How much salt to add to rice?

Cooking rice can be a difficult task, especially if you don’t have cooking experience. Luckily, there are solutions in the form of rice cookers for that problem.

However, when it comes to adding the salt, how much should be added? Is there also a machine for that?

Unfortunately not. Salting rice can be a challenge for many people, who struggle to find a simple formula that works every time. Luckily, there is still an easy way to do it!

How much salt should be added to rice?

The trick to salting rice is in the ratio of water and rice. In most cases, 1 teaspoon of salt is enough to adequately flavor 1 cup of rice in 2 cups of water. This ratio is the best to start with for any type of rice, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

How much salt should I use for rice?

Rice plays an integral role in countless delicious recipes, and cooking it requires both skill and intuition, which fortunately can be learned with practice and training.

If you want to salt your rice, you must first learn how to cook it properly so you don’t end up with overly salty undercooked rice or undersalted overcooked rice.

The best way to do this is to follow a very simple ratio: for every cup of rice, use 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt.  This ratio will give you a good starting point for any type of rice.

Some long-grain rices may cook more slowly and require a little more salt, while other delicate grains may cook more quickly but won’t require as much salt.

But do not worry; these little details will make more sense and come in handy when you master the skill of cooking rice.

For casual home cooks, small discrepancies won’t matter at all and if you use any commercial rice grain for everyday use, you can easily use the formula mentioned above to cook your rice without issue.

How to cook rice

Now that we know a simple and easy ratio to get delicious and easy rice, let’s review how to cook it!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of uncooked rice
• 2 cups of water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Soak the rice in room temperature water for about 15-30 minutes. This step will make the rice bloom and will also release excess starch, making the rice absorb salt more effectively.
• We recommend that you rinse the rice at least 2-3 times after soaking and before cooking. 
• In a small pot, fill 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the salt to the water and mix until completely dissolved. 
• Add the rice and cook undisturbed over medium-high heat with the lid on until the water has almost evaporated or for 8-10 minutes. 
• Lower the heat and check the rice by moving some of the sides of the pot to see if there is any water left in the bottom. The bottom should have just a little bit of liquid. 
• Cover the pot with the lid and cook the rice for 2-3 minutes over very low heat. This step is important, as you will finish cooking the rice using the steam. 
• Once cooked, turn off the heat, open the lid to let the steam out and let the rice rest for 5 minutes. 
• Serve it hot and enjoy wonderfully scented and properly salted rice! 

Related questions

Now that we’ve gone over the perfect salt ratio for rice, here are some other related questions!

Can rice be salted after it has been cooked?

No. This method is not recommended as it will not adequately and properly salt the rice and you could end up overcooking it by trying to mix the salt into the rice after it has cooked.

Can I drain the excess water after the rice is well cooked?

Yes. If the rice is well cooked and each grain is separate, you can drain the excess water and allow the rice to steam as mentioned in the previous recipe.