Have leftover rice but not sure what to do? Simply freeze rice in airtight containers and enjoy them later on. It’s the best method.
I often get questions from readers about how I store cooked rice. I usually make extra rice so that we always have some extra cooked rice ready at hand. What’s the best way to store cooked rice?
4 Ways To Store Cooked Rice
When you end up with extra rice in your rice cooker after a meal, you have several options to store it.
Option A: Keep in your rice cooker with “keep warm” function on.
Option B: Keep at room temperature.
Option C: Store in your refrigerator.
Option D: Store in your freezer.
Which option do you normally use? From my experience, freezing the rice is the best way to store cooked rice, and I freeze cooked rice even if I plan to use it the next day. Here’s why.
3 Reasons Why You Freeze Rice
1. Stay Moist, Fresh, and Delicious
There are many Japanese articles online that prove frozen then reheated rice tastes the best (by testing different storage methods). You might have tried to refrigerate rice, but the texture becomes hard and dry. Unless you have plans to make fried rice next few days, refrigerated leftover rice doesn’t taste good, even on the next day!
With the freezing method, pack up the freshly cooked rice with steam (moist) in an airtight container and close the lid immediately. So when you reheat the frozen rice, it’s moist, fresh, and delicious just like freshly cooked rice!
2. Store Up To 1 Month
The freezing method allows you to store the cooked rice up to 1 month, so you don’t feel obligated to use it immediately or 2-3 days. Here’s the comparison with other methods.
Option A (rice cooker): Up to 3 hours (best quality) to 1 day.
Option B (room temperature): Up to 6 hours (summer) to 1 day (winter).
Option C (refrigerator): 3 days.
Option D (freezer): Up to 1 month.
3. Save Money & Time
If you eat rice almost every day like my family and you cook for just 1 or 2 person, cooking rice every day may not make sense. It’s great that you can eat the freshly cooked rice, but it does not save your money and time.
Therefore, I highly recommend making extra rice and freeze it. That way, you can just cook rice when you are running out of the frozen rice.
How To Freeze Rice
1.Get Airtight Containers with a Steam Vent
First thing first, you will need airtight containers. You’ll need a glass container with a vented lid that allows you to microwave with the lid on to keep the moisture. Pyrex sells the glass containers with regular lid, but you can purchase lids with a built-in steam vent separately.
I have 1 cup Pyrex glass containers which are perfect for a small Japanese rice bowl. For adults, 2 cup containers work better.
- Buy Pyrex 1-cup glass container and 1-cup vented lid cover (green) separately (more economical), OR buy 1-cup glass container with vented lid (more expensive option)
- Buy Pyrex 2-cup glass container and 2-cup vented lid cover (blue) separately (more economical), OR buy 2-cup glass container with vented lid (more expensive option)
The vented lids are BPA-free plastic and dishwasher safe.
In Japanese grocery stores, you might find these plastic containers that are specifically made for freezing and then microwaving rice. I used to use these, but I changed to use the glass container above because I do not remember if these plastic containers are BPA-free. If you happen to see these containers at the store, please let me know if they are BPA-free. 🙂
2. Pack Freshly Cooked Rice in the Containers
The best time to store the cooked rice is when it’s just finished cooking. Make sure to pack the rice with steam and cover the lid immediately to trap the steam and moisture.
When the rice has cooled, store in your freezer. The quality will stay well up to 1 month.
3. Defrost in Microwave
When you need rice, take out the rice from the freezer, open the vent and microwave while it’s frozen. For this particular size, it requires to microwave for 2 ½ minutes (with 1100 w) and 3-4 minutes (with 600 w). You might want to experiment with your microwave to see how long it takes to defrost properly.
Serve and enjoy!
Freeze Rice without Containers
If you don’t have microwave-safe containers or glass containers, you can use microwave-safe plastic wrap. For convenience, use a rice bowl for measurement. Place the plastic wrap on top of the rice bowl and put cooled* rice on top.
*The direct contact between plastic wrap and hot food is not recommended. Due to this, you will lose some moisture content inside the rice.
Remove the rice bowl and wrap tightly. I usually shape the rice into squares so that I can organize these packets easily in the freezer.
Put it in a freezer bag and close tightly. Write down the date you pack.
When you need rice, defrost until the plastic wrap comes off. Then transfer to a bowl, sprinkle a little bit of water (to add some moist the rice lost before packing*), loosely cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
Hungry?
Here are quick rice recipes you can make after defrosting the frozen rice.
Editor’s Note: The original post was published on June 10, 2013. New post has been updated with new pictures and more detailed content.
Good idea.
Hope you give it a try! It’s very convenient if you want to eat / add a bowl of rice! 🙂
Thank you so much. I need rice for my dog. I would rather cook the long grain rice & have it on hand when I need it. He has some digestive issues & he is only 3 1/2 yrs. Old.. Thanx for the information. I APPRECIATE IT more than U know. I will purchase appropriate conrainers..BUT FOR NOW plastic air tight bags will hopefully work !!!’-)
You’re very welcome, Lori! 🙂
Hi Nami! this is a big help! thank you so much for sharing this.
Thanks Cheryl! Great to hear you like this post!
Thanks, Nami, for an excellent tip. I always cook way more rice than I need in my rice cooker, and the leftover rice gets so hard in the fridge.
