Perfect Basmati Rice
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This recipe makes tender and fluffy basmati rice every time.
Basmati is a fragrant, nutty-tasting long grain rice grown in the Himalayas and Pakistan. “Bas” in Hindi language means “aroma” and “mati” means “full of,” hence the word Basmati — or “full of aroma.” The key to making perfect basmati rice is to start with a high-quality brand of rice, preferably one imported from India or Pakistan. The one I use (Jyoti Basmati Supreme) is labeled “very long grain” and expands significantly in length once cooked. It’s also important to rinse the rice under running water for a minute or two before cooking. This releases excess starch and prevents the grains from sticking together once cooked; basmati rice should be tender and fluffy, and the grains should be separate from one another.
Basmati rice goes well with any number of dishes, such as chicken curry, mulligatawny, butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, and tandoori chicken, to name just a few.
What You’ll Need To Make Basmati Rice
Step-by-Step Instructions
Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer. Place under cold running water, swishing the rice with your hand, for 1 to 2 minutes to release excess starch. (Alternatively, place the rice in a medium bowl and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Using your hands, gently swish the grains to release any excess starch. Carefully pour off the water, leaving the rice in the bowl. Repeat four times, or until the water runs almost clear. Use a fine mesh strainer to drain the rice.)
In a medium pot, combine the rice, water, butter, and salt.
Bring to a boil.
Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and turn the heat down to a simmer.
Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. If the rice is still too firm, add a few more tablespoons of water and continue cooking for a few minutes more.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff the rice with a fork.
How To Freeze Basmati Rice
Basmati rice can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. (Putting it in a flat layer in sealable plastic bags works well as it will take up less space in the freezer.) It’s not necessary to thaw before reheating; remove it from the freezer and reheat in the microwave with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.
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Perfect Basmati Rice
This recipe makes tender and fluffy basmati rice every time.
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice (preferably imported from India or Pakistan)
- 1¾ cups water
- 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer. Place under cold running water, swishing the rice with your hand, for 1 to 2 minutes to release excess starch. (Alternatively, place the rice in a medium bowl and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Using your hands, gently swish the grains to release any excess starch. Carefully pour off the water, leaving the rice in the bowl. Repeat four times, or until the water runs almost clear. Use a fine mesh strainer to drain the rice.)
- In a medium pot, bring the rice, water, butter, and salt to a boil. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. If the rice is still too firm, add a few more tablespoons of water and continue cooking for a few minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: This rice can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. (Putting it in a flat layer in sealable plastic bags works well as it will take up less space in the freezer.) No need to thaw before reheating; remove it from the freezer and reheat in the microwave with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 207
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Cholesterol: 11 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Worst way to make it ever! I’m rice comes out mushy and gross, do not use! I made this several times following the recipe exactly, don’t know why it has such high ratings.
This method was amazing!!
Delicious!!!
Thank you!
I have tried for years to cook the ultimate basmati rice, unfortunately it is always a hit or miss! Followed your instructions and WOW, I have just made and tasted the best basmati rice that I have ever cooked!!!
Will definitely be doing it this way from now on 🙌
I can’t cook rice. No method ever worked for me. I even failed with a rice cooker.
This method was amazing!!
Delicious!!!
Thank you!
I got a large bag of this rice and needed a recipe. It worked absolutely fabulously. Easy and clear instructions – thanks
Turned out as usual – lumpy and inedible.
Back to the 2 minute micro wave pouches.
AMAZING! Struggled with rice for years, first time trying this and turned out actually perfectly. So light and fluffy! Absolutely chuffed I have finally mastered rice! Will be eating it everyday for the next two weeks.
First time cooking basmati rice and was perfect!
Tried this recipe today and it’s perfect. Thank you!
My first time cooking basmati rice, turned out perfect. Thanks
Great rice first time. Easy to follow instructions. Thank you!
I didn’t rinse the rice and used almost 3 cups of water and two of rice and followed the directions. Came out perfectly. My family loved it. First time cooking Basmati rice. Thank You!!
It turned out perfect. Thank you!
This recipe worked great and my daughter kept saying that the rice was the best part of the meal
I tried with brown basmati rice and added the gravy of the chicken legs we baked. Very good result! Thanks for the recipe
Excellent white basmati rice using all measurements given in recipe and a vented rice cooker. The butter and salt brought out the nutty flavor of the basmati!
