A slow cooker can cook white rice, although timing and texture vary considerably by cooker and batch size. A rice cooker or saucepan is usually more predictable for a small amount.

Recipe at a glance

Yield: about 3 cups cooked rice; varies
Timing: use the stages and doneness cues below; yield and timing have not been kitchen-verified in this audit.

Estimated prep time: 5 minutes
Estimated cooking/resting: about 1 1/2 hours; cooker-dependent
Total time: includes the preparation, cooking, and resting stages above.
Difficulty: Level 2 — Easy ■■□□□
Cost: Level 1 — Budget $$$$$

Ingredients

• 1 cup white rice
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• A small pinch of salt, or to taste

Instructions

1. Check that your slow cooker permits this quantity and cooking method. Rinse rice if its package recommends it; unnecessary rinsing can remove added surface nutrients from enriched rice. Drain well.
2. Put rice, water, butter, and salt in the cooker and stir. Cover.
3. Cook on High, beginning to check around 1 1/2 hours, until the grains are tender and the liquid is absorbed. Do not assume that all models take the same time or cannot scorch.
4. Fluff gently and serve.

Cook’s notes

Do not apply the former brown-rice-on-Low timing to every cooker; use a tested brown-rice method instead. Stock may replace water where suitable, with salt adjusted. Refrigerate leftover rice promptly in shallow containers; do not leave it cooling for hours in a switched-off cooker.

Serving suggestions

Serve with beans, vegetables, or a sauced main dish.

Beverage suggestions

Water or unsweetened tea is a simple accompaniment.