Cooking Brown Rice In An Oven Is Unbelievably Easy
When I originally encountered the idea of baking brown rice in an oven rather than cooking it on a stovetop, I was eager to give it a try! It turned out perfectly, and not just the first time either — this oven brown rice method produced perfectly cooked brown rice time after time, which is why I’ve taken to calling it “foolproof!”
Before I learned about the oven method, I didn’t make brown rice very often — but not because I didn’t like eating it! It just takes longer to cook brown rice compared to white rice, and I didn’t love having to keep an eye on a pot for an hour to make sure it didn’t boil over or run dry!
Luckily, there are no such issues when you bake brown rice in an oven. The rice comes out fluffy and tender, and you get consistent results every time. This method makes it easy to enjoy the benefits of incorporating more brown rice into your diet (and I’ll tell you about some of those benefits later in this post!)
Related: Add This One Ingredient To Make The Best Rice Ever
How To Make Foolproof Oven-Baked Brown Rice
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated
Ingredients:
- 3 cups brown rice, rinsed (see link below)
- 4 2/3 cups water
- 4 tsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
Related: Should You Rinse Rice? The Answer Is Surprisingly Important
Directions:
Spread rice out in an even layer in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish, then top the rice with 4 pats (teaspoons) of butter.
Bring the water to boil in a saucepan, your microwave, or in a kettle, then stir in the salt.
Pour the salted water over the rice in the baking dish, then cover the dish tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil
Bake at 375°F for 1 hour, or until the rice is tender. After an hour, remove the baking dish from your oven, remove the foil, and fluff the rice with a fork. Re-cover the baking dish with the foil and let it stand at room temperature for 10 more minutes before serving.
BONUS: 5 Benefits Of Brown Rice
- Brown rice contains more nutrients than white rice because only its outermost layer, or hull, is removed during processing. White rice, on the other hand, is stripped of several of its outer layers in to reveal the white color beneath.
- Brown rice contains more than 80% of the recommended daily value of manganese, a coenzyme that aids in metabolizing carbs and protein, and that helps keeps your immune and reproductive systems in good working order.
- The fiber in brown rice helps you feel full, thereby decreasing your chances of overeating.
- The fiber and selenium found in brown rice may also have a protective effect against certain types of cancer, which is never a bad thing!
- Whole grains like brown rice can help lower bad cholesterol.
There you have it: five good reasons to incorporate more brown rice into your diet. And there’s simply no easier way to cook brown rice than by baking it!
Do you prefer brown rice or white rice?
More Ideas You'll Love
Foolproof Oven-Baked Brown Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups brown rice
- 4 2/3 cups water
- 4 teaspoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Spread rice in a 9×13" baking dish and top the rice with 4 pats (teaspoons) of butter.
- Bring water to boil, remove from heat, stir in salt and pour over rice.
- Cover baking dish tightly with a double layer of foil. Bake for 1 hour at 375°F, or until tender.
- Remove baking dish from oven and uncover. Fluff rice with fork, then re-cover and let stand for 10 more minutes before serving.
Great recipe idea. Never tried it using brown rice but have used it for white rice. I will try it now. I love to use Trader Joes Organic fast cooking brown rice. It’s soft like white rice but cooks in the same amount of time as white! My family will eat that but not the firmer regular brown rice. Check it out!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I was once told by a homeapathic Dr. the proper method of cooking brown rice to keep the nutrients in the rice alive is to boil the water and rice on your stovetop for 2 minutes, turn off the stove, leave it overnight and wallah, you have prepared rice in the morning. All you have to do is add it to your recipes. She said it doesn’t destroy the B vitamins in the rice.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.DO NOT ADD BUTTER OR SALT UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO USE THE RICE!!
I have used this method of cooking rice for 8 years now and I love it. I suppose you could put it on in the morning using the same method and by the time you got home from work, your rice would be ready to eat with whatever dish you choose to use it in.
I hope you will find this helpful and enjoy using this method. It is absolutely the easiest thing in the world to do.
