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Learn how to make perfect basmati rice just like your favorite Indian restaurant! This fluffy, fragrant rice is easy to achieve at home with my method.
Growing up in an Indian/Pakistani household, it’s a smell that I still find comforting to this day. And if you’ve ever been to an Indian restaurant, you know what I’m talking about.
The minute they set that dish of basmati rice down, the steam rises from the bowl and wraps you in it in the coziest of ways.
And my method is perfection. My roots go back to India and Pakistan, so needless to say, this is how you make a perfect pot of rice.
It’s ideal to serve with homemade curries, stews, and even with some daal.
I’ve been struggling to make fluffy basmati rice for a while and thought I’d try this recipe. Can only describe it in one word… Perfect! The rice came out fluffy and individual just as it would be if it came from an Indian restaurant!
Recipe Tip
The key to making perfectly fluffy basmati rice is to soak it as you would beans and cook it like you would pasta.
Here’s why you need to soak your rice like beans:
Just like when you’re working with dried beans, soaking the rice ahead of time in room temperature water allows the rice to absorb some of the water. Thus decreases the amount of time you’d need to boil the rice.
Ingredients to make perfect basmati rice
- Basmati rice: You want to use a long grain basmati rice for this recipe. A lot of mainstream grocery stores now carry Indian brands of rice. This is my favorite brand to use. It has been my go-to basmati rice for the last 10 years. It is almost double the cost online, so if you have an Indian store close by, look for it there.
- Water: Don’t be alarmed; my recipe uses enough water to cover the top of the rice and then another 2-3 inches above that. We’re draining rice in a colander afterwards, so don’t worry if it sounds like a lot of liquid.
- Salt: I exclusively use kosher salt at home and suggest the quantity to use for that. If you use table salt, you’ll want to use less so that the rice isn’t too salty.
- White Vinegar: helps cut the starch in the rice so that each of the rice grains stand tall but are also perfectly tender.
- Oil: You can use any oil you like. We drizzle it in the pot before we steam the rice. Ghee or butter also work and would give the rice additional flavor.
Recipe Tip
Adding a tablespoon of vinegar to the water when boiling basmati rice keeps the rice starches from sticking together. That way, you have fluffy rice that separates easily and doesn’t stick together.
How to make perfect basmati rice
- Rinse and soak. Rinse it under cold running water for a few minutes until the water runs clear. This technique rinses out and cleans some of the starch that coats the grain of rice. Then, add the rice to a bowl and fill the bowl with cold water. Allow the rice to soak in cold water for at least 30-45 minutes. Soaking the rice reduces the amount of time required to boil the rice later.
- Boil the rice. Towards the end of the soaking time, add the water to a 3-quart saucepan and bring it to a boil. When the water boils, reduce the heat to low for a second and add the salt and vinegar. Be careful! The water is going to start boiling rapidly at that point if you don’t lower the heat. Drain the rice and add to the boiling water. Cook until the rice is just a hair underdone to your ideal preference. Drain in the mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water. Rinsing the rice here removes any remaining starch that may be on the outer surface of the rice. Allow the rice to drain while you prepare the saucepan.
- Steam the rice. Make sure there’s no water remaining in the saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat, drizzle with oil and let it heat through. Add the rice back to the pot, cover with a tight fitting lid and lower the heat setting to medium-low. Allow the rice to steam for several minutes. Then turn off the heat and let them rest for 5 minute before fluffing with a fork.
FAQs about this recipe
Nope, you don’t! However, you do need to increase the water a little bit. For 1 cup of dry basmati rice, I use 8 cups of water. For 2 cups of rice, I use 10 cups of water. So for every additional cup of rice, you’ll add 2 cups of water.
This is something that is done to give the rice a more fragrant aroma and flavor. You can 1 stick of cinnamon, 5-10 black peppercorns, 3-5 whole cloves, 1 star anise, 1 bay leaf, 3 green bay leaf, and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds when the water is boiling. Pick out the whole spices before eating, or use a spice ball to make them easier to remove!
Yes, you can! You can place the rice in an airtight container and freeze it, or you can place it in a zip-top bag and freeze it flat. I do find that the rice does break a little when you freeze it. However, flavor-wise, it’s absolutely fine.