This is a brilliant solution. (And a money saver too!) 🙂
I almost always freeze the rice and it works like freshly cooked rice after you microwave it (be careful not to heat up too long). Hope this works for you! 🙂
Thank you for such a useful tip. I am so glad to have come across your website. Maya
Hi Maya! Thank you! I’m glad you found my blog too! 🙂
What if you don’t have a microwave? Can you reheat frozen rice on the stove top or in the oven?
Hi Debra! You could use steam method. You need a way to steam the rice again without losing moisture content; therefore, steaming will be the right alternatives. It’s not as convenient as it is with microwave though. 🙁 Or…instead of steamer, maybe add water in a pot and you can steam in the pot… sorry I haven’t done it and I am just guessing. But definitely not oven. 🙂 Hope this helps.
Hi Nami 🙂
I was just wondering, do you think it would be possible to reheat the rice in the oven if it was covered with tin foil? I want to cook a freezer dinner for a friend. I am going to make a lemon sauce with vegetables and pork, and would like to mix it with rice and put it in an 8×8 pan to freeze so she can reheat it in the oven later. Does that sound like a bad idea for the rice? Any suggestions would help! Thank you!
Hi Jessica! I did a quick research and some said you put some water (sprinkle) and cover and cook in the oven at 300F for 15-20 minutes. I think you can give it a try. I checked Japanese sites too, but no one recommended oven method – I think Japanese rice works better with steaming or microwave method as rice has more water content and sticker than other types of rice. I can totally see fried rice being thawed in the oven just fine, but Japanese rice can be a bit tricky to get the texture back to normal… Let us know your experience if you get to try! Hope that helps! 🙂
I looked for these containers using your site pointer, but Daiso did not seem to have them. I was very happy to find this tip on freezing rice. Would love to find the containers with the vent. I did purchase the spicesSeason with Spice that you recommended. Thank you!!
Hi Carolyn! Hmm…Large Japanese supermarkets should carry them (I bought a set of 4 or 5 in Mitsuwa). You can use a regular container and leave a small space when you microwave it too. I’m glad you bought spices from Season with Spice. I love the store!
That’s an excellent tip Namiko san, Thankyou!
You’re welcome! 🙂
Hi Nami!
Thank you for the tip! It will come handy next time I make too much rice. 🙂
If I use plastic wrap, do I need to unwrap the rice and place it in a bowl to microwave or do I place plastic wrap+rice in the microwave ? Cassandre
Hi Cassandre! If your plastic wrap is microwave safe, then yes microwave the frozen rice (still wrapped in plastic wrap). For me it’s always 2 minute and 15 seconds. Be careful after you microwave, it can be very hot when you open the wrap. 🙂 Hope that helps!
Thank you for your quick reply. 🙂
Is it safe to microwave the plastic wrap especially with the direct contact to the rice?
Although FDA says it’s safe to use if it’s written “microwave safe” on the package (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/30/microwaving-with-plastic-wrap-safety_n_1121271.html), I’d probably unwrap and loosely cover (not direct contact) to microwave. It’s probably the wise choice.
I have never realized rice can be freezed. Great tip. Thanks for step by step instructions. Love your blog.
Hi Sumi! Thank you so much for following my blog! 🙂 I freeze rice even though I plan to eat the following day. It keeps freshness better than storing in the refrigerator. It’s really amazing! 🙂
It is a very bright idea. I will try it, as i often use cooked rice next day for making fried rice etc. Thanks
Hi Bipin! I’m so glad I shared this tip. It’s actually very common in Japan to freeze rice, so I didn’t think everyone would care much about this how to page. You never know – I was completely wrong. 🙂 Just a small tip. If you use rice for “fried rice”, I actually recommend you to keep in the fridge instead of freezer. Rice should be a little bit more dry (especially if you use Japanese rice) and it works better when the rice is not soft and mushy (if we microwave frozen rice, it will be too moist). Hope this helps. 🙂
Hi Nami,
I was also thinking the same thing. Rice will be mushy. I keep it in the fridge and not Freezer.
I will try your way sometime, when i try something Japanese. My son has lived in Sendai, he loves the Japanese food. Thanks
Thank you Bipin! Hope your son enjoyed your stay in Sendai. 🙂
Hi Nami! What suggestions do you have if I don’t want to store or microwave in plastic?
Do you have a glass container? That works too. When you microwave, open the lid and make a small gap/space. 🙂
One thing I’ve discovered for reheating rice in a microwave, whether it is frozen or refrigerated, is that adding a bit of water really helps reinvigorate the rice when you’re reheating it. Sometimes, the rice turns out even more delicious than when I first cooked it!
When you’re about to reheat rice from the fridge, add about a teaspoon or so per cup of rice – don’t put too much or it will get very soggy. My microwave is unnaturally powerful so I use a lower power level – most microwaves should be fine with no power level change. Cook the rice for around 2 minutes for about two cups.
This always works perfectly with me for refrigerated rice, but I normally thaw frozen rice in the fridge the night before. When I pack rice for the fridge, it loses its moisture – this method steams the rice a bit again, and tastes fresh and delicious. It may need a bit of experimenting though…
Hi Ray! Thank you so much for your suggestion! I agree about the quality of re-heating frozen rice which is better than re-heating rice that kept in the refrigerator. Even though I eat the leftover rice the following day, I always freeze the rice instead of keeping in the refrigerator. It’s so much better. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us! 🙂
Do I have to reheat the rice before packing it into the lunch box?
