How to Cook {and FREEZE} Brown Rice! Healthy Meal Prep

cooking rice in oven

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Carbs
are
my
jam.
Whether
it’s
pasta,
bread,
or
grains,
I
can’t
get
enough.
But
here’s
the
thing—I
like
to
keep
my
carb
intake
on
the
healthier
side.
That’s
why
brown
rice
has
become
a
staple
in
my
kitchen.
I
use
it
as
a
base
for
so
many
of
my
favorite
meals.

Think
burrito
bowls,
stir-fries,
and
even
some
creative
twists
on
classic
dishes
like
salmon
and
spicy
chicken
thighs.
Yum!
And
today
I’m
sharing
my
tips
and
tricks
with
you.


The
Perfect
Brown
Rice:
Cook,
Freeze,
and
Reheat
for
Easy
Meal
Prep


Brown
rice
is
a
healthy
and
versatile
staple
that
pairs
well
with
a
wide
range
of
dishes,
from
burrito
bowls
to
stir-fries.
With
a
bit
of
prep,
you
can
cook
and
freeze
brown
rice
ahead
of
time,
making
it
easy
to
pull
together
quick,
wholesome
meals
throughout
the
week.


Prep
Time



5

minutes


Cook
Time



45

minutes


Course


Side
Dish


Cuisine


Global


Servings



4


Cups


Calories



215


kcal

  • 1
    Medium
    saucepan
    with
    lid

  • 1
    Measuring
    cups

  • 1
    Fine-mesh
    strainer

  • 1
    Fork

    (for
    fluffing)

  • 1
    Baking
    sheet

    (optional,
    for
    freezing)

  • 1
    Freezer
    bags
    or
    airtight
    containers

    (for
    storage)


  • 1


    cup


    brown
    rice

  • 2
    ½


    cups


    water

  • 1


    teaspoon


    salt


    (optional)


  • Rinse
    the
    Rice:

    Rinse
    1
    cup
    of
    brown
    rice
    under
    cold
    water
    using
    a
    fine-mesh
    strainer
    to
    remove
    excess
    starch.
    This
    helps
    prevent
    the
    rice
    from
    becoming
    sticky
    during
    cooking.



  • Cook
    the
    Rice:

    In
    a
    medium
    saucepan,
    bring
    2
    ½
    cups
    of
    water
    to
    a
    boil.
    Add
    1
    teaspoon
    of
    salt
    if
    desired
    for
    flavor.Once
    the
    water
    is
    boiling,
    stir
    in
    the
    rinsed
    brown
    rice.
    Lower
    the
    heat
    to
    a
    simmer,
    cover
    with
    a
    lid,
    and
    cook
    for
    45
    minutes.
    Avoid
    lifting
    the
    lid
    during
    this
    time
    to
    allow
    proper
    steaming.



  • Let
    it
    Rest:

    After
    45
    minutes,
    turn
    off
    the
    heat
    and
    let
    the
    rice
    sit,
    covered,
    for
    an
    additional
    10
    minutes.
    This
    allows
    the
    rice
    to
    fully
    absorb
    any
    remaining
    steam
    for
    a
    fluffy
    texture.



  • Fluff
    the
    Rice:

    Use
    a
    fork
    to
    fluff
    the
    rice.
    If
    you’re
    freezing
    it,
    spread
    the
    cooked
    rice
    onto
    a
    baking
    sheet
    to
    cool
    completely
    before
    dividing
    it
    into
    portions.



  • Freezing
    the
    Rice:

    Once
    cooled,
    portion
    the
    rice
    into
    freezer
    bags
    or
    airtight
    containers.
    Press
    the
    bags
    flat
    to
    remove
    as
    much
    air
    as
    possible
    before
    sealing.
    Label
    and
    freeze
    the
    rice
    for
    up
    to
    3
    months.



  • Reheating
    Frozen
    Rice:

    To
    reheat,
    microwave
    the
    frozen
    rice
    for
    1-2
    minutes,
    or
    heat
    on
    the
    stovetop
    with
    a
    splash
    of
    water
    until
    warm.


Give
this
brown
rice
cooking
and
freezing
method
a
try!
Whether
you’re
using
it
for
quick
burrito
bowls,
stir-fries,
or
as
a
side
to
your
favorite
dishes,
I’d
love
to
hear
how
it
works
for
you.
Share
your
feedback
or
any
creative
twists
you’ve
added
to
the
recipe!


Keyword


Brown
Rice,
Healthy
Carbs,
Meal
Prep,
Side
Dish,
Whole
Grains



*Thoroughly
rinse
the
rice
to
avoid
excess
starch
build-up,
which
can
make
rice
sticky.

For
extra
flavor,
cook
the
rice
in
vegetable
or
chicken
broth
instead
of
water.


