How to cook rice in a rice cooker

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Learn how to cook rice like a pro with a rice cooker. Say goodbye to guesswork and hello to fluffy rice with our easy-to-follow guide.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Asian

Keyword How to cook rice in a rice cooker, How to make rice in a rice cooker, how to steam rice in a rice cooker

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Resting time 15

Total Time 50

Servings servings

1.5 to 2 rice cooker cup white rice short grain, medium grain, or long grain
Water amount based on rice cooker markings or 200 ml per 1 rice cooker cup of rice

Measure the rice: Use 1.5 to 2 rice cooker cups of rice for 3-4 servings.
Rinse the rice: Place the measured rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under tap water 2-3 times. Shake off excess moisture.
Add rice and water: Transfer the rinsed rice to the rice cooker. Level the rice, then add room temperature water up to the appropriate indicator level in your rice cooker's inner pot. For more precision, use 200 ml water per 1 rice cooker cup of rice.
Cook the rice: Close the lid and press the "Cook" button. The cooking time is generally 30-40 minutes, plus an additional 15 minutes of resting time.
Rest the rice: Once the rice cooker beeps, do not open the lid. Let the rice rest for 10-15 minutes.
Fluff the rice: Use a rice paddle to gently fluff the rice by scooping from the bottom up. Avoid using a fork to prevent scratching the inner pot.

Rice cooker cup vs. U.S. measuring cup: A rice cooker cup (180 ml) is smaller than a U.S. measuring cup (240 ml). Keep this in mind when following recipes to ensure you get the correct water-to-rice ratio.
Rice cooker ratio: 1 rice cooker cup of dry rice (180 ml) x 1.1 = 200 ml of water (room temperature).
- 1 rice cooker cup (180 ml) : add 200 ml or ⅞ U.S. cup of water
- 2 rice cooker cups (360 ml) : add 400 ml or 1⅔ U.S. cups of water
- 3 rice cooker cups (540 ml) : 600 ml or 2½ U.S. cups
- 4 rice cooker cups (720 ml) : 800 ml or 3⅓ U.S. cups
- 5 rice cooker cups (900 ml) : 1000 ml or 4¼ U.S. cups
To rinse or not to rinse the rice? Rinsing rice is generally recommended to remove excess starch and prevent the rice from becoming too sticky or gummy. However, it’s a personal choice and can vary depending on the type and brand of rice.
For best results, use at least 1.5 to 2 rice cooker cups of rice.
My personal favorite white rice brands are: Tamaki Gold and Shirakiku rice.
Note: Glutinous rice (sticky rice) requires a different water ratio. See our guide on How to Cook Sticky Rice in a Rice Cooker or Microwave Sticky Rice for detailed instructions.