Hi Suzanne! Do you mean the rice that was frozen or was in the fridge? If frozen, (obviously) yes. If it was kept in the refrigerator, it depends. If you can keep the lunch box in the same cool condition till lunch time, I would put the rice in lunchbox directly and heat up at the lunch. However, if the microwave is not available, then I’d reheat the rice and pack into lunchbox and and keep it cool till lunch and eat at cool/room temperature. When you take out the rice from the fridge, it’s usually a bit tough/harden. Which is why I always freeze the rice, even though I use it the next day. So I would heat up to fluff it up before packing into lunch box. Hope this helps. Let me know if I wasn’t clear. 🙂
I always assumed freezing cooked rice would ruin it, but I gave it a shot and was really surprised at how well it reheats. Thanks for the tip!
Hi Mike! So glad you tried freezing the rice! I always freeze rice even I might eat it the following day. 🙂 Thanks so much for your kind feedback!
May i ask.. i hardly use the microwave since there has been news that its not good.. I use oven instead. Will that be okay?? and storage the hot rice right away in the plastic ware, won’t that pose any bad effects for the health? Thanks a lot for sharing. God bless!
Hi Babes Go! I don’t use microwave for my daily cooking, but use it to heat up leftovers. I have never heat up/steam rice in the oven, so I am not sure what’s the good way to get the best result… I personally think “steaming” in a pot makes more sense instead of heating it up. Regarding the plastic containers, it’s best to see which plastic is safe to use. Here’s a quick guide I found online: http://www.babygreenthumb.com/p-122-safe-plastic-numbers-guide.aspx
Hi Nami! I saw your reply to another reader’s question on an alternative for reheating the rice because of no microwave, and you said that she could try steaming it. I also don’t have a microwave but would actually prefer setting the rice out to unfreeze itself for a few hours. Do you think that would work okay without ruining the quality of the rice? Or does the rice need to heat up more quickly to maintain moisture? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Jasmine! You can defrost the rice on the counter, however, the moisture that you trapped will become water and the rice will be a bit too soggy (the amount of water won’t be that much, but it definitely has more moisture in the container). Ideally you want to re-steam in the container let it evaporate by re-heating it. You could re-steam in a pot (prob need to add a bit of water so the rice won’t stick at the bottom), or use a steamer (seems more work though). If steamer, I put rice in a glass bowl then put it in a steamer. Hope this help! 🙂
Hi Nami! Got a question for ya, if this method is true for middle-eastern rice? Like rice from south of Russia, or north of Kazakhstan? It’s hard to find Chineese or Vietnam rice here in Russia (not even mention Japaneese rice, you will never find it here)
Also i’m curious is it possible to cook rice (so it will be like glue to make onigiri or else) if it’s made of non-polished rice? What type of rice do you actually use?
I’m asking this because i tried like 45 types of rices which can be found here, and none of them are good for creating onigiri, they are either break from time (2-4 minutes), or not even sticking together (so my onigiri become garnish).
Hi Stanley! Japanese rice is short grain rice, which is different from Chinese or Vietnamese rice. The each rice grain tends to be separate from each other, while Japanese rice is stick to each other (not super sticky like mochi or Chinese sticky rice – they are both “glutinous rice”, different from regular white rice).
Japanese rice is short grain rice, while other Asian kinds are long grain rice, and it’s similar to arborio rice. Japanese rice has more moisture and works perfectly when we freeze rice like this.
To make onigiri, rice has to be slightly sticky. It’s even hard to do with Chinese long grain rice sometimes because they don’t have enough stickiness (but not glutinous rice stickiness again). I’ve heard from some Indian readers that they tried with Basmati rice and the rice fall apart… when you steam rice, and each rice is separated, then there is no way you can stick and form a round or whatever shape.
Little bit more about Japanese rice: https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry/premium-japanese-short-grain-rice/
Hope this helps…
I saw the second one somewhere here, I’ll try to find it ) Thanks for guidelines)
You can also probably used Food Saver bags if you have a Food Saver. Then when you are ready to use cut the top of bag, enough to vent and boil bag in water.
Hi Leticia! Thank you for your advice! I’d love to own a food saver one day! 🙂
I’d like to make chilli and rice and put into portions to take to work. Is this possible and do you have any methods for freezing and cooling techniques..thanks
Hi Mel! Does your work have a microwave? If so, I’d use a glass microwavable container to put chili and rice. Let it cool down first, then put it in freezer until you are ready to bring to work. The day before you bring to work, you defrost in the refrigerator, and bring to work in a insulated bag (still thawing process), and then microwave at work.
Do you think this is something you can do?
Thank you so much, very helpful.
Kind Regards,
Tony
Hi Tony! I’m glad you liked this post! Thank you for your kind feedback! 🙂
Excellent Site– Good information– Typically Japanese– very smart and concise– I am hakujin lucky enough to have grown up having some Japanese mothers–thus having a great respect for all that is Japanese– this site is giving me information some of which I had forgotten. So happy to have discovered your site Nami !!
Hi Cheryl! Welcome to my blog! I hope you enjoy my recipes and trying them at home, and hopefully some of them are food you grew up with. 🙂
Thanks for this. I am on a Slimming World plan and have decided to cook some double portion meals and freeze them. As rice is a healthier choice to pasta or potato and fantastic when you buy frozen, i was hoping for tips on home freezing. I thought the rice needed to be cooled quickly for it to be safe so finding that it wan just be packaged and left to cool is great. thanks.
