Oven-baked rice is the easiest way to get fluffy, tender results without the fuss. If stovetop rice has let you down, this method will show you how to cook rice in the oven—no rice cooker needed, and no watching the pot.
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- 😊 Why You’ll Love This Oven-Baked Rice
- 🧂 Ingredients You’ll Need
- 👨🍳Quick Overview: How to Cook Rice in the Oven
- 😊 Cooking Time and Tips for Success
- 🍚 What About Brown or Other Rice Varieties?
- 🤔 Troubleshooting Oven-Baked Rice
- ↕️ Adjusting the Recipe Size and Pan Sizes
- 🍽️ What to Serve with Baked Rice
- ❄️ Storage and Reheating
- ❓FAQs
- 📖The Recipe Card
Featured Comment by Jo:
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"I am thrilled that this recipe works so well. The moistness and fluffiness of the rice was perfect after 25 minutes. I don't believe I've ever made perfect rice before."
😊 Why You’ll Love This Oven-Baked Rice
- No more burnt pans or mushy messes – This ends the stovetop struggle.
- Hands-off cooking – Mix, cover, bake. No stirring, no guesswork.
- Fluffy and tender – Just the right texture, every time.
- Perfect for the rice-impaired – Scorched, soggy, or scared? You’ve got this.
- Scales up or down – Great for two or a crowd—same easy method.
🧂 Ingredients You’ll Need
Just four ingredients and no special tools.
- Long-grain white rice – Long-grain white rice works best, just basic pantry rice. Avoid instant or short-grain.
- Boiling water – Start with hot water to get even cooking in the oven.
- Butter – For flavor and just a little richness. You can skip it or swap in olive oil.
- Kosher salt – Seasoned but not salty. Regular table salt works too—just use a bit less.
✅ Pro Tip: No rinsing required for most white rice. But if yours is extra starchy or dusty, a quick rinse in a strainer won't hurt.
👨🍳Quick Overview: How to Cook Rice in the Oven
1. Prepare rice to bake
Preheat the oven to 375°F (or 350°F convection). Boil water, then stir in butter, salt, and rice.
2. Bake
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. If needed, bake 2–4 minutes longer.
✅ Pro Tip: If you're unsure, gently lift some rice with a fork before calling it done. If there's liquid left or it feels undercooked, give it a few more minutes.
3. Fluff and serve
Fluff with a fork right away to release steam—this keeps it from turning mushy.
👇For complete step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card or keep reading for tips, flavor options, and serving ideas.
😊 Cooking Time and Tips for Success
- Cook time: About 25 minutes at 375°F (or 350°F convection) for white long-grain rice.
- Doneness check: The water should be fully absorbed, and the rice should be tender, not crunchy or mushy.
- Pan size matters: A 2-quart casserole, 6x9-inch dish, or 8–9-inch round pan works well.
- Preheat fully: A hot oven gives even results from the start.
🍚 What About Brown or Other Rice Varieties?
- Brown rice: Needs more time and liquid. Use 1 cup rice to 2 cups boiling water, 1 tablespoon butter, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bake for about 1 hour, until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Basmati or jasmine: Will work just like standard long-grain white rice—same water ratio and timing.
- Don’t use: Short grain, converted/parboiled, or instant/minute rice. They need different methods.
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🤔 Troubleshooting Oven-Baked Rice
- Crunchy rice? Could be low water, a leaky foil seal, high oven temp, or it just needed a few more minutes.
- Mushy rice? Usually too much water, poor measuring, or forgetting to fluff at the end.
↕️ Adjusting the Recipe Size and Pan Sizes
This recipe uses 1 cup of uncooked rice, which makes about 3 cups cooked—enough for 6 servings. It uses a 2-quart casserole dish, a 6X9-inch baking dish, or an 8 to 9-inch round baking pan.
- Need more or less? Use the servings counter in the recipe card to adjust the ingredient amounts.
- Follow the ingredient list—the step-by-step instructions won’t change with the counter.
- Pick the right pan: For small batches, a loaf pan works. For large batches, a Dutch oven is ideal—skip the foil if the lid fits tightly, but you may use full-size cake or casserole dishes.
- Cook time stays about the same, but thicker layers may need a few extra minutes.
🍽️ What to Serve with Baked Rice
This oven-baked rice makes a great base for saucy dishes like General Tso Chicken, Honey-Glazed Grilled Chicken, and Cashew Chicken.
Perfect for soaking up flavor—and no need for a rice cooker.
❄️ Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in small portions up to 2 months, but expect some texture change.
- Reheat: Add a splash of water and microwave with a damp paper towel, or warm gently on the stove.
✅ Pro Tip: Break up cold rice clumps before reheating for best results.
❓FAQs
Most white rice calls for 1 cup rice to 2 cups water, but that’s for stovetop cooking. In the oven, steam is sealed in, so we cut the water to 1¾ cups to avoid mushy or sticky rice. Stick with the recipe—not the bag.
Use tight foil. That’s all you need to trap the steam. A glass lid won’t seal well enough, so foil is still necessary. The only exception is a Dutch oven with a heavy, well-fitting lid—that can skip the foil.
Butter adds flavor and helps keep the rice from sticking. If you leave it out, add a bit of oil when fluffing to help prevent clumping.
Yes. Chicken or beef broth adds more flavor, and you can add herbs or spices to dress it up.
📖The Recipe Card
How to Cook Rice in the Oven (Easy and Fluffy Every Time)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 1 ¾ cup water - Boiling
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the rice to bake
- Preheat oven to 375°F conventional or 350°F convection.
- In an oven-safe pan, add butter and kosher salt to the boiling water. Stir well, then mix in the rice. Use a 2-quart casserole, a 6×9-inch dish, or an 8–9 inch round baking pan.
Bake
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.✅ **Pro Tip:** If you're unsure, lift some rice with a fork. If there's liquid left or the grains still feel firm, bake for 2–4 more minutes.
Fluff and serve
- Fluff with a fork immediately to release steam and stop the cooking. Then serve.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Use **boiling water** for even cooking
- Rinsing is optional. If your rice looks powdery, rinse it under running water in a strainer until the water runs clear.
- Seal the container tightly with foil to trap the steam.
- Use the amount of water stated in the recipe, not the amount indicated on the bag.
- Check if the rice is done at the end of the recommended cooking time. Add a few more minutes if needed.
- Fluff right after baking to prevent overcooking.
- For brown rice, use 2 cups of water and bake for about 1 hour.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for 3–4 days. You *can* freeze rice, but the texture may change
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Originally Published February 23, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Susan Snyder says
I scorch rice very darn time I make it on my gas stove-top, so I looked up this recipe for making it in my oven. I used long grain rice and followed the recipe exactly. Perfection! I'll never make rice any other way!! Thank you!
Danielle says
This is a great recipe that always works! I put olive oil in place of the butter so that it won't be dairy and it comes out awesome. Thanks guys posting!
Sam says
I tried this recipe tonight. I doubled it & followed the directions the same just doubling the amounts used the same cook time. My kids really liked it said if we added cilantro it tastes just like chipotles. Very easy recipe went well with tacos. Thanks for sharing.