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Home » Recipes » Tips & Tutorials

How to Freeze Rice

Updated: Aug 13, 2024 · Published: Jun 10, 2024 by Misty · This post may contain affiliate links · 7 Comments

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Frozen rice in a freezer bag with graphic overlay.
Pan with rice to freeze with words overlay.
Frozen rice in a freezer bag with graphic overlay.
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Wondering How to Freeze Rice? This guide has you covered with easy steps for freezing plain rice as well as rice pilaf or other flavored rice recipes. Whether you’ve cooked up too much or want to prep in advance for quick meals, freezing this side dish is a super simple solution that can also help cut down on kitchen waste.

For more rice recipes that we make on repeat, explore our tested and family-approved favorites!

Rice spread out on a cooking sheet before freezing.

Do you ever freeze rice? We've done it with seasoned rice recipes, as well as plain rice, like basmati and jasmine. It is one of our family’s go-to cooking hacks for a variety of reasons:

  1. Time saving: It's a make-ahead option and a convenient side dish for busy weeknights.
  2. Economical. Freezing rice at home is much cheaper than buying it frozen at the store and it avoids wasting leftovers.
  3. Convenient: If you're already making a side dish, just double it and freeze half for a future meal.

If you haven’t joined the bandwagon already, it’s not too late. This guide will give you all the tips for freezing cooked rice. When you're ready to eat, see our step-by-step guide to reheating rice.

Skip to:
  • Equipment for freezing rice
  • How to freeze cooked rice
  • What types of rice can you freeze?
  • How long can you freeze cooked rice?
  • How to use frozen rice?
  • Can you freeze pilaf?
  • Tips & tricks for freezing rice
  • Rice recipes that freeze well
  • Recipe
  • Comments

Equipment for freezing rice

Instant PotInstant PotInstant PotGallon Food Storage Freezer Bags, Stay Open Design with Stand-Up Bottom, Easy to Fill, 28 CountGallon Food Storage Freezer Bags, Stay Open Design with Stand-Up Bottom, Easy to Fill, 28 CountGallon Food Storage Freezer Bags, Stay Open Design with Stand-Up Bottom, Easy to Fill, 28 CountFood Labels for Jars with PenFood Labels for Jars with PenFood Labels for Jars with PenAluminum Commercial Half SheetAluminum Commercial Half SheetAluminum Commercial Half SheetOXO Good Grips POP ContainerOXO Good Grips POP ContainerOXO Good Grips POP ContainerOXO Good Grips POP Container Rice Measuring CupOXO Good Grips POP Container Rice Measuring CupOXO Good Grips POP Container Rice Measuring Cup

 

How to freeze cooked rice

Freezing rice is very simple, but following these instructions will ensure the correct texture.

  1. Spread the cooked rice into an even layer on a baking sheet, keeping it fluffed with the fork as you go (don’t press or smash it onto the pan). If the layer is thicker than your baking sheet, spread it onto additional sheets for thinner layers.
  2. Allow it to cool on the counter or in the fridge until it has reached room temperature. Don’t rush this step - cooling it thoroughly maintains it’s fluffy texture and prevents it from becoming one giant clump in the freezer.
  3. Scoop it into a zipper bag, squeezing out as much of the extra air as possible (it can also be stored in an airtight container or disposable baking pan). Gently pat the rice until the bag lays flat and place it in the freezer.

Pro tip: Freezing in flat bags on a baking sheet makes it easy to stack or store in tight spots in the freezer. Once they are completely frozen the cookie sheet can be removed.

What types of rice can you freeze?

You can freeze practically any type or pilaf recipe that you like. They all follow the same essential steps to be frozen and reheated. I have tried this with long grain white rice, brown rice, wild rice, Basmati rice, Jasmine rice, rice pilaf, Mexican rice, and even other grains like quinoa.

RIce in a freezer bag with a rice paddle laying on the counter.

How long can you freeze cooked rice?

It will last 1-2 months. Stick to 1 month for the very best results. The more airtight the container the better the longer it will store.

How to use frozen rice?

First, it can simply be reheated for an easy side dish. This works best with rice pilaf or similar rice dishes. However, you can also use frozen rice in soups, stews, stuffed peppers, Mexican burritos, fried rice, rice cereal, and any other recipe that calls for it already cooked.

Can you freeze pilaf?

Freezing rice pilaf is a great way to make sure that you have a delicious side dish ready to go. Follow all the steps as listed above keeping this in mind:

  • Cook the pilaf as normal, making sure that is cooked but not overly soft as that will result in a mushy final product.
A collage of cranberry rice, orange rice, cilantro lime rice, pineapple rice, and rice pilaf that are good for freezing.

Tips & tricks for freezing rice

  • Freeze cooked rice while it is still fresh to keep it moist.
  • Avoid overcrowding the sheet pan. The layer of rice should not rise above the rim of the sheet pan. If it does, use additional pans for thinner layers.
  • Wait to freeze the rice until it is cool to keep it fluffy. Warm rice sticks and becomes clumpy.