Nutritional
Information
(Per
Serving)


Nutrient

Amount
per
Serving
Calories 215
kcal
Carbohydrates 45g
Protein 5g
Fat 1.5g


Get
the
Most
of
the
Pre-cooked
Rice

Quick Meal Ideas with Pre-cooked Brown Rice

Having
pre-cooked
brown
rice
on
hand
opens
up
a
world
of
quick
and
delicious
meal
options.
Here
are
some
of
my
go-to
ideas:


Recipe

Main
Components


Burrito
Bowls

Base
:
Generous
scoop
of
brown
rice


Add-Ins
:
Black
beans,
grilled
vegetables,
avocado,
salsa,
sprinkle
of
cheese


Top
It
Off
:
Dollop
of
sour
cream
or
a
squeeze
of
lime
juice



Stir-Fries

Protein
:
Choose
your
favorite—chicken,
beef,
tofu,
or
shrimp


Veggies
:
Bell
peppers,
broccoli,
carrots,
snap
peas


Sauce
:
Mix
of
soy
sauce,
garlic,
ginger,
touch
of
honey


Simple
Salmon
or
Spicy
Chicken
Thighs

Side
:
Brown
rice
and
steamed
veggies


Flavor
Boost
:
Drizzle
with
teriyaki
sauce
or
your
favorite
marinade


Stuffed
Peppers

Fill
:
Brown
rice
mixed
with
ground
turkey
or
beef,
diced
tomatoes,
spices


Bake
:
Stuff
mixture
into
bell
peppers
and
bake
until
tender



Rice
Salads

Ingredients
:
Brown
rice,
chopped
veggies,
feta
cheese,
olives,
light
vinaigrette


Recipe
for
the
Perfect
Oven-Baked
Brown
Rice


Perfect
Oven-Baked
Brown
Rice


This
oven-baked
brown
rice
recipe
is
my
go-to
for
meal
prepping.
It’s
easy
to
make
in
large
batches,
ensuring
you
always
have
a
healthy,
hearty
side
dish
ready
for
your
weekly
meals.
With
just
a
few
simple
ingredients,
you’ll
have
perfectly
cooked,
fluffy
brown
rice
that
pairs
wonderfully
with
a
variety
of
dishes.


Prep
Time



5

minutes


Cook
Time



1

hour


Course


Side
Dish,
Snack


Cuisine


Global


Servings



6


cups


Calories



215


kcal


  • 1


    cups


    brown
    rice

  • 2
    ½


    cups


    water

  • 1


    tablespoon


    olive
    oil


    extra
    virgin

  • 1


    teaspoon


    pink
    Himalayan
    salt
    or
    sea
    salt


  • Preheat
    the
    Oven:

    Set
    your
    oven
    to
    375°F
    (190°C).



  • Add
    Boiling
    Water:

    In
    a
    medium
    saucepan,
    bring
    2
    ½
    cups
    of
    water
    to
    a
    boil.
    Carefully
    pour
    the
    boiling
    water
    over
    the
    rice
    mixture
    in
    the
    baking
    dish,
    stirring
    to
    combine.



  • Cover
    and
    Bake:

    Tightly
    cover
    the
    baking
    dish
    with
    aluminum
    foil,
    ensuring
    it’s
    sealed
    well
    to
    trap
    the
    steam.
    Place
    the
    dish
    in
    the
    oven
    and
    bake
    for
    1
    hour.



  • Fluff
    the
    Rice:

    After
    1
    hour,
    remove
    the
    dish
    from
    the
    oven
    and
    carefully
    remove
    the
    foil.
    Fluff
    the
    rice
    with
    a
    fork
    to
    separate
    the
    grains.
    Your
    perfectly
    baked
    brown
    rice
    is
    ready
    to
    be
    served
    or
    portioned
    for
    freezing.



Make
it
a
Meal
Prep
Staple:

Cook
extra
and
freeze
portioned
batches
of
rice
for
up
to
3
months.
It’s
perfect
for
quick
weeknight
dinners.

Flavor
Boost:

Swap
out
the
water
for
vegetable
or
chicken
broth
for
an
extra
depth
of
flavor.

Don’t
Skip
the
Oil:

The
olive
oil
helps
prevent
the
rice
from
sticking
and
adds
a
subtle
richness.

Tried
this
oven-baked
brown
rice
recipe?

Let
me
know
how
it
turned
out
for
you!
Share
your
experiences,
any
flavor
twists
you
added,
or
how
you
used
it
in
your
weekly
meal
prep.


Keyword


Brown
Rice,
Easy
Cooking,
Healthy
Carbs,
Meal
Prep,
Oven-baked,
Rice

If
you’re
in
a
real
hurry,
you
can
also
reheat
the
rice
on
the
stovetop
with
a
splash
of
water
to
bring
back
some
moisture.


Wrapping
It
Up

Cooking
and
freezing
brown
rice
has
been
a
total
game-changer
for
my
weeknight
dinners.
It
saves
time,
keeps
meals
healthy,
and
reduces
the
stress
of
figuring
out
what
to
cook
after
a
long
day.
You
should
definitely
try
this
method.


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