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Home » Cooking Basics » How to Cook Basmati Rice in the Microwave

How to Cook Basmati Rice in the Microwave

Original Post: August 18, 2018 Updated: August 29, 2019 By Sarah Trenalone 16 Comments

Love basmati rice, but don't like cooking it?  Here's an easy tutorial on How to Cook Basmati Rice in the Microwave!  Follow a few easy steps and get fluffy, delicious rice in less than 20 minutes.

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Love basmati rice, but don’t like cooking it?  Here’s an easy tutorial on How to Cook Basmati Rice in the Microwave!

Basmati rice in a serving bowl

In my house, we go through a lot of basmati rice.

Sometimes we eat it with curry, sometimes with lentils, but I always– and I mean always— cook it in the microwave.

Actually, I cook all my rice in the microwave.

Why?

It’s easy, seemingly foolproof, and is ready in about 20 minutes.

I realize that this post won’t be helpful for everyone.  

Some of you are ‘anti-microwave,’ others have rice cookers, and some of you probably cook rice on the stove top regularly without any issues.

Personally, I don’t use the microwave on a regular basis– except for rice.

If you’re ‘rice challenged,’ and have issues with rice sticking to the bottom of your pot when cooking– this post is for you.

If having multiple stove top burners going at once stresses you out– this recipe will let you put the rice in the microwave while dinner cooks on the stove.

If you’re simply looking for an incredibly easy way to fix your basmati rice– keep reading, because this post is for you too!

Do you have an Instant Pot? Try making Instant Pot basmati rice and Instant Pot jasmine rice!!

Basmati rice before cooking
Basmati Rice

Do I have to Soak Basmati Rice Before Cooking?

In an ideal world, you should soak your basmati rice for at least 20 minutes before you cook it.

Soaking the rice helps the rice grains elongate, and yes– side-by-side, you would be able to tell the difference between rice that’s been soaked and rice that has not been soaked.

The good news here is two-fold:

First, the 20 minutes is not an exact soak-time.

On a pretty regular basis, I soak my rice for HOURS.  

If I know that I’m going to fix rice with dinner, at some point earlier in the day, I’ll go ahead and pour rice into a bowl with water.

There’s no need to set a timer.

Second, you CAN SKIP soaking your rice if you simply don’t have time.

It will still taste delicious, the world will not end, and dinner will be on the table faster.

Your rice will simply be a little shorter.

Does It Matter If I Leave the Lid On or Off While Cooking?

Traditionally, basmati rice cooked on the stove top is made with the lid in place for the entire cook-time, and then the lid stays on for about five minutes after the rice is finished.  

I’ve tried leaving the lid on for the entire cook-time in the microwave, but could never get the moisture to cook off correctly, leaving the rice soggy.  

Taking the lid off for the second part of the microwave cook-time results in a better texture for microwave rice.

Do I Really Need to Adjust the Power Level on My Microwave?

Yes.  If you don’t lower the power level, you’ll have problems with the water boiling over the edge of the bowl.

Not sure how to adjust the power level? 

Keep reading.

Basmati rice after microwaving (How to Microwave Basmati Rice)

How to Cook Basmati Rice in the Microwave

First things first– to cook basmati rice in the microwave, you need to know how to adjust the power level on your microwave.

If you aren’t sure how to do that, typically it works like this:

  1. Set the time using the ‘Time Cook,‘ or whichever button allows you to type in a specific time.  Don’t use the pre-programmed time buttons.
  2. Next, press the ‘Power Level‘ button.  Depending on your microwave, you’ll either keep pressing the power level button until it reads ’60,’ or you’ll press the ‘power level’ button and enter ’60.’

Next, prep your rice.

Whether you’ve soaked the rice or not, pour it into a mesh sieve and rinse it off.  This will rinse off any extra starch, and help keep the rice light and fluffy.

Then, put the rice, a couple of cups of water, a little olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a couple of bay leaves into a large lidded microwave safe bowl. 

I use a 2 quart Pyrex bowl for this recipe.

Cover the bowl, set the microwave power to 60%, and cook it for about twelve minutes.

Finally, take the lid off and cook the rice for about six more minutes.

That’s it!  

Your rice is ready to be eaten.

Enjoy your dinner, and congratulate yourself on making delicious rice with zero stress.

Want a meal to serve with your basmati rice?  Try this Slow Cooker Vegetarian Curry or this easy Vegetable Korma.

Basmati rice in a serving bowl
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

How to Cook Basmati Rice in the Microwave

Makes 4 sides of rice.
Note: 18 minute cook-time does NOT include optional soak-time.
Author: Champagne Tastes
Prep Time2 mins
Cook Time16 mins
Total Time18 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 284kcal
Will It Keep?