Hi Jayne! I’m glad this post was helpful. Thanks so much for your feedback! 🙂
Hi Nami! So happy to find this post. I had a lot of rice left over after an event and wanted an expert to confirm it wouldn’t go to waste. I’m always thrilled when your page comes up as the first search result.
You (and Shen) are really doing an amazing job!
Hi Alicia!!! So nice to hear from you! I always freeze extra rice, and I’m actually eating rice now that I defrosted in microwave. I never keep it in the fridge even though I eat it the following day because it’s more fresh that way. 😀 Hope all is well with you and I get to see you one of these days!
hi nami! i’m a new fan..your site is very beautiful and helpful. i have a question. if i use plastic wrap, do i need to cool the rice before wrap it? thank you in advance, nami.
Hi Safitri! Welcome to my blog! Thanks so much for your kind compliment! 🙂 You need to keep the moisture trapped in so you don’t need to cool it. Wrap it up while it’s still hot, then let it cool, and freeze. 🙂
Great to know how to do this. I do a lot of bulk cooking to store in my freezer. Wonderful!!
Hi Jamie! Thanks so much! Glad this post was helpful!
Hi im just curious..can you freeze flavored rice like the ones used for making rice burritos (cooked with broth then fried with turmeric) ? Thanks
Hi Raymond! Yes you can. Make sure to use airtight container to store the rice. 🙂
Yey! 🙂 thanks nami appreciate the tip 🙂
You’re very welcome, Raymond! 🙂
Great idea to use the plastic wrap for individual portions! Going to do that right now 🙂
Be careful when you open the wrap after microwave. Let the steam go out first before your hands are close to the opening of the wrap. 🙂
hi there,i cook for my little fur babies everyday.chicken livers or chicken hearts i parboil the rice, rinse it and add it to the above with mix veggies until the rice is soft.when i go away my hubby takes over but is only able to cook later after a long day.i was wondering if i can cook there dinners and freeze them to make life easier for my hubby.i have five pugs so its a large portion to freeze.pls could you advice on this i am clueless about freezing things as i dont do it veery often.thank you
Hi Sandy! I believe you can freeze it, although I haven’t tried it with the combination you have. I don’t recommend to keep in the freezer for a long time, but if you can make it before you leave, it should be okay. 🙂
Hi Nami,thank you so much for your feed back.i am on it at the moment.I have decided to experiment a bit before i go away to see if it works.
Is it okay if you don’t let it totally cool down? Can i put it in the fridge slightly warm? 🙂
Hi Kath! You mean freezer? I sometimes do when I don’t have time, but make sure the freezer temp will go down and you don’t want to warm up the frozen food when you place the rice on top of/next to it. 🙂
Can I steam the rice instead?
Sure, but it might take a longer. 🙂
Thanks for your instructions on how to freeze rice. My one concern is that in all your options, you are putting hot rice into plastic. I am not a fan of this as I do not like to leach the chemicals from plastic into my food which is what happens when you put hot foods into plastic. Would your methods work if I cool the rice first? TIA 🙂
this kind of rice is best wrapped while still hot- I know I don’t like to store in plastic in general, especially hot food. you can do one of the following;
wrap tightly in aluminum foil on it’s own, or in parchment baking paper inside of aluminum foil [ -if you are one of the folks leery of foil too, but frankly foil is much better then plastic anyway].
or use those glass containers with tightly sealing plastic lids, don’t overfill so the hot rice only touches the glass and not the plastic of the lid. – you may be able to find them for sale at your grocery store, dollarstore, or local kichen supply store. I found some really nice quality tempered glass with thick sturdy plastic lids at my local dollarama for $2-$3, they had square and bowl shaped ones.
Thank you so much for your response! I appreciate it very much!
Hi Stacie! In general plastic products marked with the numbers 2, 4 and 5 are the safer choices, however, you can use glass containers as well (as a reader P mentioned). 🙂
If you cool rice first, you let the moisture evaporate. Moisture is important when you re-heat it. However, if you can add or sprinkle a bit of water before you re-heat, it should be okay too. 🙂
If we store rice in the freezer using the plastic wrap method, do we microwave it in the plastic wrap or do we remove it and microwave it in a bowl?
Hi Anna! If you worry about plastic wrap, I recommend using a glass container. 🙂
Wonderful tip to freeze rice in plastic wrap — Thanks!!
Hi NE! In recent years it’s recommended that plastic wrap does not touch the hot food, so this is really up to you. The safest option is to use air-tight glass container. 🙂
My family just uses quart size Ziploc bags. Not as environmentally friendly but so easy to just open the Ziploc bag, toss is in the microwave for 2 minutes, dump out the rice, and throw the bag away.
Hi Brad! Yeah! Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
You make it sound so obvious, I can’t believe that I thought that rice couldn’t be frozen – I don’t even know exactly why I thought that. One question – i would like to pack rice along with chili, barbeque ribs, stroganoff etc for my partner’s lunch.. He doesn’t have access to a microwave so I thaw it in the refrigerator the day before and he mikes it in the morning and transfers it to a thermos before he leaves. His thermos has a two portion insert so the rice could be separate from the main course. How would you recommend I treat the rice in the process? Thanks so much – this will help me immensely.
