The Best Way to Cook Rice in the Microwave

By: PARISA JAMADI

Cooking rice in the microwave is fast, easy, and only requires one dish. Plus, the even heat from a microwave can sometimes make better rice than the stovetop! It’s simple—just add 1 cup of white rice and 1.5 cups of water to a microwavable dish, cook on High for 10 minutes uncovered, then cover the dish and cook it for another 4 minutes on High. In this article, we’ll walk you through the process step-by-step (including variations for brown rice), plus offer some delicious flavoring ideas.
Things You Should Know
• Mix 1 cup (185 g) of white rice and 1.5 cups (355 mL) of water in a microwave-safe dish.
• Microwave on High, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Cover the dish and microwave on High for another 4 minutes.
• Fluff and serve right away. If the rice is not done, cover and microwave on High in 1-minute intervals until tender.
Ingredients
• ۱ cup (approx. 185 g) of long-grain white rice
• ۱.۵ cups (355 mL) of water
• Pinch of salt (optional, for flavor)
• ۱ tsp (5 mL) of oil or butter (optional, for flavor)
• Chicken or vegetable broth (optional substitution for water)
• Your choice of spices (optional)
Rinse 1 cup (185 g) of white rice.
Pour your raw rice into a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with cool running water. Stir the rice gently with your hand until the water runs mostly clear (the starch in the rice means the water won’t be perfectly clear, but that’s normal). After rinsing the rice, shake the strainer gently to remove any excess water.[1]
– Or, to save dishes, rinse your rice in the dish you’ll microwave it in. Just add water, swish it around with your hand, and pour the water out to rinse. Repeat 2-3 times.
Add the rice and 1.5 cups of water to a microwavable dish.
Pour your rinsed rice into a microwave-safe dish or bowl and add 1.5 cups (355 mL) of water, as well as a pinch of salt (optional) and/or 1 tsp (5 mL) of oil or butter (optional) for extra flavor (no stirring necessary). Rice expands as it cooks, so choose a larger dish that can hold at least 8 cups (1.9 L) to hold your rice and prevent bubbly overflow.[2]
– Tip: For more flavor, use chicken or vegetable broth instead of plain water.
– For brown rice: Add 3 cups (710 mL) of water or broth for 1 cup of uncooked brown rice.[4]
Microwave uncovered on High for 8-10 minutes.
Set your microwave to the highest heat setting it has and microwave your dish uncovered until most of the water is absorbed and some steam holes appear in the rice (about 8-10 minutes, depending on your microwave’s wattage).[5] Place a plate underneath your dish to catch any bubbly overflow that may creep over the edge of your dish.[6]
Cover and microwave on High for 4 minutes.
Remove your dish from the microwave with oven mitts or a towel (it will be hot!). Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap, a lid, or a plate, then microwave it again for about 4 more minutes on High.[7]
Let the rice rest for 5-6 minutes, fluff, and serve.

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Rice-in-a-Microwave