Name: How To Cook Japanese Rice in a Saucepan
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice; 2¼ cups Water (rice-to-water ratio: 1 : 1.1)

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Learn how to make Japanese rice at home with a regular saucepan. This recipe walks you through a simple method so you can cook perfectly fluffy rice on the stove. Save it and enjoy delicious Japanese rice anytime!

For a more detailed step-by-step, check out this guide on how to cook Japanese rice in a Staub pot!

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to cook a Japanese recipe:

Japanese Short-grain Rice: There are many varieties of Japanese rice to choose from, but if you’re not sure where to start, go with Koshihikari—it’s the most popular and widely loved. Rice labeled as “sushi rice” is also a great option and works perfectly for this recipe.
Water: In Japan, tap water is soft, which helps the rice absorb water better and turn out fluffy. If possible, try to use soft water. Hard water can make the rice a bit drier after cooking.

About Saucepan

For this recipe, I use a 16cm (6.3 inch) stainless steel saucepan with a lid, which is the perfect size for cooking 2 cups of rice.

How To Make Japanese Rice: STEP BY STEP

Here are some quick visual instructions! For the video and all the detailed ingredients and instructions, go to the printable recipe card below.

How to cook Japanese rice in a saucepan.

Step 1

Rinse the rice and soak it in water for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Drain the rice, add fresh water, and bring it to a boil.

Step 3

Simmer for 10 minutes, turn off the heat, and rest for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Fluff with a rice paddle.

Serve the rice in a bowl and enjoy its fluffy and starchy texture. It’s perfect for making onigiri, curry rice, or rice bowls!

Storage

If you have leftover rice, wrap individual servings in cling wrap and store them in the freezer. They will remain fresh for up to one month. The key is to wrap the rice in cling wrap immediately, even if it’s still hot. Allowing the rice to cool before wrapping will cause the moisture to evaporate, resulting in dry rice.

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How To Cook Japanese Rice in a Saucepan

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Prep: 30

Cook: 10

Total: 50

Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Author: Juri Austin

Equipment

Saucepan
Shamoji (rice paddle)
Measuring cup

Ingredients

▢ 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice
▢ 2¼ cups Water, rice-to-water ratio: 1 : 1.1

Instructions

Rinse the Rice: Add the rice to a pressure cooker and rinse with cold water 3–4 times to remove excess starch and rice bran. Drain well after the final rinse.e.
Soak: Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes to help it cook evenly and achieve a fluffy texture.
Bring to a boil: Drain the rice, add the water, and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
Simmer: Once it boils, stir the rice gently with a shamoji to distribute the heat evenly. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Rest: Turn off the heat, and let the rice rest with the lid on for 10 minutes. This helps the rice finish cooking and absorb the remaining moisture.
Fluff: Remove the lid, and gently fluff the rice with a shamoji to separate the grains and make it nice and fluffy.

Notes

Storage Tip: Wrap individual portions of rice in plastic wrap and freeze them. It’ll keep well for up to 1 month and is easy to reheat.
Rice-to-Water Ratio: Use 1.1 to 1.2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice.
If your rice turns out hard, check out this post: Why Your Japanese Rice is Hard and How to Save It!