Hi Lea! Haha sorry, freezing rice is a very common thing to do in Japan and I didn’t even realize that most people never thought of it, hence I wrote this post. It’s like I didn’t know we can freeze butter. Japanese fridge is small and we never think of buying extra butter to freeze so I didn’t know. 🙂
You mean he doesn’t have access to a microwave at work, right? First of all, I would boil water and fill up the thermo (I’m not sure if you do, but this part makes a huge difference to keep the food warm). I throw away (as the thermo was cold to begin with and hot water will cool down quickly from the cold thermo). I fill up again with hot water and leave it for 5 mins or so. Meanwhile I heat up rice in a microwave and as soon as it’s done, I throw the hot water and quickly dry it with towel, and then put the rice in it and close tightly. My kids say the rice or any food I put is “warm” by lunch. Never “cold” but you know, it’s not hot… Hope this helps!
First, I must say that I truely enjoy how you teach those who visit your wetsite, no matter what the subject may be. With that in mind I would appreciate it very much if you will send your recommendation for the stvetop method for reheating froozen rice since I do not use a microwave oven at all. The reason that I don’t is due the fact that when food is processed in them it virtually kills the valuable nutrients foods such as rice.
Thanks in advance for your help, and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Sincerly,
Jerry
Hi Jerry! I apologize for my late response. I finally catching up my emails and comments…
If you have a steamer, you can definitely reheat it without microwave. Do you have a steamer? Another option is to put it in a non-stick pan (as I do not want to use oil for my rice in a stainless steel pan) and add a few drops of water and cook covered. I’ve never tried it, but it should work.
Happy New Year, Jerry!
” containers is that there is a built-in vent ” Hi, where i can buy those containers? thanks.
Hi Marco! I got the plastic kinds in Japanese grocery stores here in the U.S. I’m going to be re-writing this post soon with the glass container with vent below, which are more available. It’s by Pyrex.
Container: http://amzn.to/2cRMKOa
Lid: http://amzn.to/2cqEPBN
Hope this helps!
Such a nice tips!
If you freeze the rice, how would you recommend heating it without a microwave? I usually put it on the stove with some water and heat it on low.
Thanks for any thoughts!
Hi Michelle! I get that question a lot about not using a microwave. Both in Japan and the US, a microwave is a common kitchen item so I never thought of other methods to defrost before. 🙂
The whole purpose is to keep the steam in the container while reheating. With a stovetop steamer, it works the same way. As Japanese short grain rice is “stickier” than other varieties of rice, I’m not sure how it will work steaming in the pot. Some might go waste (as it sticks to the bottom)? If you add more water, the texture changes… it’s a hard choice! 🙂
I always freeze my extra rice in BPA-free freezer bags. To re-heat, I just microwave the frozen rice in the bag, opening the bag just a little to vent. It take about 2 mins., depending on how much is in the bag. Always turns out perfect! My mother taught me this and we have been doing this for years.
Thank you for sharing your tip Pam!
Thanks for your post: Freezing sounds great and I’ve not done it. On another note you are who you are. You don’t need to be Japanese (although that part of you is great) nor do you need to be “American”. Your friends see you as whomever you are, not merely a representative of a culture. Get real !
Hello! Thank you so much for responding to my newsletter. 🙂 Yeah, I guess that’s the only way – I’ll be just ME! 🙂 Growing up in Japan, my mind thinks it’s much easier if I “fit in” to one group, but I have to cherish the fact that I can be just ME here in the US! 🙂 Thank you! Hope you try freezing the rice. It’s the best way! 🙂
Wow, thanks for the tip! I never thought about freezing it. When it is too warm outside to store it at room temperature, I refrigerate my rice. When I re-heat it, I sprinkle some water on top of the rice to moisten it before microwaving, and I keep it covered. I’ve found that method to work pretty well!
Hi Theresa! Yeah that’s what I hear from my readers too. It’s very common technique in Japan. Everyone freeze rice. 😀 I also thin sprinkling water works too. But with freezer method, you don’t have to use it within 2-3 days. That’s a real benefit for me. 🙂
Thank you! I’ve been storing at room temp for years, and have wasted a lot. I hate dry refrigerated rice! Freezing in single portions for various uses and of course onigiri really appeals to me. Thanks again!
Hi John! You MUST freeze next time. It really tastes like freshly steamed rice, and I do freeze the rice even I use it next day to pack my kids lunch. 🙂 Small portion works great as you don’t want to defrost a lot. I always have several rice containers in my freezer. 🙂
Intriguing. I see how the frozen dinners have better rice than my lunch at work the next day from homemade.
As an individual living solo, I’ve resorted to getting those vacuum sealed baggies. This will let me both eat more home cooked meals & spend less time in kitchen both with cooking & cleaning. Thank you.
Hi Cyndi! I hope you give it a try! It is really the only way that works for keeping for a long time (hence you don’t have to worry about last minute meal at home) and the perfect texture and taste. You won’t even notice it was frozen before. 🙂 Vacuum sealed rice is expensive and as long as I know they don’t use the high quality rice. So hope you give this a try! I think you’ll love it. 🙂
The vaccuum sealed is expensive. Even if I only cooked enough for 2 weeks, it would make after work meals so much easier. Between taking public transit an hour each way, time can be limited.
Does this work for all types of rice; i.e., white, brown, basmati, black, red?
Hi Cyndi! I assume so, but I don’t cook other types of rice and had never frozen it…so I am not 100% sure. Should work. 🙂
This is unbelivable! You read my mind! I was going to ask about rice storage.
