Perfect Basmati Rice in a Rice Cooker (White and Brown)
Perfect Basmati rice made in a rice cooker! Make basmati rice in the Indian and Pakistani style without the soaking, monitoring, or temperature adjustments. This recipe shares the perfect ratios for fluffy, moist, separated basmati rice kernels that’ll get compliments every time!
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“I’ve been making basmati rice in my rice cooker for years and this is the first time it’s ever come out perfect. Literally every grain.”
Julia
I’m a little hesitant to share this ‘non-recipe’, but in my defense, this is less a recipe and more a call for everyone reading this to invest in a rice cooker.
Here’s the thing – We can all make wonderful basmati rice without a rice cooker, but the idea is to do so consistently with no thought or effort on our part.
Indian and Pakistani cuisine is full of delicious rice dishes such as biryani and pulao. Considering how frequently South Asians consume rice, I think rice cookers are a necessity. And I’ll show you how to use them to make the perfect basmati rice, every time.
The 3 Mistakes that Result in ‘Okay’ Rice:
- Not adding enough water. Aged, long grain basmati rice needs more liquid than other types of basmati rice. You want it to be firm, each kernel separate, but soft enough to break easily between your fingers.
- Not adding salt. Not adding salt to rice is the equivalent of not adding salt while boiling pasta.
- Not adding fat. Adding just a tad bit of oil (any kind) or butter will enhance the rice and give it a moist finish, making it the perfect canvas for curries.
Ingredients for Basmati Rice in a Rice Cooker
Here’s what you’ll need.
- Basmati rice, preferably aged and long grain.
- Water.
- Oil. Optional, but lovely. You can use olive oil or a more neutral-tasting oil, but you can hardly tell the difference.
- Salt.
What Is the Basmati Rice To Water Ratio In A Rice Cooker?
This depends on the type of rice you have, particularly if it’s aged or newly harvested. If you use aged, long grain basmati rice made in India or Pakistan, you’ll need 2 cups of water per 1 cup of rice. If you’re using American-made or ‘newer’ basmati rice, try reducing the amount of water to 1 3/4 cups.
How to Make Basmati Rice in a Rice cooker
Do you Have to Rinse Basmati Rice when Making it in a Rice Cooker?
The dreaded answer – it depends. You don’t absolutely have to, but it is a good idea in most cases. Excess starch in rice causes cooked rice to clump together which is not what you want with basmati rice.
- If you’re using newer basmati rice found in American supermarkets (shorter grain, more white), then you can do without rinsing.
- But aged, long-grain basmati rice (longer grain, more ivory-colored) is sometimes excessively starchy. Ideally, you should rinse it. (That said, when in a hurry, I’ve made 1 cup of rice plenty of times without rinsing and no one has complained.)
- Rinsing is especially important if you’re making multiple cups of rice because the starch can really add up.
Tip for rinsing: When you rinse, make sure to drain the excess water out well so you don’t end up with mushy rice because of too much water.
The Steps:
- Add the rice, water, oil, and salt to the rice cooker and stir to combine.
- Choose Normal (Regular/Sushi) Rice setting.
- Once finished cooking, fluff with a rice spatula/paddle and remove promptly to prevent the rice from getting mushy toward the bottom of the cooker.
How To Cook Brown Basmati Rice In A Rice Cooker
If you’re using Indian or Pakistani grown brown basmati rice, increase the water ratio to 1 cup rice to 2 1/2 cups water.
If you’re using new, American-grown brown basmati rice, stick to 1 cup rice to 2 cups water.
How To Make Flavored Rice In A Rice Cooker
You can easily use this ratio and ingredients for variation:
- Add a handful of frozen peas and cumin seeds to make a quick Matar Pulao.
- Use this Chana Pulao (chickpea pilaf) or Chicken Pulao recipe to make the base in a sauté pan and transfer to the rice cooker.
- Use leftover curry or meat and enhance it with spices to make a fresh new pilaf with minimal effort.
Tips for making basmati rice in the rice cooker
- The rice at the bottom of the rice cooker naturally tends to be stickier, while the rice on the top is more dry. To prevent this, fluff with a rice paddle or spatula after cooking. If you cook a large quantity of rice and leave it in the rice cooker too long, it’ll stick together and form clumps.
- The cooking time will increase depending on the quantity of rice.
- To keep the rice from losing moisture or drying out, keep it covered after cooking.
- Use a quality brand of basmati rice. I suggest purchasing it at Indian or Pakistani grocery stores as it’s generally aged and more affordable there. I use Royal Chef’s Secret Extra Long Grain.
What brand rice cooker is best for basmati rice?
