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Brown rice spread onto a sheet pan.
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5 from 4 votes

How to Freeze and Reheat Cooked Rice

Have you ever wondered if you can freeze cooked rice? The answer is a resounding YES, and this guide has all the easy instructions for how to freeze and reheat frozen rice in the oven. It's a fantastic option for make-ahead rice dishes, an easy weeknight side, or serving a crowd.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Reheat Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 person for every ½ cup of cooked rice
Calories: 154kcal

Ingredients

  • Cooked rice - Any rice recipe in any amount
  • Water for reheating

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.

How to Reheat Frozen Rice

  • Place frozen rice in a baking pan. Sprinkle lightly with water (no more than ½ tablespoon per cup of rice). Cover with tinfoil and bake at 300°F for 30-40 minutes or, if you have allowed it to partially thaw, at 300°F for 20-30 minutes.
  • Fluff the rice with a fork again. If needed, top with fresh ingredients (i.e. lime juice, cilantro, shredded coconut, green onions, etc).
  • Serve rice very soon after reheating to avoid it drying out.

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.
  • Reheat frozen rice covered with tinfoil to trap the moisture and prevent it from drying out.
  • If serving a crowd, freeze the rice in a disposable baking pan. You can pull it straight from the freezer, bake it in the oven, and serve it all in the same pan.

Nutrition

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