How to: Freeze Rice

Ingredients

• Cooked rice

Instructions

1. Cook the rice. The next time you cook rice for a recipe, cook double with the intent of freezing half. Or, cook a big pot on the weekend and freeze it for use later in the week (or weeks to come).
2. Cool the rice. It’s important to let the rice cool quickly and completely in the refrigerator before freezing. This will help keep the grains separate instead of freezing in one sticky clump. Properly cooling your rice is also an important step to maintain food safety. Either divide the rice into smaller portions, or spread it out onto something like a baking sheet so that it has more surface area and cools faster. Always cool the rice in the refrigerator, not at room temperature, which will increase the risk of food poisoning.
3. Portion and freeze. It’s a good idea to freeze the rice in portions that you would normally use for one or two meals. I freeze my rice in two cup portions, which will supply me with two meals worth of rice. If you have a family of four, you may consider freezing in 4-6 cup portions, so that you can just thaw the amount needed for one dinner. I like to freeze in quart-sized freezer bags, and gallon-sized for larger portions. I find that their minimal shape helps me fit more in the freezer. Resealable plastic containers are also great because they’re reusable and many are BPA free.
4. Reheat the rice. To reheat the rice, I simply tear away the freezer bag and dump the rice in a bowl, or open up the resealable plastic container and microwave until it’s heated through. I like to place a lid loosely over top of whatever container I’m using while reheating to help keep moisture in. And, as always with microwaving, it’s a good idea to stir a couple times in the middle of reheating to make sure everything heats evenly.