So glad I read the comments! I am always a little worried about cooking out the best things about my foods. Thanks for the new take on rice cooking.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I cook brown rice on the stove top using the instructions in The Enchanted Broccoli Forest cookbook. Doesn’t take significant longer than white rice — 30 minutes start to finish!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sage; wow I have to admit it.. Never …crossed my mind to add rice to muffins, or add it to a salad, (dont like pancakes so would never waste the rice : ) ) Said all that to say thanks for stirring my creative juices, yours and Jillees stirring has and will be invigoratingly challenging
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have been a lover of brown rice for ages, then I tried basmati. I cook rice in a rice cooker, then freeze a couple of extra containers of it. When I need it, the microwave is great, just add a tablespoon of water and heat thru. No worries about yeast from leftovers this way.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wondering if basmati is more nutritious than brown rice? Also wondering where the new gold rice fits in.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is a wonderful recipe and I had forgotten this method, I use to work with a wonderful chef and he would put very finely cut green and red pepper, onion and carrott (really really finely cut). mix this in with the dry rice and bake according to this recipe. Adds color and a dash of colour to your rice dish. Thank you for bring this to my attention again.
Your kitchen friend
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Cindy
Here is the crockpot method I have been using for 30 years:
1) spray inside of crock with cooking spray
2) add 4 cups brown rice
3) add 10 cups water
4) add 1 tablespoon butter
5) add 4 teaspoons sea salt
Stir to combine, and turn on high for three hours. This makes a huge pot of rice which is eaten with cheese, stirred into pancake batter, mixed into muffin batter, added cold to salads, and cooked again in the crock to make delicious brown rice pudding! I could go on an on.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hmmm-thanks for the recipe. I don’t own a rice cooker or a crock pot (don’t have the space for both of them) and am trying to decide which one to get. So far the crockpot is ahead.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Go for it CTY – I use mine for everything from porridge to making applesauce. Right now Swedish meatballs are simmering away, and the smell is heavenly. I started it early this morning, so I have the rest of the day to myself. Low energy consumption too. I confess I’m a crock pot addict, but I became so while home schooling my kids decades ago. It helped keep me sane and my family very well fed! And as the temperature outside is a whopping 16 degrees right now – a hot meal from the crock will get everyone singing my praises.
Hi Sage,
Any chance of getting your rice pudding recipe? :)
My pleasure, Melody – it’s just the basic recipe for rice pudding.
1) spray inside of crock with cooking spray
2) add 2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
3) 1 1/2 cups scalded whole milk (low-fat is OK but not as substantial)
4) 1/3 cups brown sugar, and 1/3 c. white sugar
5) 3 Tbsp. butter
6) 2 tsp. vanilla extract
7) 3 eggs, beaten
8) 1/2 – 1 cup raisins or currents (I like to use a 1/2 cup of each)
Mix all ingredients together in crock. High for 2-3 hours, Low for 4-6 hours. I ALWAYS double this, and serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream. Makes a very solid breakfast.
p.s. 1-2 to 1 tsp. of nutmeg is optional- either added in while cooking, or sprinkled on top after
Sage, any idea why the milk needs to be scalded?
Beth, the scalding of milk (before skin forms on the surface) enhances the flavorings (vanilla and nutmeg or cinnamon if used), melts the butter in, and also concentrates the milk (making it richer) as water evaporates during the scalding process. I’ve used condensed milk, but frankly, the flavor is more intense with old fashioned scalding. I’ve also been using Vanilla Bean Crush from the Baker’s Catalog for recipes like this and my home made ice cream. Amazing doesn’t begin to describe it.
If you use condensed milk, it’s a good idea to soften the butter before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients.
I found the rice cooker to be a waste of space. I make tons of things in my crock pot, never really trusted the rice cooker for anything but rice.
Beth. I confess, I own four crockpots – and a large counter top roaster! I recently discovered an all new use for the “Little Dipper” that came with my 7 quart cooker as a bonus. I use a lot of honey in baking and on toast, but often the bottom inch or so crystalizes to the point it is unusable – especially during our frigid winters. “Little Dipper” to the rescue! I re-purposed a large glass jar that fits snugly into the “Dipper.” Now when I bring honey home – it goes into this glass jar, which can be put into the “Dipper” and gently warmed without even the slightest effort. No more wasted honey! I also put a paper towel around the bottom of the jar for further insulation. I get every drop of honey now. This method works 100 times better for me than trying to warm the honey in a bowl of hot water.
Now, if I’m going to make my Oatmeal Power Bars, I just put the honey jar into the “Dipper,” plug it in, and go fold laundry or something. No watching. When I’m ready, the honey is flowing easily and I’m good to go.
