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+ servings
Cooked grains of rice spread out on baking sheet before freezing.
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5 from 4 votes

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.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 person for every ½ cup of cooked rice
Calories: 154kcal
Author: Misty

Ingredients

  • Cooked rice - Any rice recipe in any amount

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.

Nutrition

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