How to Reheat Rice on a Stove

Having rice in meals are tradition and custom in most Asian cuisines. There is always a cup of rice together with a meal that people enjoy.

Now rice can also be cooked in so many ways, such as fried, steamed, or garlic rice. Cooking has become easy for households because of the convenience of a rice cooker.

You can also use a microwave for fast reheating of rice.

And it can also be stored in an airtight container so it can be consumed at a later period. But when it is stored, it can lose its moisture and will become dry.

Reheating rice to be as good as new will just be a breeze by just following the steps below.

Best Stove-top Methods For Reheating Rice – (Top 7 Ways in 2024)

It doesn’t matter whether you’re reheating brown rice, jasmine, basmati, or white rice; you still need to follow these tips to ensure that your reheated rice turns out perfect every time. This is also a way you can use when you want warm rice for a large group of guests.

1. How Do I Reheat Rice On Gas Hob?

To reheat rice in a pot on the stove or gas hob, plan how much you have and select an appropriately sized pot. If you have a large amount (see how much rice per person for a party), then try using a dutch oven. This can even be done over a campfire or at a picnic using a portable grill.

1.  Add 3 dessert spoons of water per bowl of rice – or use some chicken broth for seasoning – See how to season rice without salt.
2. Put the rice into the camp or dutch oven or big pot (I am assuming you have a lot of rice to reheat)
3. Use a fork to separate clumps or rice
4. Put on a pot lid
5. On low to medium gas setting reheat
6. Check after 2 minutes and stir using a wooden spoon gently
7. Check again after another 2 minutes and stir, this time make sure you move the rice off the bottom of the skillet to prevent sticking
8. Check the rice for the right temperature and take off the heat. 

See how to test your rice is really ready to eat and is done.

2. Steps on How to Reheat Rice On A Stove In A Sauce Pan

Reheating cooked rice on a stove can be an easy task. No need for complicated techniques just follow simple steps but still maintain the quality and texture as it was first cooked.

3. How To Reheat Rice On A Gas Stove In A Skillet

To reheat rice in a cast iron skillet on the stove, use about four tablespoons of water per bowl of cooked rice, plus stir well. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Stir occasionally during the final few minutes of heating. This method works best with white rice and brown rice. You might want to try adding some salt to the rice just before serving to give it some flavor.

4. Other Ways to Reheat Rice Using The Stove Top

There are other ways to reheat rice and can even elevate it to another level. A bowl of simple rice can go a long way and become sophisticated with just some additional ingredients.

5. Fried Rice

Chop up some garlic and onion and sauté them for 2-3 minutes in a frying pan. Add the rice and ensure to stir vigorously to breakdown it down and avoid clumps.

Fried rice can be versatile and any ingredients such as corn cobs, green peas, chopped-up carrots, or even a scrambled egg will do.

Add a little soy sauce, salt, and pepper to complete the meal. Stir in low heat and cover the pan for 5 minutes to let the rice absorb all the other flavors.

Finish up by dishing it in a bowl and ready to serve.

6. Garlic Rice

Butter and crushed garlic will make any leftover rice delicious to eat. Instead of oil, use butter to warm up the skillet.

The crushed garlic will add flavor to the rice as it is stirred throughout. Adding more butter will give it a softer texture.

7. Use the Stove to Steam and Reheat Rice

Aside from the traditional cooking of rice through boiling or using a rice cooker, rice can also be cooked by a steaming method using a stove.

Steaming rice does not require too much water and mostly relies on heat vapors to cook the rice. But it does not achieve the same quality as boiling rice. The result will be a softer texture like that of sushi rice.

It is also versatile in that instead of water, steamed rice can use chicken, pork, or vegetable stocks.

If you are reheating rice using this method, check the rice after 3 and 6 minutes – it is likely to be ready.

For extra flavor, salt, butter, or oil can be added as well. It is just important to wash and rinse the rice before steaming.

This process may take 2-3 times to ensure a higher quality of rice.

Rice and water ratio will be 1:2 and this can already serve 2-3 persons. It just needs to be cooked in high heat for about 20-30 minutes.

Before serving, turn off the heat and let the rice sit inside for 5 minutes. Cooking rice has never been more simple and more convenient by just following these simple steps.

If there are some clumps present after re-steaming, stir very gently during the reheating process to carefully break them into smaller chunks. or individual rice grains.

How Do You Reheat Rice Without Drying It Out

 Make sure you put a lid or top onto the pot. If you do not a lid, you can put some aluminum foil over the skillet or pot. Keeping the steam inside the pot is the best way to stop the rice from drying out.

What’s the Best Way to Reheat Wok-Fried Rice?

Woks, are usually quite thin – so use very low heat when reheating rice in a wok (even an electric wok with a lid) as the rice will dry out and become hard and unpleasant to eat. Also, the wok cooking process requires regular stirring every 15 to 30 seconds. It only takes 30 seconds for almost 100% of the rice touching the bottom of the wok to get dry and hard without stirring.

Can You Reheat Rice in the Microwave?

The trusty kitchen microwave companion does a quick and safe job when you want to reheat rice quickly.

Conclusion

Reheating rice on the stovetop is an excellent method for preparing leftover rice. This method is ideal for busy families who don’t have much time to spend preparing meals.

That’s why we put together this guide to help you reheat rice properly on the kitchen stove. We tested out several different ways to reheat rice, including steaming, boiling, microwaving, and even baking it, and cover these in other separate posts. Each method worked well for us, and each one produced fluffy rice every single time.