I love the Zojirushi brand. I have the Neuro-fuzzy and was recently sent the Micom NS-WTC10 (thanks, Zojirushi!). I found the Neuro-fuzzy to work a bit better than the Micom.
How to Store & Reheat Basmati Rice
- To store basmati rice, place in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- To reheat, sprinkle a bit of water on top of the rice and microwave until heated through. You can also wet a paper towel, squeeze out the water, and lay atop the rice before microwaving.
Serving Suggestions
Basmati rice goes perfectly with almost all curries such as Dals, Masala-based curries like Chana Masala or a Chicken Curry, kebabs, and just about every main dish on this website. It is also great alongside fusion dishes like Spicy Cashew Chicken and Chicken Shashlik.
Need more ideas? Check out this roundup of 30+ Easy & Authentic Dinner Recipes to get inspired!
Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please consider leaving a comment telling me how it was! If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you. Thank you!
Perfect Basmati Rice in the Rice Cooker
Watch the Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup (185 g) aged, long grain basmati rice, brown or white
- 1 3/4 – 2 cups water* (See Note 1)
- 1 tbsp oil, any kind
- 3/4-1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Optional but recommended – Gently wash the rice to remove excess starch until the water runs mostly clear. Use a colander to drain well.
- Add the rice, water, oil, and salt to the rice cooker and stir to combine.
- Choose Normal (Regular/Sushi) Rice setting. For Brown rice, select Brown Rice Setting.
- Once finished cooking, fluff with a rice spatula/paddle and remove promptly to prevent the rice from getting mushy toward the bottom of the cooker. To keep the rice from losing moisture or drying out, keep it covered after cooking.
72 Comments on “Perfect Basmati Rice in a Rice Cooker (White and Brown)”
I have a microwave rice cooker – don’t use rice often so expect the designs you mentioned would not be a good investment.
Am changing to basmati rice so would appreciate any info you can share.
Hi Anne, I’m not sure about how microwave rice cookers work but I would try starting with the same ratio as suggested for regular rice cookers. Let me know if you try!
Thank you! I made American white basmati rice in my cheap old Panasonic rice cooker and it turned out perfectly! So delicious. I am excited to try brown basmati next.
Delighted! Thank you for sharing, Kate!
The best recipe I’ve found for my basmati rice and thank you for sharing!!
Yay! Thank you, Jessica!
Excellent in my Korean Cuckoo brand rice cooker!
Wonderful. Thanks for letting me know and for sharing your review!
If you are using the Zojirushi, then are you filling past even the 4 cup jasmine line for 4 cups rice?
Hi Michael! That’s a good question. I try not to cook 4 cups of basmati rice in it. I have filled it past and it sputters from the top and really packs the rice which isn’t ideal.
Hey! I bought long grain indian rice and the instruction calls for soaking the rice for 45min, Is it necessary also for the rice cooker?
thanks!
Hi Aleksandra. No, you don’t have to soak. The instructions on the package assume stovetop cooking. One of the many benefits of the rice cooker!
Awesome! Seems really fortuitous that you use a Neuro-Fuzzy, I just bought one the other day. Good to know I can add more than just water and rice to it. The quick start recommends 1 1/4 water per cup for long grain, but I’ll have to try with a bit more water next time and compare.
You will love it! I think that ratio would work for some types of long-grain rice such as Jasmine. Yes, basmati (especially aged) needs more water for best results.
thank you for sharing your tried-and-true rice cooker method đŸ™‚ I LOVE rice but only use my rice cooker đŸ˜› its often hard to find the right proportions when I try different kinds of rice types đŸ™‚
It’s the best way to make rice for sure! Thank you, Carolina!
Thanks for sharing this! Do you have any advise on the rice cooker brand we should choose?
I recommend Zojirushi! I have been using the Neuro-fuzzy for many years and love it but I’m sure others are just as good!
Greetings to you! Hope you and your family are well and happy.
I was told I can find real brown Basmati rice at Trader Joe’s.
I have found that if you soak real Basmati brown rice overnight, it cooks the same time as the real white Basmati rice.
I do not eat white rice nor white potatoes because it is just too starchy for me.
I use red potatoes, sweet potatoes, the darker the better.. I always cut them and rinse the starch out and then dry when needed.
Have you tried using the rice cooker on the instant pot? I need to check that out. cause I have not.
Thank you and take care…
Hi Laura! Thanks for your well wishes! I’ll have to look for that rice at TJ’s. What a great tip on the brown basmati. I have tried using the rice setting but so far haven’t worked on perfecting it just for rice. The rice cooker just makes it hard to try anything else đŸ™‚