Perfect Stovetop Jasmine Rice

Learn how to cook jasmine rice on the stovetop perfectly every time. Use only 1 1/4 cups of water per 1 cup of rice to get fluffy and light jasmine rice time and time again.

As with all rice, cooking jasmine rice on the stovetop comes down to a perfect rice-to-water ratio and using the steaming method. It’s important to know that jasmine rice is softer and needs less water—thus, the ratio of 1 cup of jasmine rice to 1 1/4 cup water is the one to remember.

Once ready, this rice is the perfect base for all your favorite stir fries (like this shrimp stir fry or this pepper steak stir fry) and stews (like this beef rendang recipe).

How to cook jasmine rice on the stovetop

Rinse the rice: Either rinse the rice in a colander under running water or fill a bowl with water and add the rice. Then swish it with your hand, drain the water, and repeat 3-4 times until the water is mostly clear. Make sure to drain the rice well to remove any excess water.

Why rinse rice? Rice contains arsenic and heavy metals, though Thai jasmine rice, in particular, has lower amounts. Rinsing the rice reduces their amounts and removes excess surface starch from the grain, making the cooked rice fluffy.

Cook the rice: Next, add the water, salt, and oil to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and add the rice. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid (ideally, use a see-through lid).

Simmer for 12 minutes over low heat, then remove from the heat, keeping it covered, and allow it to steam for 10 minutes. If you find a little excess water in the pan at the end, quickly replace the lid and allow it to steam for a couple of extra minutes. Optionally, you can place a kitchen towel between the lid and pot to soak up the steam and stop it from condensing and falling back onto the rice.

While sometimes plain rice is what a meal needs, it’s nice to have some quick and simple methods for adding flavor when needed.

• Saute in oil: Saute the jasmine rice in olive or coconut oil for a few minutes before adding it to the water. This deepens the flavor and can add extra flavor without much effort.
• Add garlic: Saute some fresh garlic in the pot before adding the rice and liquid
• Add more salt: Be liberal when salting the water while cooking the rice.
• Use bouillon cubes: Add a stock cube to the water when cooking the rice, or use homemade vegetable stock instead of water.
• Add butter: Add a knob of butter to the rice after cooking for creamy, buttery results. 

More simple rice recipes

The Fluffiest Cilantro Lime RiceFilipino Garlic Fried Rice (Sinangag)How to Cook the Perfect Coconut Rice

If you try this jasmine rice recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!