Success! Used brown basmati, rinsed the same several times (more like 8-10 tomes) but otherwise followed recipe as is. It was delicious. Thank you!!!
Sorry forgot my rating.
My husband does NOT like rice, at all!!! I used your recipe for basmati, and he really enjoyed it!! So much, we are having it again tonight!! Thank you the recipe is delicious!!!👍👍👍😀😀😀😀
Turned out great, I used coconut oil instead of the butter and it’s the first time I have rinsed out the rice 4 times but it was definitely worth the rinses, it worked perfectly, thanks
Way too much liquid. Completely overcooked and generally awful. I’ve lived in Asia for over a decade and just came back to the states, thinking the lack of humidity would change the radio of water to rice, but this just didn’t work.
I have made this recipe numerous times and like the title says, it turns out perfectly every time!
Excellent recipe. Turned out perfect.
Awful mushy mess. I followed the recipe to a T and ended up throwing out and starting over. Total waste!!!
This recipe is the opposite of perfect basmati rice. I followed the recipe exactly and what I got instead was a mushy mess. I ended up throwing everything away and wasting my time. The amount of water called for is simply not correct. After much searching the only basmati recipe that truly makes perfect basmati rice is the one from food52.com . Don’t bother with this one.
Two kinds of rice are in market one from indian side and from pakistani. indian basmati rice needs less water and pakistani needs more water. you have to take into account this as well. I think there is a gap in above recipe which is after boiling you need to heat rice for five minutes with lid on and very low heat. Thereafter with lid still on rice should be left for another ten minutes. This will dry the cooked rice. Then there will be no mushy mess.
Hi,
I have tried the recipe and it didn’t work for me. I followed the measurements with regards to both rice and water and the butter and salt was a general measurement.
The bottom of the pot had a significant portion of rice ‘stuck’.
I placed all ingredients in as mentioned when it got to a boil and then I lowered the heat to a simmer (4 on my electric oven with a maximum heat of 9). I made sure to also remove as much starch as possible before…
Would you have any suggestions?
Hi Marcin, It sounds like the rice got overcooked. I’m not familiar with electric ovens, but next time I would reduce the heat a little bit and/or check it for doneness on the earlier end of the 15 to 20 minutes. Hope you have better luck next time around!
I’ve never been a lover of rice but this was so delicious I could eat it on its own. Thank you so much! Margaret
Does this rice hold up well in a crock pot on warm for a buffet?
Hi Barb, I don’t have a crockpot so am not 100 percent sure, but I think it should work.
Perfect Basmati rice recipe !
By the way my men (sons and son -in-law ) love all your soups !
Before your book came out I ordered one for myself one for my daughter and 2 for my daughters -in -law ,they love it .
How about a French onion soup for the Fall !!!
Jeannine from Canada .
Glad you enjoyed the rice and thanks so much for purchasing the cookbook! And you’re in luck — I actually do have a French onion soup recipe. You can find it here. 🙂
Sorry, it may be me or the electric cooker but this turned out a mush and not even a good tasting mush.
Confused by the universal good reviews. Didn’t work for me
I followed the recipe, it was easy and turned out great.
Almost half the time that I cook basmati rice it comes out sticky, even when I rinse it. I will follow this recipe and see what happens.
Amazing! Thanks for the advice!
Followed the recipe to the “T” and the result was perfection.
thank you,
This was perfect! I had previously made it with too little water and ended up with drier rice. The butter and salt are essential. I love your blog!
This is my go to Basmati rice recipe now, sooooo good. I’m Pakistani and my mom always used a rice cooker, ours recently broke and this recipe has made it easy for me to transition from a rice cooker to stove top rice. Thank you Jen!
Rice far too tender, would use 1.5 parts water to 1 part rice next time.
yes! this is what i was told from the arabs and pakistanis and afghanis..for basmati rice, it’s 1.5 cups water to 1 cup of rice.
Hi, I’m going to try your recipe but I would like to use coconut water, what do you think??
I think that sounds like a great idea! I’d love to hear what you think of the results. 🙂
Hello Jen,
If tripling the recipe (for 10 people), would the rice to water ratio be the same (3 cups rice to 5 1/4 cups water)?
Thank you!
Hi Debbie, yes, the ratios should stay the same. Just keep a close eye on it as the timing should be the same, but may vary just a bit from the original cooking time. Hope everyone enjoys!
