Oven-baked rice is tender and fluffy without watching a pot on the stove or using a rice cooker. Just mix, seal, and bake—perfect baked rice in under 30 minutes.
⏱️ Quick Answer: How Long to Cook Rice in the Oven
Bake rice tightly sealed at 375°F (or 350°F convection).
• Long-grain white rice: 25 minutes
• Brown rice: About 1 hour
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 😊 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
- 🧂 Ingredients You’ll Need
- 👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Cook Rice in the Oven
- 🍚 Oven-Baked Rice Ratio & Cooking Time
- 😊 Tips for Perfect Oven-Baked Rice
- 🍚 Brown Rice and Other Rice Varieties
- 🤔 Troubleshooting Oven-Baked Rice
- ↕️ Scaling and Pan Sizes
- ❄️ Storage and Reheating
- ❓ FAQs
- 📖The Recipe Card
Featured Comment by Jo:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"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."
😊 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
What: Tender, fluffy oven-baked rice using long-grain white rice.
Why: Easy, hands-off, and consistently perfect.
How: Combine rice with boiling water, butter, and salt. Cover tightly, bake, and fluff immediately.
🧂 Ingredients You’ll Need
- Long-grain white rice – Basic pantry rice works best. Brown rice and other varieties are discussed below.
- Butter – Adds flavor and helps prevent sticking. Skip it or use olive oil.
- Salt – Kosher, table, or other salt.
- Boiling water – Helps the rice cook evenly.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Cook Rice in the Oven
1. Combine: Add rice, butter, salt, and boiling water to the baking dish.
2. Cover tightly: Seal with foil to trap the steam.
3. Bake and fluff: Bake until tender, then fluff immediately.
✅ Pro Tip: If liquid remains or the rice is still firm, reseal and bake a few more minutes.
👇For complete instructions with amounts, scroll down to the printable recipe card.
🍚 Oven-Baked Rice Ratio & Cooking Time
Ratio: Use 1 cup long-grain white rice to 1¾ cups boiling water for about 3 cups cooked rice.
How Long to Bake Rice
- Long-grain white rice: 25 minutes at 375°F (350°F convection)
- Brown rice: About 1 hour
A tight foil seal is essential for even cooking and tender rice.
😊 Tips for Perfect Oven-Baked Rice
- Use the right pan: A 2-quart casserole, 6×9-inch dish, or 8–9-inch round pan works well.
- Preheat the oven: Start with a fully heated oven for even cooking.
- Seal tightly: Press foil firmly around the edges to trap steam. A tight-fitting lid also works.
- Fluff immediately: Release the steam and keep the grains separate.
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🍚 Brown Rice and Other Rice Varieties
- Brown rice: Use 1 cup rice to 2 cups boiling water and bake for about 1 hour, until tender.
- Basmati or jasmine rice: Use the same ratio and cooking time as long-grain white rice.
- Not recommended: Short-grain, converted/parboiled, or instant rice require different methods.
🤔 Troubleshooting Oven-Baked Rice
- Crunchy rice: Usually from too little water, a loose seal, or too little cooking time. Add a little hot water, cover tightly, and bake a few more minutes.
- Mushy rice: Usually caused by too much water. Fluff immediately to release steam.
↕️ Scaling and Pan Sizes
- Half recipe: Use ½ cup rice and ⅞ cup boiling water in a loaf pan or small baking dish.
- Standard batch: Use 1 cup rice and 1¾ cups boiling water in a 2-quart casserole, 6×9-inch dish, or 8–9-inch round pan.
- Double recipe: Use 2 cups rice and 3½ cups boiling water in a Dutch oven or large casserole.
- Cooking time: Usually stays the same. A thicker layer may need a few extra minutes.
❄️ Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in small portions for up to 2 months. Expect a slight texture change.
- Reheat: Break up cold rice clumps, add a splash of water, and reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave with a damp paper towel.
❓ FAQs
Usually not. Long-grain white rice bakes well without rinsing. If it looks dusty or extra starchy, a quick rinse won't hurt.
Package directions assume stovetop cooking, where steam escapes. In the oven, steam is trapped, so less water is needed.
Yes. Butter adds flavor and helps prevent sticking. Skip it or substitute olive oil.
Yes. Chicken or beef broth adds flavor without changing the cooking method.
📖The Recipe Card
How to Cook Rice in the Oven (Perfect Every Time)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 1¾ 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 immediately with a fork to release steam and stop the cooking. Serve.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
-
- Use boiling water and fully preheated oven for even cooking.
- Rinsing is optional. Rinse rice that looks powdery or extra starchy.
- Seal the pan tightly with foil to trap the steam.
- Use the recipe amount of water, not the package directions.
- For brown rice, use 2 cups of water and bake for about 1 hour.
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 and refreshed photos.
Michaela says
Gotta tell you drdan, this recipe bares the hallmark of all masterpiece recipes - easy adaptation - i just did Jamaican rice and peas (red/pigeon beans/peas and rice) but I always ‘commit the sin’ of brown rice on top of using this alternative cooking method. Flawless….. :) . I’m ill with some damn virus or other and couldn’t bother with stove top and meat wouldn’t go down . I’m a doc too … integrative (natural and regular) retiring
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.