How To Freeze Rice
Knowing How to Freeze Rice can help you shorten your meal prep times, and avoid paying high prices of instant rice! See this easy kitchen “hack”!
How to Freeze Rice
Rice is a staple around the world, not only for traditional Asian dishes but in all types of cuisine! If you have someone in the family on a gluten free diet, chances are you cook with rice often.
We love rice with chicken, beef and pork chops, and typically have brown rice if we are going to make it. The only downside of cooking rice for my husband and myself is that it takes a long time. I frequently buy those instant rice mixes, but those are loaded with preservatives and sodium! I also noticed the instant rice mixes were the first thing to sell out when our grocery stores had supply chain issues. So for me, instant rice isn't ideal.
From start to finish, brown rice takes about 40-45 minutes to cook. And I just don't have time for that every time I think about having it for a side dish! haha! BUT, I have found a solution! I cook my rice in bulk and then freeze it! Now, I have rice when I need it and I don't have to wait for almost an hour to get it! It's surprisingly easy, and it's perfect when you just have 1-2 people eating and you can't stand wasting food.
Here's how you do it:
First, cook your rice like you normally would (white rice takes about 20 mins and brown rice takes about 40 mins on the stovetop). I don't have a dedicated rice pot so I prefer to cook my rice in the Instant Pot on Rice setting. All together– even with pressurizing time– the rice is done in about 20 minutes. When cooking it on the stove, just be sure you have a good quality saucepan with a lid. If the lid has a steam vent, cover it up with a spoon or something. Just to keep all the steam inside where it needs to be!
Next, let your rice cool completely. This is important. It has to be completely cool before you can freeze it.
Portion your rice into separate freezer bags then throw in the freezer! You might even check out these Foodsaver machines which are awesome to use when freezing.
How to Reheat and Enjoy Frozen Cooked Rice:
Reheating is easy! Simply take it out of the freezer and run water over the bag to loosen it up a bit.
Put the rice into a microwave-safe container with a small amount of water in the dish. About 1/4 cup.
Cover and microwave 2-3 minutes. Stir and continue heating 1 minute at a time until rice is heated throughout and soft.
That's it! So quick and easy. Print Instructions Below to Add this one to your recipe collection.
How To Freeze Rice
Make your own "instant" rice with this easy hack!
Ingredients
- 8 Cups of Cooked Rice, Any Variety
Instructions
First, prepare your rice according to package directions. For (4) quart Ziploc bags of frozen rice, you will need to prepare about 8 cups of cooked rice.
Rice varieties vary, so add water according to package directions.
One easy way to figure out how much water is needed is to add water over the top of the rice and put your index finger into the water to where your fingertip meets the level of the rice. The water should reach the first bend of your finger. This will be approximately a 1:1 ratio of water to rice. You may need to add additional water to get to this level!
Using fully cook rice, remove lid and fluff. Allow to cool at room temp for about 1-2 hours. Do not refrigerate or freeze hot rice!
After rice is at room temp, divide into 4 quart sized freezer bags. Flatten, seal, and label with date and "cooked rice" so there is no guessing whether it's uncooked or cooked.
Freeze until ready to use.
To reheat, Put the rice into a microwave-safe container with a small amount of water in the dish. About 1/4 cup water.
Cover and microwave 2-3 minutes. Stir and continue heating 1 minute at a time until rice is heated throughout and soft.
Notes
You can use any size freezer bag for this recipe. However, larger bags will take longer to thaw.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 411Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 3mgCarbohydrates 89gFiber 1gSugar 0gProtein 9g
See More Kitchen Hacks Here:
Silicone Muffin Cup Storage Kitchen Hack
Kitchen Tip: Easy Cheese Grater Hack
Foods You Can Freeze to Save Time and Money
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