Thank you very much!
xoxo
Kate Grabiszewski
Hi Kate! Hehee I get this question a lot… so now I can just send this link instead of answering one by one. 😉 Thank you for reading! This really works the best, and I hope you try!
I’ve been freezing cooked rice for ages. It’s a very practical thing to do.
So happy you already freeze rice too! 🙂
Dear Nami,
I like your website & appreciate your recipes. Please do your research on microwaves–I haven’t owned or used one for over 20 years because they are very harmful to your health & destroys the nutrients in your food!
http://blogs.naturalnews.com/science-shows-microwaved-food-might-bad-idea-health/
http://blogs.naturalnews.com/dangers-of-microwave-ovens-known-for-decades-were-once-banned-in-russia/
I don’t think these links will work, but please check Natural News or Mercola.com, or just google it, thanks.
Hi Marlene! Thank you so much for reading my blog. And thank you for sharing the links with me and JOC readers!
This is fantastic! I’m glad this post came around again because I had no idea I could do any of this! I figured I had to resign myself go fried rice-textured leftovers. Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth! It’s good to have an option to keep it longer, and not needing to use right away and enjoy it as white steamed rice. 🙂
Nice tip for your readers and to take as a practice for storing rice.
Just want to ask, what are your references that have done experiments on testing the quality of the rice between these methods? Are they your practice or were these actually published measurements from somewhere else? When people write that “experiments have shown…” makes me wonder who they reference, and often I would like to read up on that – I’m a scientist, curiosity is in my nature 😉
Hi Leo! It’s both my own experience as well as from Japanese articles I was reading prior to writing this post. My own experience is not technical – it’s very obvious if you compare rice stored differently. Texture, moisture level, and taste….
This is Japanese article with experiment. Maybe you can use a google chrome to translate?
http://style.nikkei.com/article/DGXDZO45591970R30C12A8W03201?channel=DF130120166128&style=1
There are so many online articles regarding how to store rice. 🙂
So you know: storing rice at room temperature is a bad idea. Rice normally contains bacillus cereus, and those spores survive the cooking process. So the recommendation is to store cooked rice above 140 F, or below 40 F within 2 hours of cooking. I know most of the time you won’t get food poisoning, but I hope you will edit this post anyways with the correct recommendation. Not everyone realizes that rice is often the cause of food poisoning.
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/can-reheating-rice-cause-food-poisoning.aspx?CategoryID=51
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/leftovers-and-food-safety/ct_index
https://www.foodsafety.gov/poisoning/causes/bacteriaviruses/bcereus/
http://www.foodsafety.govt.nz/elibrary/industry/safe_cooling-cooked_rice.htm
Thank you Kelly for sharing the links with me and JOC readers!
Many JOC readers told me they keep rice at room temperature, in rice cooker, or in refrigerator, so I wanted to write this post to recommend freezing rice.
As you might already know, Japanese has bento culture where we keep rice AT ROOM TEMPERATURE for several hours. All kids (or even adults) bring their lunch box to school and keep it at room temperature. Moms cook 5 or 6 AM and kids eat around noon. We do pay special attention on how to keep the rice and food safe (with salt, pickled plum, etc), but it’s been done for many years. So I cannot say we can’t keep it at room temperature. But we need to keep it safe by keeping it in relatively cooler place or including foods that will avoid going bad. Most people in Japan freeze rice if they don’t use it for later use. Just the bento is exception. 🙂
What is the best way to reheat rice without a microwave? We do not have one. I’d really appreciate any suggestions you might have. Thanks very much – Kathleen
Hi Kathleen! You can steam it. The rice might stick to the pan, but that’s the most natural way to bring it back to the best quality. 🙂
I learned to store cooked rice by freezing it when we lived in Japan. My son regularly makes more rice than we will eat at a meal so he can freeze and have it available for his lunch for a few days. We love it!
Hi Joanne! I’m glad you’re already doing this! Yes, most Japanese know the best way to store rice is freezing it but I learned from my readers that it wasn’t the first choice for most people to think when it comes to storing rice. 🙂
Hi NAMI,
What about if you do not have a microwave?
Also , how long does it take to thaw to make fried rice?
Thank you,
Karen
Hi Karen! I recommend steaming it for regular use. Not as easy as microwaving it, but I understand people prefer not using a microwave and some people don’t own one.
If you make fried rice, then it might be good idea to defrost completely. I’m not sure how long it takes, but if you do so inside the fridge, it’ll require at least overnight. 🙂
Great! We always have too much rice since there are only two of us. I always put it in the refrigerator and we microwave it with a little added water and a damp paper towel over it. But this sounds like it will last a lot longer and stay fresher. Thank you for the tip!
BTW, there has been a lot of research done on people who have moved to other countries when they were young and grown up as transcultural. I was one of those kids. My parents moved us to the island of Saipan from Kansas City, Missouri when I was 8, then I went to Japan for high school. When I came back to the US for college, it was like living in a foreign country! I’m used to it now (32 years later), but it was like reverse culture shock coming back to the US. Let me know if you want to read some of the research on transcultural kids.
Hi Laurie! I’m glad the tip was helpful. Hope you give it a try. 🙂
Thank you for responding to my newsletter! I’m kind of jealous of your multicultural experience growing up in different places! I can imagine the reverse culture shock you had back “home”. 🙂 If you don’t mind, I’d love to know some articles/books you recommend. 🙂
Happy belated birthday Nami! Thanks for introducing me to Japanese cooking. I’m very pleased with all the recipes I have tried from your blog. I look forward to more recipes/videos/vlogs/travel journals/reviews from you. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your birthday wishes, Carrie!!! xo!!! I’m happy to hear you enjoy my blog and thank you for reading my posts, watching my videos, and trying out my recipes!