6 eggs – beaten
1 1/2 cups honey
1 cup regular olive oil
4 tsp. vanilla
8 cups quick oats (not instant!)
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Mix everything together until well blended. Spread (very thick – you will need to press it in) into 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 20-20 minutes until edges are browned.
Just be sure to get a slow cooker with more settings than just “high” and “low.” I have found with several types of recipes that the low setting on my slow cooker is still too hot for some things, and definitely too hot for keeping queso warm. I’m sure brands vary, but having more options will give you much more flexibility. My other cooker has settings of 1-5, and can be set anywhere in between those numbers as well.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I am the world’s **worst ever** rice cooker! No joke! It never turns out no matter what type or method I use. I was going to try Jillee’s oven-baked method (I keep trying even though it never turns out; I’m determined to get this right!) but this crockpot one seems even more “fool-proof.” I need only half the recipe at most though. How will the cook time be affected? If this doesn’t work for me, there really is no hope! This girl needs a rice cooker more than anyone haha!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I converted a great ginger-sesame (white) rice recipe from Southern Living to brown rice, just cooks a bit longer . . . will adapt again to work with your method. If you are interested, just add 1 tsp sesame seeds and 1/2 tsp ground ginger (per cup of rice) to the water/broth. Very refreshing, nutty taste. And I always use low sodium chicken broth instead of water when cooking rice.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yummy! i’ll have to compare prices between the minute rice and the regular rice! thanks for sharing!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Compare the flavor and cost too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Regular will be tops!
Great idea! I’d probably bake my chicken or other dishes at the same time…. in the name of efficiency, practicality and conserving resources.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I like to saute the rice in the butter before putting in the oven. Gives it a nice nutty flavor. Throw in a little chopped onion at the same time. Use chicken broth, a little thyme. Nice. Or some ginger in place of the thyme & it’s great for asian dishes.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I often do it this way before cooking in the microwave.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just rice and butter in the dish – 30 – 60seconds to melt the butter and stir.
Heat another 2 min (time depends on amount of rice) to toast ; then add water or broth and cook.
The only rice I eat is brown and I only ever cook it in the oven. I use 3/4 cup brown rice, 1/4 cup wild rice, one minced clove of garlic and 2 cups of chicken broth. It’s so much easier in the oven than stovetop!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Gotta say… Still nothing easier than making it in a rice cooker! Measure rice, wash rice, add right amount off water, press 1 button–set it and forget it, rice is DONE in prob 30-ish mins for 4 cups of rice (though the Asian plastic “rice measuring cup” is a bit smaller than the regular cup measurement). ;)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I agree. my rice cooker is one of my most used small appliances. If you add hot water to the machine, cooking is even quicker. I can make any kind of grain in it, and it’s so easy. It also has a steamer piece, so I can steam vegetables. I can’t imagine using the oven to cook rice, natural gas is expensive!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I got a rice cooker for Christmas and I love it! I haven’t tried brown rice in it yet but I can’t wait! For my husband and I, and even a couple of guests, our small rice cooker is perfect.
But for larger amounts, I would definitely try this method!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.And by “this” I mean the one Jillee suggested. lol.
I agree – I love my rice cooker. The rice comes out perfectly every time. I use it to cook other grains and even one-pot meals (there are tons of wonderful rice cooker cookbooks). I use it most frequently for my oatmeal, though. It cooks my steel-cut oatmeal to the perfect chewy-smooth texture, just how I like it. I admit it was an expensive up-front outlay, though by now, it has long since paid for itself. I have a Zojirushi. If you live near an asian neighborhood, you can usually get one for less at a market there. Japanese rice makers tend to be the best.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oops, one last thing. I usually put my oatmeal in the night before so it’s ready when I wake up in the morning. An added benefit to this lazy way of cooking is that I’m soaking my grains too. It also has a button on it that cooks brown rice in a way that supposedly increases levels of a certain enzyme. I don’t remember what it is though, but I thought I’d through that out there :) Gee, I should work for Zojirushi.
heather, I’d like to make oatmeal in my rice cooker, too. Could you please tell me how which setting you use on your Zojirushi rice cooker to cook steel cut oats and what your oats to water ratio is. Thank you.
