Food waste can generally be avoided by freezing foods to maintain their freshness. Not all foods do well in the freezer and it’s important to know how freezing a certain food will affect it.
So what about rice? It’s such a lovely base for a lot of foods but it’s very easy to cook more than you need or sometimes you just don’t have the time to do it!
You can freeze cooked rice by spreading it thinly on a flat pan and breaking it up into smaller pieces to store in a bag or container once it is frozen. Cooked rice can be stored in your freezer for up to 2 months. Uncooked rice can also be frozen to prolong its shelf life.
Cooking rice can be so time-consuming when you’re hungry and in the mood for a rapid stir fry so it can be nice to always have a quicker option on hand. I also like to keep measured positions of rice stew frozen for my dog to feed him when he’s having stomach issues.
Thawing frozen cooked rice can be a bit of a pain, however. Worry not, because we have the best tips for you on how to freeze and defrost rice and what to avoid to ensure it’s an easy task.
What Is the Best Way to Freeze Cooked Rice?
The best method for freezing cooked rice is to first spread it out evenly on a thin pan or cookie sheet. Pop your pan into the freezer and let the rice cool for about 20 minutes. Then you can transfer small portions of it into separate plastic bags.
I prefer this method because, while you can certainly just dump your rice into a plastic container and freeze it that way, the thawing process becomes a lot more annoying. With a large chunk of rice you also can’t control the amount that you want to defrost.
If you are planning to freeze your rice you should do so right after it has been cooked. Cooked rice is prone to growing bacteria at room temperature and putting it straight into the freezer will stop the growth.
Plain rice isn’t the only type of rice that can be frozen. You can also freeze rice you’ve already combined with other ingredients like veggies or meat. The same method can be used for freezing a rice meal as plain rice.
Will Freezing Rice Change the Taste?
If properly stored and frozen in an airtight container or bag, your cooked rice should maintain its moisture and texture. In fact, frozen rice will probably even taste better than rice that has been refrigerated for only a day.
In the fridge, rice gets hard and dry very quickly but being frozen helps maintain the original properties of the rice. There isn’t a difference in the taste when comparing the two options for storing but rice doesn’t keep for very long in the fridge so if you don’t plan to use it all quickly freezing may be your best option!
Of course, freshly cooked rice is distinctly delectable and no method of storing it will replicate that initial fluffy texture and taste.
If you use a rice cooker to make your rice you may be asking how long can you leave rice in a rice cooker? The answer is only up to 12 hours, after which you will want to either freeze or refrigerate your rice.
How Should You Defrost Frozen Rice?
The easiest option for defrosting rice is the microwave. It’s also the quickest and most likely to taste similar to fresh rice if you are planning on eating it as is.
All you have to do is transfer your rice to a microwave-safe bowl, cover it with another bowl so that the edges aren’t sealed together and there is some breathing room, then microwave at 1-minute intervals. Fluff your rice between the one minute intervals and remove from the microwave when all the rice is completely hot.
I would also suggest putting a small drop of water (a teaspoon or two) into your bowl of frozen rice before microwaving it because it will aid in getting some moisture back into the rice and make it feel freshly steamed.
If your rice is in a plastic container, you can run warm water over it to get the rice to release from the sides so you can transfer it to a microwave-safe dish.
You can also defrost your rice by leaving it in the freezer for 12 to 24 hours. This is a long method that should not be sped up by putting the rice to defrost on your counter at room temperature. This would also take many hours and presents the risk of bacteria growth.
The last option for defrosting your rice is to soak it in cold water. To do this you need to make sure your rice portions are tightly sealed in plastic bags so that they won’t let in any water.
Place a large pot in your sink. It should be big enough so that the rice bags can rest comfortably in it. This is especially important if you are defrosting several baggies at once because if they are tightly packed against one another the rice will not thaw properly.
Once your rice baggies are in the pot, fill it with cold water and let it sit. It’s very important that your water is not warm because that will allow for bacteria to grow.
If the room you’re doing this in is warm enough to affect the temperature of the water then you will want to regularly check it and pour more cold water in to control the temperature.
You can check your rice every ten minutes by removing it from the bowl and fluffing it with your hands through the ziploc bag to check for any hard lumps. The whole process of the cold water method should take around 30 minutes.
Once defrosted, rice can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and should not be frozen again.
How Long Can You Store Cooked Rice in the Freezer?
For the best quality and taste, you should use your frozen rice within a month. It will still be safe for consumption for up to 6 months but during that time the texture might significantly deteriorate and become harder and drier.