Recipes to serve with basmati rice
- The BEST Butter Chicken
- Homemade Palak Paneer (Saag Paneer)
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- 30-Minute Spicy Shrimp Masala
- 30-Minute Garlic Brown Lentil Dal
- Weeknight Chana Masala Rice Bowls
How to Make Perfect Basmati Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain basmati rice
- 8 cups water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons oil
Instructions
- RINSE AND SOAK: Place the rice in a mesh sieve. Rinse under cold running water for at least 2-3 minutes. When the water runs clear, place the rice in a medium bowl and fill the bowl up with cold water. You want there to be at least 3 cups of water for 1 cup of rice. Allow the rice to soak for 30-45 minutes. During the last 15 minutes, bring the 8 cups of water to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan (or larger.)
- BOIL: When the water is boiling, lower the heat for just a second and add the salt and vinegar. Once the ingredients are added, kick the heat back up to medium-high. Drain the rice using a sieve. Add the rice to the boiling water and cook for 5-9 minutes. Check the rice every minute after the 5 minutes are up. You want it to be a hair underdone to your ideal preference. If you prefer softer rice, it’ll take you closer to 6-9 minutes. For a more al dente rice, aim for 4-6 minutes. Drain the rice in the same mesh sieve and do a quick rinse under cold running water. Let the rice drain while you prepare the saucepan.
- STEAM: Make sure there’s no water remaining in the saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and drizzle with oil. Add drained rice to the pot, cover with a tight fitting lid and lower the heat to medium-low. Listen to the rice to see when it just starts to gently sizzle. That’s when you can lower the heat to the lowest setting and continue to steam the rice for 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the rice to sit for 5 minutes before plating and serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This? Leave a comment & rating below!
Nailed it. Better than the restaurant because it’s homemade! Absolutely perfect.
Watch the vinegar though cause you can taste it in the rice.
When I opened the lid, it was awesome! I thought no way, it’s exactly like the restaurant version! Perfect! And so easy to do!
I’ve tried so many recipes to try and replicate restaurant style basmati, this is the first one that’s been perfect, I’m so pleased, thank you!
This looks like a great make ahead recipe. Do you think cooling and storing the rice before the last steaming step will offer a way to gently reheat the rice later? Thank you for your wonderful step by step instructions!
I would just cooking them all the way through to the end of the recipe and then reheat in the microwave with 1-2 tablespoons of water drizzled on top. Basmati rice usually stays nice and fluffy and the water helps steam it and bring it back to life 🙂
Wow this is my new favorite rice. I’ve made it twice in the past three nights.
I love basmati rice and I doubted this recipe but it was perfect- better than any other times I have made it. Try it!
I’ve been struggling to make fluffy basmati rice for a while and thought I’d try this recipe. Can only describe it in one word… Perfect! The rice came out fluffy and individual just as it would be if it came from an Indian restaurant!
So glad you were able to get that rice perfect, Charlie! Thank you for circling back to leave a review 🙂
Hi I was wondering if following this recipe, I’d lose the aroma of basmati rice. As use of vinegar plus rinses after it’s boiled. Do I not wash away all the aromas?
The joy of basmati it the comforting aroma
Came out perfect! A little complicated to keep track of the first time around, but I think it will be easy now that I know the process. And I retyped it on my own recipe card in a format I’m used to. I used 1/2 tsp cumin seed. I didn’t have a sieve then — now I do 🙂 — so I laid cheesecloth in a colander. A little harder to deal with (took two people, 4 hands) but it worked. Sieve will be easier. Thanks for telling us how to make it like the Indian restaurant does!
I want to make 2 cups of rice, do I need to double the amount of water?
Will this same recipe work for brown basmati rice?
Hi Rick! Great question! This method would also work for brown basmati rice. However, I do suggest soaking the rice for longer (about 1 hour, if time permits) before boiling. Brown rice naturally takes longer to boil, but soaking it before boiling should cut the time it typically takes by about half. I’d start checking for doneness around 12 minutes; I haven’t tested it, but I would think it would take somewhere between 14-22 minutes. Hope that helps!