Name: How To Reheat Rice
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: Leftover Rice

Whether you have leftover rice from going out to dinner last night or you cooked too much and have leftover rice to use up, it can easily be reheated.

You can reheat rice in a couple of different ways. It can be done on the stove, in the microwave, or even in the oven. I am going to go over each method and just how to get perfect rice all over again the next day.

White bowl filled with cooked white rice on a black and white striped linen.

Reheat rice instructions

When you are reheating rice it is extremely important that it was stored correctly and you cook it up to at least 165°F before you serve it again.

This goes for all types of rice, whether you have white rice, wild rice, brown rice, Spanish rice, or Jasmine rice, they all reheat the same.

This is crucial because rice can contain a bacteria called Bacillus Cereus. This bacteria can be avoided by taking those two precautions, otherwise, you are at risk of getting food poisoning.

According to the USDA cooked rice can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days before it should be tossed out. So the good news is you don’t have to rush to use it up the next day!

Learn how to cook rice on the stove and not be sticky and also how to store rice to ensure its freshness.

Microwave

The microwave is a fast and easy way to reheat rice. Simply put your leftover rice into a microwave-safe dish. Add a tablespoon of water or broth for every cup of rice that you are reheating.

Break up the clumps of rice the best you can and then cover with a microwave-safe cover if you have it.

Cook on medium heat for 2-5 minutes stirring it in-between each minute. Times will vary depending on how much rice you are reheating and the power of your microwave.

Check your rice with a food-grade thermometer. You want to get your rice up to 165°F and serve it right away while it is still hot.

Summary

Put rice into a microwave-safe dish and break up the clumps
Add 1 Tbsp of water or broth for every cup of rice
Cover with a microwave-safe cover or plastic wrap.
Cook for 2-5 minutes stirring in between minutes.
Serve while hot.

Stovetop

Reheating rice on the stove is a fairly quick process. You want to use a skillet that is big enough to allow you to stir your rice around without flinging it all over the place.

Heat your pan on medium heat and then add in 1-2 tablespoons and let it heat up in the pan. Every stovetop is a little different so you might want to cook on medium-low.

The oil in the pan should be enough liquid to keep the rice from drying out but you can add water or broth if you need to.

Add in your leftover rice and stir it around in the hot oil, breaking up the clumps. Continuously stir the rice to ensure that it all gets reheated.

You want your rice to be 165°F to make sure that it has cooked out the possible bacteria. Once you have gotten it to temperature go ahead and serve while it’s still hot.

I have a great post on how to braise chicken that is amazingly served over rice!

Summary

Preheat the pan on medium heat.
Add oil and heat up.
Stir in rice and break up the clumps.
Continue to stir until rice reaches 165°F.
Serve while hot.

Oven

You can reheat rice in the oven but this method does take a bit longer. Start off by preheating your oven to 300°F.

While your oven is preheating, add your rice to an oven-safe dish. Break up the clumps, add 1 tablespoon of water or broth for every cup of rice and cover with a tightly sealed cover or heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Place the rice in the oven for 20 minutes or until it reached 165°F. Make sure to serve right away while it is still hot.

Summary

Preheat in the oven to 300°F.
Add rice to an oven-safe dish.
Break up clumpy rice and add water or broth.
Cover with a tight-fitting lid or heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Cook for 20 minutes or until it reaches 165°F
Serve before it gets cool.

For those looking to specifically reheat sushi, check out our detailed guide on how to safely and properly reheat sushi without compromising its flavor and texture.

Reheating Methods For Rice Pros and Cons

	Pros	Cons
Microwave	Fast and easy	Can’t reheat a lot
Stove-top	Simple and reheats evenly	Can be messy and better for smaller amounts of rice
Oven	Reheats larger amounts	Takes longer and heats up the kitchen

FAQ

Can you reheat cooked rice?

Yes, you can reheat cooked rice. You have 2-3 days to reheat rice that had been stored in the refrigerator properly.
You want to make sure that you bring your rice up to 165°F to avoid food poisoning caused by Bacillus Cereus.

How to reheat rice without a microwave?

You can reheat rice easily on the stove or in an oven. You want to add 1 tablespoon of water or broth for every cup of rice so that it doesn’t dry up and become crunchy.