Boil-in-a-bag rice is an easy, no-muss, no-fuss way to prepare rice. You don't have to worry about measuring your rice or about your rice getting stuck to the pan. You can prepare boil-in-a-bag rice either on the stove top or in the microwave. Cooking times and the amount of water you need to use can vary slightly, depending on the brand. Using less water and reducing your cooking time will result in a firmer rice. If you want a soft rice, add more water and increase the cooking time.
Advertisement
Stove-Top Preparation
Step 1
Bring your water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.
Advertisement
Video of the Day
Step 2
Submerge a packet of boil-in-a-bag rice in the boiling water. Boil for 8 to 12 minutes, uncovered. The rice is ready when it puffs up and takes up all the space in the bag.
Advertisement
Step 3
Use a fork or tongs to remove the bag from the saucepan. Carefully cut open the bag with scissors and serve.
Advertisement
Microwave Preparation
Step 1
Place the water and rice in a large microwave-safe glass bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap or a lid.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Step 2
Place the bowl in the microwave and cook on high for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the rice. It's ready when it fills the space in the bag.
Advertisement
Step 3
Remove the bowl from the microwave using a pot holder or oven mitt. Pour the water down the drain. Carefully cut open the rice packet and serve.
Things You'll Need
Medium saucepan or large microwave-safe glass bowl 4 cups water (or as indicated on the package) 1 packet boil-in-a-bag rice Pot holder Scissors Tip Consider choosing brown boil-in-a-bag rice over white. White rice is a refined grain, which means its fibrous outer covering - - the bran – was removed through milling. The bran contains most of the grain’s fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals. Brown rice, a whole grain, still has its bran and as such is considered a healthier choice. Avoid adding excessive butter and salt to your rice. Butter is high in saturated fats, which can increase your LDL, or bad, cholesterol, leading to heart disease. You should also try to limit your sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams per day to decrease your risk of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. Just 1 tablespoon of salt contains 2,300 milligrams of sodium. Warning The rice will be hot when you remove it from the stove or the microwave. Even after you remove the bag from the saucepan or bowl, it will continue to exude steam. Be very careful when cutting open the bag and pouring out the contents to serve. Using boil-in-a-bag rice in a rice cooker or pressure cooker isn’t recommended.
Advertisement
Advertisement
references
Uncle Ben's: Boil-In-Bag Rice
Success: White Rice
Whole Grains Council: FDA Expands Health Claim to Brown Rice
CNNHealth: Is Quick Brown Rice as Healthy as Regular?
ClevelandClinic: Heart and Vascular Health & Prevention
American Heart Association: Why Should I Limit Sodium?
references
Uncle Ben's: Boil-In-Bag Rice
Success: White Rice
Whole Grains Council: FDA Expands Health Claim to Brown Rice
CNNHealth: Is Quick Brown Rice as Healthy as Regular?
ClevelandClinic: Heart and Vascular Health & Prevention
American Heart Association: Why Should I Limit Sodium?
- Medium saucepan or large microwave-safe glass bowl
- 4 cups water (or as indicated on the package)
- 1 packet boil-in-a-bag rice
- Pot holder
- Scissors
Consider choosing brown boil-in-a-bag rice over white. White rice is a refined grain, which means its fibrous outer covering - - the bran – was removed through milling. The bran contains most of the grain’s fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals. Brown rice, a whole grain, still has its bran and as such is considered a healthier choice. Avoid adding excessive butter and salt to your rice. Butter is high in saturated fats, which can increase your LDL, or bad, cholesterol, leading to heart disease. You should also try to limit your sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams per day to decrease your risk of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. Just 1 tablespoon of salt contains 2,300 milligrams of sodium.
Avoid adding excessive butter and salt to your rice. Butter is high in saturated fats, which can increase your LDL, or bad, cholesterol, leading to heart disease. You should also try to limit your sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams per day to decrease your risk of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. Just 1 tablespoon of salt contains 2,300 milligrams of sodium.
The rice will be hot when you remove it from the stove or the microwave. Even after you remove the bag from the saucepan or bowl, it will continue to exude steam. Be very careful when cutting open the bag and pouring out the contents to serve. Using boil-in-a-bag rice in a rice cooker or pressure cooker isn’t recommended.
Using boil-in-a-bag rice in a rice cooker or pressure cooker isn’t recommended.
Uncle Ben's: Boil-In-Bag Rice
Success: White Rice
Whole Grains Council: FDA Expands Health Claim to Brown Rice
CNNHealth: Is Quick Brown Rice as Healthy as Regular?
ClevelandClinic: Heart and Vascular Health & Prevention
American Heart Association: Why Should I Limit Sodium?
