect white rice, use it in recipes like Thai pandan jasmine rice, Thai shrimp fried rice, basil fried rice, yellow curry rice, green curry fried rice, vegetarian fried rice, pineapple fried rice, and Tom Yum fried rice.

Jump to:

• My History With Cooking Jasmine Rice
• What you'll need to make the Perfect Jasmine Rice
• How to Cook Jasmine Rice on the Stovetop
• How to Make Jasmine Rice in a Rice Cooker
• Jasmine Rice Cooking Instructions For Instant Pot
• Cooking Jasmine Rice in the Microwave
• Tips For Cooking Jasmine Rice
• How to Serve 
• Variations
• Storing Leftovers
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Thai Dishes You'll Love
• Jasmine Rice Cooking Instructions
• Thai Rice Recipes

Rice is the number one most basic yet important ingredient throughout Asia and beyond. 

Read more about the different types of rice used in Thai cooking in this helpful blog post.

My History With Cooking Jasmine Rice

Cooking jasmine rice was the first cooking chore assigned to me when I was ten, and I grew up in Thailand until I was 13. Every morning, I made rice in a thin stainless steel pot (with a rice paddle used to hold the lid in place) and an earthen stove using charcoal fire. 

I cooked rice this way for many years and have learned to love the floral aroma of freshly cooked rice. After electricity was introduced to my village, a cheap rice cooker was one of the first things we saved up.

Our lives changed forever.

I was eternally grateful for rice cookers and have never since cooked with another stainless steel pot again. 

Today, I will show four ways to make the perfect fluffy jasmine rice using different kitchen tools. The stainless steel pot will not be included, as I'm saving my iconic pot for display only. (:

It's practically vintage, and I don't want to change the bottom of it to a black color like the ones I used in Thailand. This one will stay in tip-top shape for displaying only. (:

What you'll need to make the Perfect Jasmine Rice

You only need two ingredients to make the perfect rice: rice and water! If you want to add your own spin, I have a few tips and ingredients you can use to jazz up your rice.

Read on! 

• Uncooked jasmine rice. Use uncooked rice from the store. Jasmine rice is different from white rice. Read about the differences in this blog post here. 
• Water. Water ratio to rice is important, and it is best to pay close attention to each method as each one requires more or less water as needed for cooking temperature.

Read more about the different types of Thai rice here.

Helpful Kitchen Tools for This Recipe

Invest in a quality rice cooker or Instant Pot for foolproof jasmine rice every time. A fine-mesh strainer for rinsing rice is extremely helpful if you are new to making rice. 

Jasmine Rice Water Ratio

The water-to-price ratio is extremely important for making perfect jasmine rice. The old method of using the top line of your finger to measure the water is inaccurate unless you have small fingers like a toddler. 

Don't use the finger measurement method!

Everyone's fingers are different lengths, so this method usually has too much water, creating gooey rice. If you use this method, your rice will always be too soft and mushy.  Not ideal.

Please see the recipe card below for the water-to-rice ratio for different kitchen tools used to cook rice. 

To Rinse or Not Rinse Rice Before Cooking

There are two different opinions on this topic. 

I belong to a camp that believes in always rinsing rice before cooking! It's a habit ingrained since childhood, and I see it as a hygienic practice to clean the rice and remove excess starch and impurities. 

Rice goes through various processes before reaching our kitchens, so it's best to rinse it thoroughly, which only takes a minute or two.

Additionally, rinsing the rice helps prevent a sticky texture and makes it easier to use leftover rice to make fried rice.

How to Cook Jasmine Rice on the Stovetop

When cooking on the stovetop, the type of pot you use matters. If using stainless steel, lightly oil the edges to prevent rice from sticking. Non-stick pots work best for rice and don't require oil.

Good options for oil are avocado, vegetable, canola, or coconut oil. 

Additionally, stovetop recipes usually require slightly more water. The ratio to follow is 1 cup of rice to 1 ½ water.

Step 1. Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until it runs clear. Use a fine-mesh strainer for an easy rinse. This helps eliminate excess surface starch, preventing a sticky or mushy consistency.

Step 2. Combine the rinsed jasmine rice with water in a pot. The stove top rice to water ratio is 1 cup of rice to 1 ½ cups of water.

Cover with a lid and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Keep a slight lid opening to allow the steam to release some pressure.

Step 3. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer for 15-18 minutes.

Step 4. After cooking, let the rice sit for a few minutes, then fluff it with a wooden spoon or spatula. Your stovetop jasmine rice is now ready to eat!

How to Make Jasmine Rice in a Rice Cooker

I absolutely love this fool-proof method for cooking rice. It's so easy and fast, and cleanup is a breeze. 