Rice recipes that freeze well

Want to give freezing a try? Here are some of our family favorite recipes that work great for freezing! 

  • Toasted Coconut Rice - Slightly sweet, definitely addictive, and subtly tropical. 
  • Brown Butter Pilaf - Packed full of flavor with only 4 ingredients!
  • Pineapple Lime Rice - A perfect compliment to tropical, Asian, or Mexican flavors. 
  • Cilantro Lime Rice - A bright and zesty rice perfect in or alongside your favorite Mexican main dish.
  • Orange Rice- An easy side dish infused with fresh oranges and studded with red cranberries.

Recipe

Cooked grains of rice spread out on baking sheet before freezing.

How To Freeze Rice

Wondering How to Freeze Rice? This guide has you covered with easy steps for freezing plain rice as well as rice pilaf or other flavored rice recipes. Whether you’ve cooked up too much or want to prep in advance for quick meals, freezing this side dish is a super simple solution that can also help cut down on kitchen waste.
5 from 4 votes
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 1 person for every ½ cup of cooked rice
Calories: 154kcal
Author: Borrowed Bites

Ingredients

  • Cooked rice - Any rice recipe in any amount
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Instructions

How to Freeze Cooked Rice

  • Make rice as directed. Leave off any fresh ingredients normally added before serving (i.e. lime juice, shredded coconut, green onions, etc.). Finished rice will look moist but be very flat in the pot.
  • Use a fork to fluff the cooked rice. Scrape the tines across the surface of the rice, starting shallow and moving deeper as you go until all the rice is evenly fluffed.
  • Spread the rice into an even layer on a baking sheet, keeping it fluffed with the fork as you go (don’t press or smash the rice onto the pan). If the rice layer is thicker than your baking sheet, spread it onto additional sheets for thinner layers.
  • Allow to cool on the counter or in the fridge until it has reached room temperature. Don’t rush this step - cooling it thoroughly maintains it’s fluffy texture and prevents it from becoming one giant clump in the freezer.
  • Scoop the rice into a ziptop bag, squeezing out as much extra air as possible (you could also store in an airtight container or disposable baking pan). Gently pat the rice until the bag lays flat.
  • Freeze flat on a baking sheet until frozen solid (this makes the rice easy to stack or store in tight spots in the freezer). Frozen rice keeps well for 1-2 months.

Notes

Tips & Tricks
  • Freeze cooked rice while it is still fresh to keep it moist.
  • Avoid overcrowding the sheet pan. The layer of rice should not rise above the rim of the sheet pan. If it does, use additional pans for thinner layers.
  • Wait to freeze the rice until it is cool to keep it fluffy. Warm rice sticks and becomes clumpy.

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Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Iron: 2mg

All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.

Tried this recipe?Leave a rating or pin it for later!

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Comments

    5 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Stephanie Berry says

    December 12, 2020 at 3:07 pm

    I was excited for this recipe until I saw the reheating is 30 mins in the oven ...that doesn't really save me any time on weeknights. Do you have any recommendations for a faster reheating method using the stove or microwave?

    Reply
    • Misty says

      December 12, 2020 at 4:19 pm

      Good question! We have tried reheating rice in the microwave or on the stove, but for a large amount (i.e. not just a single serving) it typically makes the rice very dry or gummy. We have found that using the oven avoids those problems. We typically use this method making a rice that requires prep work, or we intentionally double a rice recipe in order to have hands-off time for a weeknight dinner. I do understand the need to save time though! Although it isn't our favorite method, if the microwave works better you can reheat it in single sized servings sprinkled with water until warmed through. Hope this helps!

      Reply
    • Dianna Osborn says

      April 28, 2022 at 10:42 am

      I am going to try this and seal it in a vacuum seal bag then reheat it in a pot of boiling water. It should be faster that way so I will try it and see. Will let you know how it goes.

      Reply
      • Danielle says

        April 28, 2022 at 11:18 am

        What a fantastic idea! Please let us know how it turns out.

        Reply
        • Kayla says

          August 10, 2023 at 4:07 pm

          I've vacuum sealed rice and reheated it by throwing the whole thing in a pot of boiling water before for camping. Worked great! I just can't remember if it was previously frozen and thawed or if I made it fresh, refrigerated it until I threw it in the cooler, then reheated... but it did work great. I'm going to freeze this year and do it again. I assume it'll be perfect for an easy meal side.

          Reply
          • Misty says

            August 12, 2023 at 9:57 am

            Let us know how it goes!

  2. Shelli says

    May 28, 2020 at 11:45 am

    5 stars
    I love being able to go to the freezer and pull out a ready-to-go meal after a busy day. Thanks for the time saving tip!

    Reply
Danielle and Misty smiling with green foliage in the background.

Hey there!

We're Danielle & Misty!

A mom and daughter with a serious passion for seeking out the best recipes to serve again and again to those we love. With a mix of everyday favorites and indulgent weekend fare there is something here for you and yours as you develop your own family traditions.

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