Fragrant Jasmine rice is a great side dish for savory meals, and for certain cuisines and food pairings, its light aroma and slightly sticky but fluffy texture is the perfect pairing. This foolproof rice-to-water ratio makes making perfectly soft and tender Jasmine rice in a rice cooker easy.
Jasmine rice varieties
While white Jasmine rice is the most popular, there is also brown Jasmine rice and Thai Jasmine black rice (aka riceberry). White Jasmine rice is soft and has a fragrant aroma, brown Jasmine rice has a nuttier flavor, and Thai Jasmine black rice is a hybrid of chewy black rice and the original white Jasmine rice but sweeter.
The recipe in this post is specifically for white Jasmine rice. For a recipe to cook jasmine brown rice, use our how to cook brown rice in a rice cooker post under the long grain brown rice section.
Why I use a rice cooker
Growing up in an Asian household, rice cookers are a staple because they make perfect jasmine rice every time. I didn’t even learn how to make jasmine rice on the stove until I was an adult because I’ve always had a rice cooker, and there was no reason to deviate from that. But using a rice cooker is a foolproof and hands-off method that gives you fluffy and tender Jasmine rice.
For many brands, all you have to do to learn how to cook rice in a rice cooker is to read the appliance’s instructions. Many rice cooker pamphlets follow a 1:1 rice-to-water ratio. We used multiple brands of rice cookers in the past, but our favorites are the tried and true brands like Tiger and Zojirushi.
Do you need to wash jasmine rice?
We prefer to always rinse jasmine rice because it helps prevent gummy and mushy texture. I still think about my maternal grandma teaching me to rinse rice, to pick out any dust or impurities, but this isn’t much of a problem nowadays.
Rinsing rice before cooking removes excess starch. We found using a strainer over running water easier than cleaning rice in a pot. Rinse the rice in a strainer over running water and use your hands to move the rice around until the water runs clear.
Jasmine rice to water ratio
Before we go into specifics, it’s essential to read your specific rice cooker manual for rice and water ratios. This may differ depending on the rice cooker’s brand and the rice variety. It’s also important to note that this is only regarding cooking Jasmine rice in a rice cooker and not for cooking over the stove.
The ratio for white Jasmine rice and water is 1:1 when using a rice cooker. Here’s how we break it down:
| Jasmine rice (uncooked) | Water | Servings* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup (205 grams) | 8 ounces (240 grams) | 1-2 |
| 2 cups (410 grams) | 16 ounces (480 grams) | 2-4 |
*Note: the serving suggestions can change depending on whether rice is the main entree (like Spam fried rice) or just a side paired with a savory dish. For example, if one cup of dry rice is a main entree, it will most likely serve one person. However, if rice is a side dish, one cup of dry rice can serve two people.
How long jasmine rice needs in a rice cooker
Depending on your rice cooker, Jasmine rice can take anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 hour of cooking time. Our Zojirushi 5.5 cup rice cooker has a unique Jasmine rice setting that takes 58 minutes to cook, while the regular white rice setting takes 54 minutes.
What to serve with jasmine rice
White Jasmine rice has a slightly sweet, fragrant aroma and is a go-to carb for many Asian dishes because it won’t overpower other savory dishes.
- Thai Panang curry w/ tender beef short ribs
- gà kho (Vietnamese caramelized chicken)
- crispy air fryer tofu
- lu rou fan (Taiwanese stewed pork with hard-boiled eggs)
- sautéed green beans with garlic & butter
- pad see ew (Thai stir-fried rice noodles)
- Vietnamese pickled mustard greens – dưa chua
Storing and reheating
Store leftover Jasmine rice in a food storage container with a lid in the refrigerator for up to three days. There are various ways to reheat rice, but the easiest is adding a few drops of water over the rice, covering it with a towel, and microwaving it in increments of 30 seconds until it’s soft and tender.
Jasmine Rice in a Rice Cooker
Ingredients
- 205 g (1 c) Jasmine rice
- 240 g (8 fl oz) filtered water plus tap water for washing
Equipment Used
- weighted scale or measuring cups
- Strainer
- rice paddle or spatula
Instructions
- Measure 205 g Jasmine rice and rinse in a strainer under running water until it runs clear.
- Place the rinsed rice into the rice cooker pot.
- Add the 240 g filtered water and use clean hands to level out the surface of the rice.
- Close the rice cooker lid and use the setting for white rice or Jasmine rice based on the instructions of your rice cooker. Start the timer. Do not open or interrupt the rice cooker while it’s cooking.
- Once the rice is done, leave the cooker closed for an additional 5 minutes. Here's how it should look in the pot once finished.
- Open the lid and fluff the rice with a rice paddle. Serve immediately.
- For leftovers, place the rice in a food storage container with a lid. Keep in the fridge for up to three days. To reheat leftover rice, read my guide.
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