You may have just saved a lot of rice from the garbage in our house! Since switching to brown rice, I’ve thrown a lot away because it is either under or over cooked.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Rice also freezes well, so bag it up in ziplocks, freeze flat, and it’s ready for your next casserole.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When I make brown rice I cook a large batch then freeze in portions appropriate for one family meal. Thaw in the microwave. The flavor and texture are not altered at all by freezing and it does not take any longer to cook a large batch than a small one.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That’s what I do Kathy. I have always made brown rice or beans in large pots, then freeze. I found some plastic Ball jars with screw top lids in the canning section that were made for the freezer.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.i cook a huge bag of rice on sunday, when i do my mean planning for the week. and freeze it aswell.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.i cook the rice slightly “al dente” and after its thaw, i pop it in the steamer for a few minutes. or ill throw it in a pot with just a bit of water or broth and heat it on the stove.
Going to try this immediately. Thanks Jillie! I love brown rice, but also have the time factor problem. I’ve resorted to trying the “instant” kind, but dislike the texture/taste.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I don’t bother with boiling the water or butter – 2.5 c water and 1.5 c rice and a little salt – 70 minutes and done perfectly every time!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I got these directions several years ago at a cooking class, but have found recently that you don’t even have to boil the water and it still works just fine (which makes it even easier!). I just use hot tap water. Also, I don’t use the double layer of foil, just a single layer crimped down around the edges, then the lid of my casserole dish on top of that. I have found the lid alone doesn’t give a tight enough seal. It’s also good to throw some chicken and/or vegetable bouillon in there too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Good comments.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hot water from the faucet can contain lead which is not good for you.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You are right about using hot water from the faucet – you should always use cold water and bring it to a boil.
Hello! I love brown rice but hate cooking it, so I will definitely be trying this but……teaspoons of butter? Or tablespoons? Most pats are a tablespoon. Just clarifying. Thank you!!
Cheers,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Daisy
I would think that the amount of butter comes down to personal preference since butter is not needed to cook rice.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Save the foil and just use a covered casserole dish :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Where can you get one? I did buy a loaf pan with glass lid by Martha Stewart, but have yet to see a 13×9 or even an 8×8. All I see are plastic covers.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I was going to try my 7qt Dutch oven. I bet a large skillet w/ tight lid would also work (just make sure the handle can take 375 degrees).
How about a Corningware?
Forgot about the Corningware French White series, I was thinking glass 13×9
I make brown rice in my Dutch ovens all the time and it works great. What’s more, you can turn off the oven about halfway through and it will finish cooking with the retained heat. I think using a covered Dutch oven is much easier than messing with foil.
That’s the ticket!
This is very similar to a recipe I use by Alton Brown. His recipe involves bringing all the ingredients to a boil on the stovetop in a heavy pan such as a Le Creuset then covering and finishing off in the oven. It also makes a fabulous brown rice that is fluffy and not overly sticky and starchy.
Sometimes, to change up the flavor I substitute some of the water with chicken broth and throw in some seasonings. Delicious. Really, the possibilities are endless and brown rice tastes so much better than plain old white rice.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Good ideas. Thanks.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I read yesterday in a publication from the USA Rice Federation that eating rice also boosts the body’s production of serotonin, boosting mood. BONUS :)
Thanks for this, Jillee!! (My personal opinion…….brown rice is prettier than white rice – hehehe)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am sorry, but I am going to burst everyones bubble with this.
Last year it was discovered that rice, particularly brown rice has dangerous levels of arsenic. It is very important to cook it like pasta, draining off the cooking water.
Here is an article explaining it. Or you can just google it. This is not a hoax. Children especially are at riskCook and drain your rice sort of like pasta.
“We say to use about 6 parts water to 1 part rice,” says Michael Hansen, a senior staff scientist at Consumer Reports. “And then drain off the water after it’s done.” The FDA says that studies show rinsing and cooking in excess water can reduce total arsenic levels by 50 to 60 percent. “However, it should be noted that for enriched rice, rinsing will also likely reduce the amount of added nutrients,” the agency said.
Choose aromatic rices. For those who are already fans of Indian basmati or Thai jasmine rices, the news is not so bad. According to the hundreds of recently released test results, aromatic rice varieties show the lowest levels of inorganic arsenic. Imported basmati and jasmine rices showed about half to one-eighth the level of arsenic as regular rices grown in the Southern U.S.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-10-03/features/ct-food-1003-rice-arsenic-cooking-tips-20121003_1_inorganic-arsenic-rice-consumption-brown-rice
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thankyou Barbara it is always good to know the science on what we are eating.