4 Days

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups dry basmati rice
  • 2 1/4 cups water
  • 1 TB olive oil, ghee, OR butter
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 bay leaves (optional)

Instructions

  • Optional but recommended: Soak rice in water for at least 20 minutes before cooking.  (Soaking helps to elongate the rice– Skip if you don’t have time.)
  • Rinse rice in a mesh sieve. 
  • Add rice, water, oil, and bay leaves to a large microwave-safe bowl.  Cover bowl with lid.
  • Microwave covered at 60% power for 12 minutes.* (See Recipe Notes).  Remove the lid, and cook uncovered on 100% power for 6 minutes.  Serve as a side dish, refrigerating or freezing leftover rice.
  • Leftovers:
    This rice is best served immediately, but can be kept refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 4 days. To reheat, add about a tablespoon of water, and microwave covered until warm (2-3 minutes).

Notes

*Keep in mind microwave cook times may vary depending on the microwave.  This recipe was tested on a 900-watt machine.
*Note: Microwave recipes do not always ‘double’ well.  To make larger batches, try increasing the cook-time by adding 3 minutes to the ‘covered’ cook-time for each 1/2 cup of rice added.

Nutrition

Calories: 284kcal (14%) | Carbohydrates: 55g (18%) | Protein: 4g (8%) | Fat: 3g (5%) | Sodium: 301mg (13%) | Potassium: 79mg (2%) | Calcium: 24mg (2%) | Iron: 0.6mg (3%)
Tried this recipe?Mention @champagne.tastes on Instagram, or leave a comment + rating!

Filed Under: Cooking Basics, Side Dishes Tagged With: dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

All commentsI made this
  1. AvatarShelley Blechar

    February 23, 2017 at 1:08 pm

    The microwave is my guilty pleasure! I’ve made chips, ‘roasted’ chick peas etc but never rice, I’m excited to try this! My fav rice is Jasmine.

    Reply
    • champagne-tasteschampagne-tastes

      February 23, 2017 at 1:10 pm

      You can do basically the exact same thing with jasmine! It just doesn’t need soaked ????

      Reply
  2. AvatarLisa | Garlic & Zest

    February 23, 2017 at 8:32 pm

    I’ve never cooked rice in the microwave, but I’m going to give this a shot. My normal method for cooking rice and other grains is to put copious amounts of water in a saucepan, bring to a boil and cook for the prescribed time, then drain the excess liquid, put the lid on the pot and let it sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. I guess there’s more than one way to skin a cat. (Do you have a recipe for that?)

    Reply
    • champagne-tasteschampagne-tastes

      February 23, 2017 at 8:33 pm

      No cats were harmed in the making of this recipe. Lolololol

      Reply
  3. AvatarMeg | Meg is Well

    February 27, 2017 at 11:19 am

    I really want to give this a try! It’s so funny-I often forget about the microwave and how much time and effort it can save. Like for making lattes, I just use the microwave now and save myself from having to clean up a pot. And making rice this way-I could just do it in the dish that will store the rice. Score! Thanks for the awesome tip!

    Reply
    • champagne-tasteschampagne-tastes

      February 27, 2017 at 5:18 pm

      Yup- the microwave is super handy!!! I love using it to speed things up 😀

      Reply
  4. AvatarMeghan @ Adventures in Verdance

    August 8, 2017 at 7:57 pm

    Thank you for making it acceptable for me to be lazy.

    Reply
    • champagne-tasteschampagne-tastes

      August 9, 2017 at 12:58 pm

      Anytime my dear 😉

      Reply
  5. AvatarDaniel

    January 24, 2018 at 8:58 pm

    Sooo easy. And delicious. Sometimes I leave out the bay leaf and it’s still delicious.

    Reply
    • champagne-tasteschampagne-tastes

      January 24, 2018 at 9:23 pm

      Yay! I’m glad it was helpful!

      Reply
  6. AvatarJennifer Stoyka

    January 19, 2019 at 5:53 pm

    This came out perfect!!!!!!

    Reply
    • SarahSarah

      January 19, 2019 at 5:53 pm

      I’m so glad!!! Yay easy rice!!

      Reply
  7. AvatarMatt

    July 17, 2019 at 8:37 am

    This recipe really worked for me. Luckily I have a 900W microwave which can be set to 60%, so I followed the recipe exactly.

    I needed a serving of no fuss rice and it delivered! Reminded me of restaurant style ‘plain boiled rice’.

    Many thanks!

    Reply
    • SarahSarah

      July 17, 2019 at 8:58 am

      Yay!! I’m so glad that it worked for you. Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply
  8. AvatarEmmy

    December 3, 2019 at 3:17 am

    I just made this for dinner. Perfection!! I fried then added in zucchini, carrots, corn, garlic and ginger and it is the most fluffiest fried rice! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Sarah TrenaloneSarah Trenalone

      December 4, 2019 at 7:45 am

      Yay! I’m so glad you loved it! Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply

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