Great idea to freeze rice! I’ve usually refrigerated leftover rice, but no more. 🙂
I use a lot of rice and, when alone, oft cook for 3-4 meals . . . your freezer tip is most useful as I normally store leftover rice in the fridge! Am very careful not to leave it out as badly kept grain can actually make on quite ill! Hmm: I am Estonian-born and arrived in Australia as a child . . . have lived all my life here and my children are certainly Australians. I prefer to say I am an Australian of Estonian background or heritage . . . ie, especially as I get older I DO feel an atavistic connection with birth count . . . . no problems tho’ sitting on a swinging garden gate 🙂 !
Just quickly read some of the comments on microwaves and as a doctor and nutritionist fully agree! I may use my microwave to warm a heatpad or heat up a drink quickly – I would not dream of ruining my health by using it for food! Ever!!!!
Hi Eha! Glad to hear you already keep your extra rice in your freezer. 🙂
I wonder what makes us feel more connected to our original country as we get older. It’s interesting. I feel more and more that Japanese food suits me most. Maybe because of the food I grew up with that my body feels comfort. 🙂
Thanks for the warning on the microwave option. I use it for the convenience to heat up leftover food. It’s best to avoid as much as we could. I wish we have another quick and easy way to reheat our leftover food. 🙁
I store my extra rice in zip lock freezer bags. Then we just open it just a little (to vent) and throw it in the microwave. Easy peasy!
Hi Debbie! The best part about that option is that it’s flat and you can pack more in your freezer! Only negative part for me is that it’s costly (unless you reuse it…). 😀
Qvc.com sells 30oz. BPA & Phthalate free sets of 5 mugs with vents for freezing & microwaving cooked rice item #K-44891 by Sistema in 6 colors. I am very happy with mine. they freeze well & are dishwasher safe. the vent will hold a straw for beverages.Hope this info is helpful. thought I knew all about cooking in my 78 years but have learned much more from your informative blog.Thanks so much!
Nancy White
Hi Nancy! Thank you for your tip with me and JOC readers! I’m so happy to hear you read my blog and thank you for following! 🙂 xo
Hi,
I don’t have a microwave, but my Oven has a Defrost-Function, can I use that instead of the microwave? Or how can I defrost my Rice for Onigiri another way? Thank you for all your informations and recipes!
Lovely greetings from Germany
Hi Etama! I believe so! I don’t know how long it takes, but make sure that rice doesn’t get dried out during this process. Once it’s defrosted, you’ll need to heat up to make onigiri. It’s almost impossible to make onigiri with cold rice. Do you use a steamer or pot with a bit of water maybe? I personally do not like using a pot to reheat/steam because the rice sticks to the pot…. 🙂
Interesting post. Thank you for your advices. ☺
I have been eating rice all my life (60+ years) and this was the first time I have heard of freezing it for storage. Thank you for sharing this fantastic tip!
Hi Lester! I hope this tip was helpful and you can try it out! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this. I have never tried this but will start tonight. I just love your website. Arigato Goziaimasu~!
Thank you Nanette! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy my blog! Hope this rice freezing technique work for you. 🙂
I’m late opening my emails, so it’s a belated birthday greeting from me Nami. I’m sure you had a nice time celebrating your birthday! Xoxo
Hi Ava! Aw thank you!! I’m so happy that you’re subscribing and reading my newsletter. Thank you for your well wishes! I’m also behind in responding too – sorry about that. 🙂 xoxo
Thank you. I am going to try zip lock bags. I also have some sweet glutinous cooked rice in coconut milk so I will freeze that in glad wrap too.
Hi Catherine! Good luck! Hope you will like this method! 🙂
Naomi san, I usually keep leftover rice in the fridge and reheat it with a rice cooker using “Quick Cook” function, does it work this way?
Hi Terry! Quick cook function is for cooking from uncooked rice, I think??? I use quick cook when I forgot to cook rice. 😀
I never thought to freeze rice, but now I will definitely try it! By the way, some of the products you linked are out of stock 🙁
Hi Shelly! Freezing is THE BEST way to keep the rice still moist and fresh. I hope you give it a try! Thanks so much for letting me know. Hopefully they will restock… as the product link will never change, I’ll keep the link as it is. You can buy one size up, too. The one I have is for Japanese rice bowl size (small – perfect for kids’ rice portion). 🙂
Excellent post. Exactly what I was looking for.
Hi Judd! I’m so happy to hear that. 🙂
This is a great idea and I also read that freezing also stops growth of bacillus cereus which is naturally present in rice. This is why three days in the refrigerator is the maximum you should keep rice and freezing is actually the better option. Your tip is giving us better tasting food and keeping us all healthy, so thank you!
Hi Roy! Thank you for your kind comment. We always freeze rice, even though we eat the following day. Best way to keep the flavor and texture I think. 🙂
Any readers in Australia know where I can buy, in store or online, ther Pyrex containere and lids???