Specifically for jasmine rice in a rice cooker, the ratio is 1 cup of rice to 1 ¼ cups of water.

Step 1. Rinse the jasmine rice and place it in the rice cooker. Add water using the recommended jasmine rice water ratio.

Step 2. Simply press the cook button and let the rice cooker work its magic. It will automatically switch to warm once done.

Step 3. Allow the rice to rest for a few minutes after it finishes cooking. This step is crucial for perfect texture and flavor.

Step 4. Fluff the rice with a wooden spoon, and your rice cooker will effortlessly produce flawless jasmine rice. 

Jasmine Rice Cooking Instructions For Instant Pot

Using the instant pot to cook rice is my close 2nd favorite cooking method next to the rice cooker. It's simple and easy: press a button and forget about it for a bit. 

For the instant pot, the ratio is 1 cup of rice to 1 ¼ cups of water.

Step 1. Rinse your jasmine rice using the inner pot of the instant pot. Place the rinsed rice in the Instant Pot. Add water according to the jasmine rice water ratio.

Step 2. Select the high-pressure setting and set the timer for 5 minutes. The Instant Pot will do the rest. Easy peasy!

Step 3. Once the time is up, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for about 10 minutes.  Then, use a long wooden spoon to help release the rest of the steam.

The full cycle of the natural release oftentimes makes the rice mushy. 

Step 4. After releasing pressure, fluff the rice with a wooden spoon so as not to scratch the bottom of the pot. Your Instant Pot jasmine rice is now ready to serve!

Cooking Jasmine Rice in the Microwave

Although it's not my preferred way to cook rice, in situations where kitchen tools are unavailable (like when moving and household supplies haven't arrived yet).

I've learned to adapt to this method from my former military life of moving several times! 

The ratio of rice is the same as in the stovetop recipe above—1 cup rice to 1 ½ cups water for the microwave method.

Step 1. Rinse jasmine rice and place it in a microwave-safe container. Add water and microwave on high for 10-12 minutes.

Step 2. Allow the rice to sit undisturbed for a few minutes. This ensures any remaining moisture is absorbed.  If the rice is still in el dente, microwave it for two more minutes. 

Step 3. Fluff the rice, and there you have it – a quick and easy microwave jasmine rice method. 

Tips For Cooking Jasmine Rice

• Be careful when fluffing the hot rice, especially in the rice cooker and the instant pot. Allow the steam to evaporate before fluffing to prevent steam burn. 
• Whether stovetop, rice cooker, or Instant Pot, the key to perfection is allowing the rice to rest after cooking before fluffing.
• Always rinse your jasmine rice to remove excess starch for an ideal, non-sticky result.
• If this is your first time rinsing rice, using a fine-mesh strainer is best for easy rinsing and helps prevent losing rice grains. 

How to Serve 

Rice is served in almost every single meal in Thai and many Asian cuisines. Serve jasmine rice as a side dish and the main meal to complement dishes like Thai curries, stir-fries, soups, or salads. 

How to get the Perfect Jasmine Rice for Fried Rice

The secret to any great fried rice is the day-old, dry rice. Rice from the day before has moisture, allowing the rice grains to remain intact and not stick together when frying on high heat.

The amount of water will be less than the regular cooking method. Use less water when cooking rice for fried rice.  

Cooking rice for fried rice in a rice cooker uses a ratio of 1 cup of jasmine rice to 1 ⅛ cup of water. 

For my personal cooking, I like to make at least 2 cups of rice at a time for my recipe. So I use 2 cups of rice to 2 ¼ cups of water ratio. 

Variations

• Experiment with jasmine rice variations by adding aromatic herbs, vegetables, or even coconut milk for a unique twist. 

• Use light stock or broth like vegetable broth for added flavors. 

• Experiment with Brown jasmine rice if you so choose. Know that brown jasmine rice takes more water and cooking time since it's more dense than white jasmine rice. 
• If Jasmine rice is unavailable, brown or basmati rice can be a worthy substitute in most recipes. Read about the different types of rice in Thai cooking here.

Storing Leftovers

• Store leftover jasmine rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

• You can freeze-cooked jasmine rice! Store cooked rice in a ziplock bag or air-tight container of your choice. Before serving, allow to thaw or microwave for 1-2 minutes.

• Also, splash 1-2 tablespoons of water on frozen rice before microwaving it to give it a little moisture. 

Frequently Asked Questions

More Thai Dishes You'll Love

• How to make Thai sticky rice in a bamboo steamer

• How to make purple sticky rice

• How to make Thai sticky rice in an instant pot

• How to make Thai sticky rice without a bamboo steamer

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Looking for other recipes like this? Try these tasty Thai fried rice recipes.