How To Cook Soft Fluffy Red Rice

I’m sharing how to cook whole grain red rice in a rice cooker, Instant Pot pressure cooker, and on the stove. No soaking is necessary and all the tips you need to know. A video tutorial is included.

What is red rice?

In this post, I’m referring to actual whole-grain red rice, not the white rice that is cooked with tomatoes or tomato paste to make it red. Whole grain red rice only has its husk removed and still has its bran and all other layers intact. The red color comes from the pigment anthocyanin. There are so many different varieties of red rice but two of the most common I known of is the Bhutan red rice or Himalayan red rice, which is considered medium-grain red rice and so when you cook it, it tends to be stickier. The one I’m showing here is Thai red rice or known as cargo rice. The color is reddish with a tinge of brown. It is considered long-grain red rice. The texture is firmer and not sticky after cooking.

Benefits of red rice

If you purchase whole-grain red rice, it has all three layers: bran, germ, and endosperm. It is highly nutritious and a good source of fiber. Its reddish color from anthocyanin and its antioxidant properties is another reason why you want to include red rice on a regular basis

Taste and texture of red rice

Red rice has a pleasant nutty aroma that I really like. The texture of cooked red rice is slightly firm and chewy on the outside because of the bran, but soft on the inside when it’s perfectly cooked, which I enjoy.

Do I need to soak red rice before cooking?

You don’t have to, but if you want to, it does cut down on the cooking time if you cook on the stove. You can soak for 2 hours or overnight before cooking and then discard the water and proceed with the recipe and cooking time.

Quick and Easy Meal Ideas with Red Rice

Cooked red rice can be very versatile. Here’s a practical idea list you can keep handy, grouped by how you might use it during the week (meal prep–friendly, quick meals, and “make it feel new again”).
1. Red Rice Grain Bowl
Top with grilled or baked protein like chicken, fish, avocado, scallions, and a drizzle of soy or sesame oil.
2. Egg Fried Red Rice
Sauté garlic, add rice, push aside, scramble eggs, then finish with soy sauce and scallions.
3. Red Rice Bibimbap-Style Bowl
Add sautéed veggies, gochujang, egg, and a little sesame oil.
4. Red Rice Onigiri (Rice Balls)
Season lightly, shape, and fill with tuna, salmon, or chicken floss.
5. Red Rice Congee Hybrid
Simmer cooked rice with broth until loose and porridge-like.
6. Red Rice Sushi Bowl
Season with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt; add fish, cucumber, and avocado.
7. Red Rice Stuffed Peppers
Mix with ground chicken or turkey, herbs, and bake.
8. Red Rice Pilaf
Toss with toasted nuts, dried fruit, fresh herbs, and olive oil.
9. Red Rice Risotto-Style
Warm with broth, finish with butter and Parmesan.
10. Red Rice Burrito Bowl
Add beans, chicken, salsa, and avocado.
11. Red Rice Breakfast Bowl
Add eggs, sautéed spinach, and a little cheese.
12. Red Rice Salad
Toss with lemon juice, olive oil, cucumbers, herbs, and feta.
13. Red Rice Tabbouleh-Style
Parsley, tomatoes, lemon, and olive oil.
14. Cold Sesame Red Rice Salad
Sesame dressing, shredded chicken, cucumber.
15. Red Rice Casserole
Mix with protein, veggies, and sauce; bake until bubbly.
16. Red Rice Patties
Mix with egg and seasonings, pan-fry until crisp.

How to store cooked red rice

You can keep leftovers in the fridge or if you are make the rice in a big batch and then freeze it in individual serving portions. Here’s how:
1. Let the cooked rice cool down completely
You can cool them down quickly by spreading the cooked rice on a large plate or baking tray
2. You can store leftovers in an air-tight container for about one week
3. For longer storage, portion out into a serving size you like and double wrap it with a cling wrap. Repeat with the rest. Put them inside a freezer bag, push all the air ou,t and seal the bag. They can be kept in the freezer for up to 1 month for the best results
4. Simply reheat the frozen rice in a microwave for 1 minute or so or until heated through or warm it up on a stove with a bit of water

How To Cook Whole Grain Thai Red Rice (Cargo Rice)

Prep 5 minutes mins

Cook 45 minutes mins

Total 50 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

4.7 from 7 reviews

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Ingredients

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• ▢ 1 cup whole-grain red rice

Cooking on the stove:

• ▢ 2 cups broth chicken/beef/vegetable broth, for unsoaked rice
• ▢ 1 ½ cups broth chicken/beef/vegetable broth, if soaking for at least 2 hours
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ 1 tsp cooking oil any neutral-tasting oil or toasted sesame oil

Cooking with rice cooker or pressure cooker:

• ▢ 1 ½ cups broth chicken/beef/vegetable broth, for unsoaked rice
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups broth chicken/beef/vegetable broth, if soaking for at least 2 hours
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ 1 tsp cooking oil any neutral-tasting oil or toasted sesame oil

Aromatics you can add on (optional):

• ▢ 1 fresh bay leaves 2-3 dried bay leaves
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic smashed

Instructions

 

• IMPORTANT : Whatever cup that you use to measure the rice, will be the same cup you use to measure the liquid
• Rinse the rice in several changes of water to get rid of any impurities. Not much starch will come out of this because the rice is whole-grain and unpolished. Drain off excess water

Cooking on the stove:

• Use a heavy-bottom pot with a tight-fitting lid. Pour water into the pot and bring to a boil. When the water comes to a boil, add the rice and the rest of the ingredients. Give it a stir and bring it back to a boil and then lower the heat to let it gently simmer. Cover with a lid and let it cooks for the next 45-50 minutes for unsoaked rice and about 25-30 minutes for soaked rice or until the rice are soft and fluffy
• Turn off the heat and let it rests for 10 minutes before opening the lid. After that, uncover the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. The rice is ready to be served

Cooking with rice cooker:

• Put the rice and the rest of the ingredients in the rice cooker. Stir to mix. Close the lid and if your rice cooker has the option to choose the setting, choose the brown rice setting or multigrain setting. When it's done cooking, wait 10 minutes before opening the lid to fluff the rice with a fork or a rice paddle

Cooking with an Instant Pot pressure cooker:

• Put all ingredients in the inner pot of Instant pot. Give it a stir to mix. Close the lid and turn the pressure release valve to sealing. Choose "pressure cooker" and make sure it's on "high pressure". Set the timer to 25 minutes for unsoaked rice and 12 minutes for soaked rice. Then do natural release. This may take about 10-15 minutes. Carefully unlock the lid and fluff the rice with a fork or a rice paddle
• If the rice still appears wet when you fluff it, don't panic. Close the lid back and press the "warm" button and let it warm up for about 10 minutes and when you check on it again, the liquid should have dried up

To serve:

• Cooked red rice can be very versatile. Please refer to my post above for many ideas how you can use it to prepare a wide variety of meals

RECOMMEDED TOOLS

Instant Pot

Rice Cooker

Dutch Oven

*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*

Nutrition Facts

How To Cook Whole Grain Thai Red Rice (Cargo Rice)

Serving Size

 

1 serving

Amount per Serving

Calories

201

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

4

g

6

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Trans Fat

 

1

g

Sodium

 

581

mg

25

%

Potassium

 

1

mg

0

%

Carbohydrates

 

37

g

12

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

1

g

1

%

Protein

 

4

g

8

%

Calcium

 

1

mg

0

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

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

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