Hi Brendan! Sorry you can’t find them. Hope you can find something that will work. If not, open the lid and cover with a damp paper towel over rice to defrost. That should work too. 🙂
Thank you for that tip! I love Japanese cuisine but I’m single so cooking rice for just one person is a chore. I had no idea I can freeze it without loosing quality. This is such a good news to me. I’m going to use the cling foil for now as I have rather small freezer but I’m thinking about taking rice slightly earlier and thaw it just a little bit to be able to unwrap the foil and then transfer to a bowl and cover it with a lid so the moisture stays in. Anyway, thanks for all your recipes and tips!
Hi Yanna! I was surprised that a lot of my readers didn’t think about freezing rice, so I was happy to share this info with everyone (it’s common in Japan). 🙂 I mentioned to another reader above you, but you can also cover with a damp paper towel to defrost. When I was single, I used to use the single container for freezing, and use it as my rice bowl….. so I can only wash one “bowl”…. 😀 he hee. Hope your rice making and freezing got easier. It’s good to have rice in freezer for the time you’re hungry. 🙂
Oooooooooh the damp paper towel idea is brilliant too! Thank you so very much! You’re a mine of excellent ideas to me 🙂 I already fell in love with Bulgogi Onigirazu and eat it probably more than any other food. I’m considering buying this glass container you mentioned in your article too, it takes more space in a freezer but as you said I could use it as a rice bowl and it’s reusable and glass – less rubbish, no bpa. Anyway thank you so much for your website it gives me inspiration and guidance into Japanese cuisine which is my current culinary love.
Hope that will work! So happy to hear you like bulgogi onigirazu recipe! I love that bulgogi recipe I should feature just by itself too…
If you buy glass containers, get one size up. This size works for my kids’ lunch box, but after being microwaved, it’s so hot and hard to grab (since it’s small) to open the lid…
This is a great article! We’re a family of 2 and whenever I make rice in the rice cooker, half ends up in the trash. I started buying these frozen packets of rice from m Trader Joe’s. Less economical, but convenient and way less wasted. But with the help of your article, I can make my own packets and zap them when needed. Economical, no waste, and convenient. It’s a win win! Thank you!
Hi Nancy! Oh you’ll love freezing rice and defrosted rice. So fluffy, just like freshly cooked rice. No more expensive TJ rice or throwing away leftover. 🙂 Hope you gave it a try! xo
What is the largest glass bowl with vent can you buy and where. Also can you freeze a rice, chicken. And d cream of mushroom soup together
Hi Harvey! I’m not too sure – they don’t seem to have a largest one with vent. 🙁 Yes you can freeze rice that contains chicken (like Japanese mixed rice for example). Or did you mean the chicken by itself? Sure!
I don’t have a microwave. Is there another way to heat up frozen rice?
Hi Maggie! Someone asked me the same question too. Do you have a steamer? You could steam the frozen rice but I wonder if that’s a better approach to save time than cooking rice on stovetop…
Hi, Nami.
Can you freeze sushi rice?
Hi Shuni! Yes, you can. 🙂
Hi!
You mention the microwave to defrost but I don’t have any (don’t like them) and I have no idea how to reheat the frozen rice without spoiling it…
Thanks!
Regards
Marcela
PS: love your site. very useful!
Sorry! did not read before writing! you had already answer to several people. About steaming in a pot, I did and it takes too long and it sticks horribly, so I would not recommend it. I’m gonna try on a bamboo steamer over a boiling water pot… keeping it in its plastic wrap
Hi Marcela! Thank you for reading my blog! Yeah I can imagine the rice sticking to the pot, so it should be steamed in a steamer instead of direct pot. Sorry I couldn’t get back to you sooner…
What about storing rice in 2.5 oz servings in classic fold-and-close sandwich bags? I also do one minute on high in an 1100w microwave. Is the quality remarkably different if I do it this way?
Hi Chuck! I highly recommend using air-tight bag instead of fold-and-close sandwich bag because the rice will dry out when the air gets inside. 🙂
On other thing: when I nuke it on high for a minute, I’ve ben doing it uncovered, on a small plate or in a cereal bowl. Is this OK, or definitely not OK? Thanks!
It’s best to cover so that the rice can be steamed. If don’t have a cover/lid that has holes, you can use a dump paper towel to cover instead. 🙂
Thanks, Nami, for the tips.
I’m going to try this. My son and his babysitter are here all day while I work, and I want him to have plenty of nutrition (even though the sitter doesn’t know how to cook). Space is at a premium in my freezer, so I will have to use plastic bags, but I might use wax paper to protect the plastic from the heat so I can pack it sooner.. Thank you!!
Hi Bili! Hope it will work it out for you! 🙂
a wet paper towel over the rice in the microwave creates a steaming effect over the rice comes out steamy everytime.
Hi Brad! Indeed! Thank you for sharing your tip with us!
I had no idea I could freeze rice! Thank you so much! If it doesn’t affect quality like you say then meals have just gotten a million times easier!
Hi Anon! Oh yes!! You’ll be shocked. 😉 Don’t ever put it in the refrigerator… We always keep individual rice portion in freezer so we can eat fresh rice anytime!
Hi Nami, usefull post,again! Ibwas wondering about Rice i made for sushi. Do you prepare the Rice with the sushi seasonings and then freeze it do you can use it for say onigiri later? Or do you freeze the rice Ans add sushi seasonings later? Thanks!
Hi Nienke! I do it later. Whenever I freeze rice, it’s always simple steamed rice. If I need to make it into sushi rice, then I would add sushi seasonings later. We do not use sushi rice for onigiri, always plain steamed rice. 🙂