This worked perfectly. I was able to add a cinnamon stick and some cloves at the end for flavor.
Ah-mazing!
Both my husband and I totally loved our basmati rice cooked this way !! Totally perfect , my husband couldn’t stop raving about it. Thanks
I added less butter and this recipe still made perfectly cooked basmati
I live in Switzerland, I rinsed my basmati rice for an hour and the water didn’t run clear. Now I’m soaking for a half hour before I cook. Hopefully, everything will be good
How did the rice turn out, Torri?
Hello , what brand is the rice?
Hi Yasemine, I actually don’t have one brand that I’m loyal to. Any brand will work here. 🙂
What changes to make brown basmati rice?
Hi Marilyn, I’ve never used brown basmati rice, so I can’t say for sure if any changes would be necessary. I suspect the water to rice ratio would be the same, and the cooking time, similar, but keep an eye on it. (If after the 15 – 20 minutes of simmering, the rice is still too firm, add a few more tablespoons of water and continue cooking for a few minutes more.) Hope that helps!
It came out brilliantly!! Thank you for the recipe.
How much is 1 cup of rice/water?
Hi Elizabeth, I’m not sure I understand your question. Are you looking for the metric conversion for the amount of rice and water you need? If so, you’d need 180 grams of rice and 240 ml of water.
This rice came out delicious. Thanks for the detailed directions.
This was truly perfect. It cooked faster than expected on the lowest setting of my gas range, but I checked it early when I started to smell it. Thanks.
woohoo thanks for your website. I’m not super confident in the kitchen & something like making rice can even stress me out a bit. Your step by step pics, guidance always is so helpful & this recipe turned out great. My kids & hubby loved it with the chicken curry & roasted curry carrots all on your site. Thank you again for being my life saver in the kitchen 🙂
Quickly, I believe there are different rice cookers for medium grain/calrose/sushi rice and basmati/long grain rice. It is my understanding that you can NOT use the same rice cooker for both, unless your rice cooker has a setting for both. Thanks!
Can I make this rice ahead of time? If so, how do you recommend warming it up for serving so it’s still fluffy and tender?
Hi Candy, yes you can make this ahead and reheat in the microwave. Just fluff it with a fork before serving.
Thanks for answering this question! It really helped me with my Indian food project for school!
The amount of water to use is missing from the ingredient list. I know it varies between 1 1/4-2 cups, depending on how firm or soft you would like it.
Fixed! Thank you 🙂
I would like to know how much water and rice I use to make 8 cups of rice?
Hi Joanne, I’d suggest 3 – 3 1/2 cups of uncooked rice and between 4 1/2 – 5 1/4 cups of water. Consult the back of your package as brands vary a bit.
But according to your recipe, you say 1:2…..confusing…..for basmati, ratio is 1: 1.5 or 1:1.75 maximum (rice:water). So 1 cup rice and 1.5 cups water. 1 cups rice :2 cups water will make mush.
Burnt and destroyed all basmati before this (;
Hi Jenn, very nice and simple instructions, you can also try adding few drops of lemon juice. Adding lemon juice helps rice to keep separated from each other. Also, cooked rice stays white after it is cooked and cooled.
Dear Jenn,
What is the water ration to 1 cup of basmati? Is not specify in the recipe. The reason to ask is because on the back of the bag it says 4 cups of water for 1 cup of rice, is this too much water?
Thank you
Hi Sara, The recipe does specify (at the beginning of the 2nd paragraph) that you should use 2 cups of water. 4 cups of water does sound like an awful lot for 1 cup of rice.
If you soak the rice for half an hour before rinsing it will be spectacular.
How would you use a rice cooker for perfect basmati rice?
Mendy, Here’s a link to a good step-by-step:
http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Rice-in-a-Rice-Cooker
1st Mrs. Jenn let me say that you must be a mind reader because two weeks ago I made basmati rice and it was in a word terrible. My question is can you make basmati rice in a rice steamer or is this type of rice better to make on the stove? Thanks in advance for you help 🙂
Hi Stefan, You can make it on the stovetop or in a rice cooker — it doesn’t make much difference. However, the cooking instructions would be different…for this recipe, go with the stovetop 🙂
Thanks Mrs.Jenn for replying so quickly , I’ll try making the basmati rice again. I’m sure my wife and daughter will want to thank you as well because the last time it was like eating small grains of rocks. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes that you post, I’m a much better cook because of you !!!