How to Make Brown Rice — Cooking Brown Rice

Having perfect Brown Rice Recipes is important for many of your favorite dishes, including fried rice, burritos and more. If you’re trying to switch from white rice, you’ll love these tips on how to make brown rice taste good. Brown rice is best because it has more fiber and nutrients. Learn how to cook brown rice in a way that you’ll be willing to make time and time again.

Have you read about the nutritional benefits but wondered how to make brown rice? I think people can get overly dramatic about “how hard” it is to make it.

The thing is, if you have a batch of this whole grain ready, you can do so much with it. Here are some favorite recipes that use brown rice: Crispy Orange Tofu, Vegan Chorizo with Lentils and Brown Rice, and Red Beans and Rice Burgers.

You can also add some Marinated Tofu over rice topped with some sliced green onions. It’s delicious! It never hurts to have a little soy sauce or sriracha on hand as well.

Why Brown is Better

OK. A lot of people, if given the choice, would select the white grain over brown. There are members of my own family that I still have to nudge a little before they’ll eat the brown grain.

Here are some of the things that makes the whole grain healthier:

• it includes the outer layer of the rice, the place where all the superfood nutrients are contained!
• it’s loaded with manganese. According to the World’s Healthiest Foods, brown rice ranks third in manganese. Manganese is a trace mineral that’s important for things like bone production, skin integrity, blood sugar levels, and more.
• it has fiber! Fiber is the new black. It is! Because if you’ve heard anything about the microbiome, you’d know that fiber is an important contributor to having a healthy gut.

You can usually find either long-grain or short-grain rice at most grocery stores in the United States. I have a thing for short-grain myself, but it’s sometimes a little more pricey and not always available.

How to Make Brown Rice: Step-by-Step

So, now down to the steps for making brown rice.

Cooking whole grain rice is pretty easy. It takes a little bit of time, but most of that time it is in the pot and you don’t have to stir it or stand over it, so that’s what makes it so easy.

One cup of dry brown rice will produce about 4 cups of cooked. That sounds like a lot, but by the time you throw some in your chili or serve with broccoli and tofu, it’s gone just like that! And *that* is usually about a week for us.

What You’ll Need

Here are the ingredients and materials you’ll need:

• Brown whole grain rice — you can buy this at most any grocery store
• Water
• Bowl (to rinse the rice in)
• A colander (to drain the rinsed rice)
• Medium-size pot with tight-fitting lid

Pour one cup of the whole grain into a bowl and cover with water. Use your hand to mix the the grains in the water.

See that milky water? That’s the starch rinsing off the of the exterior of the rice. It’s good to get rid of this now to help you have the best cooked grains when you’re done.

The number one question people ask is what is the brown rice to water ratio. The best brown rice water ratio is 2 cups of water per every 1 cup of brown rice. So, let’s get to it.

Now that the rice is soaked and you’re ready to start the brown rice cooking, place the rinsed grain into a medium-sized, lidded pan. Add 2 cups of water and turn up the heat to medium-high, and bring it to a boil. Once this boils, reduce the heat to low, put a lid on it, and set your timer for 40 minutes.

So, if you’re wondering how long to cook brown rice, by the time you add the amount of time it takes for soaking the rice, and for the water to come to a boil, etc, it’s roughly one hour.

Brown Rice Nutrition

I’m all for using whole grains whenever possible. A lot of people think refined grains taste better, but taste buds are malleable and you can train yourself to like brown rice over time. One cup of brown vs. white rice provides you with nearly 3 more grams of fiber, which has a lot of health benefits, like keeping you fuller longer.

There are so many health benefits to brown rice!

Best Brown Rice Recipes

You can use this whole grain as a substitution in every recipe that calls for white rice. You’ll just need to take into account the longer cooking time. Here are some favorite easy brown rice recipes!

Red Beans and rice is a hearty, flavorful recipe that originates in the South, but enjoyed all over the word.

Red Beans and Rice

This savory stew is a classic and you'll love this vegan version of Red Beans and Rice. Serve it up with vegan cornbread for the ultimate delicious experience!

Red Beans and Rice Recipe

These Vegan Burritos are delicious when using cooked brown rice as part of the recipe.

Crispy Black Bean Burrito with Potatoes and Rice

This easy Crispy Black Bean Burrito recipe is made with brown rice, potatoes, corn, and salsa. Served in a crispy burrito shell and topped with guacamole!  It’s good, clean, fun-eating food that you’ll want to serve on repeat!

Crispy Black Bean Burrito with Potatoes and Rice Recipe

You know the delicious Vegan Chicken and Rice Casserole that’s so delicious with a creamy sauce? It’s just as tasty when using brown rice!

Vegan Cheesy Chicken and Brown Rice

This Vegan Chicken and Rice Casserole is magical, because it’s so full of comfort food goodness that it disappears like that!

Vegan Cheesy Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe

This Vegan Chorizo recipe is so spicy and delicious and perfect when served with brown rice.

Vegan Chorizo with Lentils and Brown Rice

Try this one-pot Vegan Chorizo with Lentils and Brown Rice for a hearty, healthy, delicious weeknight dinner.

Vegan Chorizo with Lentils and Brown Rice Recipe

This Sesame Tofu is amazing and delicious when served over noodles, brown, or white rice!

Vegan Sesame Tofu

You’ll love this delicious Vegan Sesame Tofu served over rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles. It has a sticky sauce, but is a nice low-carb option for vegans!

Vegan Sesame Tofu Recipe

That’s it for this simple brown rice recipe!

I hope you love this recipe as we do! Have you tried it? Be sure and leave a comment and a rating of this recipe below and then take a quick photo and share it with me using #namelymarly on Instagram. I love seeing your creations!

Brown Rice Recipe

Follow these simple steps on How to Make Brown Rice and you’ll be enjoying this nutritional powerhouse in your favorite recipes soon!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Brown Rice Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 85kcal

Author: Namely Marly

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups water

Instructions

• Place 1 cup of brown rice in a bowl. Cover with water and let sit for a minute. Use a spoon (or your finger) to stir the rice up a bit to release the starch. You’ll see the water turn a milky color. Use a colander to drain the water.
• Add two cups of water to a medium-sized saucepan. Add the rinsed rice. Place over medium-high heat. Bring to boil.
• Reduce heat to simmer and place a lid on the pot. Set your timer for 45 minutes.
• After the time is up, remove the lid and stir once to make sure there is no more liquid at the bottom of the pan. If so, let it cook another 5 minutes. If not, remove from heat and allow the cooked rice to rest for 15 minutes. After the resting period, fluff with a fork and either serve immediately, or store in airtight container in your fridge.

Nutrition Facts

Brown Rice Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 85

% Daily Value*

Sodium 4mg0%

Potassium 63mg2%

Carbohydrates 18g6%

Protein 1g2%

Calcium 10mg1%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Enjoy!

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