Oven Baked Rice with 7 Variations!
Normally I use my rice cooker to get perfect rice every time. That works, until you only have a 3 cup rice cooker and you’re planning a shish kebab party with multiple couples. I didn’t feel like putting batch after batch through the rice cooker. Instead, I tried this tip from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook. It’s the simplest thing in the world, and it gives you the perfect rice every time.
Gorgeous, fluffy, no extra liquid rolling around, and NO MESS! Whenever I do rice on the stove top, it always looks like a rice liquid bomb hit. None of that with this method. It doesn’t require any kitchen gadgets. All you need is a piece of foil and a baking dish. Oh, and an oven…
Here’s the method. For some amazing variations, check out the list below.
Oven Baked Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups white rice
- 4 cups water or other liquid
- mix-ins as desired
Instructions
- Boil water.
- Pour rice evenly into bottom of a 9x13.
- Cover rice with water, then cover baking dish with foil.
- Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.
- Allow to cool, then fluff rice with a fork.
Notes
Oven Baked Rice Variations: The Power of Mix-Ins!
Cilantro Lime Rice (pictured)
Replace 1/2 cup water with 1/2 cup of salsa verde. Add in 2 Tbsp dried cilantro and 2 Tbsp lime juice.
Mexican Rice
Replace 1/2 cup water with 1/2 cup salsa. Add 2 chicken bouillon cubes, 1 tsp garlic, and 1/2 tsp cumin.
Chicken Rice-a-Roni
Add 2 chicken bouillon cubes, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp parsley, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 2 Tbsp butter.
Onion Rice
Add 1 packet onion soup mix.
Garlic Butter Rice
Add 2 tsp garlic powder and 2 Tbsp butter.
Sweet and Savory Pineapple Rice
Cut out 1/2 cup water. Add 1 can crushed pineapple with juice, 1 Tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 Tbsp lime juice, and cilantro as desired.
Creamy Parmesan Rice
Replace 1 cup water with 1 cup milk. Add 4 Tbsp butter, 2 tsp garlic, 1 tsp parsley, and 1/3 cup parmesan cheese.
What’s your favorite? Leave a comment and let us know!
I love all these rice options! We just got a rice cooker so I’m looking for new flavors to try – thanks in advance!
No prob! We love the cilantro lime one!
Awesome!! This looks so easy. I don’t have a rice cooker so making rice on the stovetop is always a royal pain. I will definitely have to try this! Pinning for later 🙂
Valentina | The Baking Fairy recently posted…Key West & key lime icebox cake
I hate making rice on the stove top. This is soooo much easier!
I always bake my rice! It’s soooo much easier, right?? Love all of your mix-in ideas! Thank you for sharing:)
It is so much easier! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Made this recipe as written. When it should have been perfect rice, it was still covered with about 2 inches of water. Did I miss the part where it should have said boil the water?
What a relief to find all these ideas at one place ! Thank you so very much !
Za. Rizik recently posted…Top 3 Best Cordless Electric Tea Kettle Reviews
Thank you for the kind words 🙂
I always bake my rice! Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Judith Fertig recently posted…Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Reviews and Top 3 picks
Thanks for stopping by!
Great Varieties of Rice! Let’s try ’em all.
Nancy | Gadgetspicker recently posted…Electric Smoker Tips and Tricks that will Make You a Pro
This worked great! It was perfect.