Do We Always Have To Rinse Rice? Our Food Expert Explains

Rice is one of the most versatile grains in your pantry. Cultures in every corner of the world feature rice as a foundational component of their cuisines, which means you can eat it in countless forms. From creamy, decadent risotto to fluffy and flavorful biryani, there’s a different rice recipe for every day of the week.

Because there are so many applications for the grain—and so many different types—the instructions you follow will vary. But there’s a good chance that your recipe will start with one particular step: rinsing your rice.

Giving your rice a bath until the water runs clear seems simple enough, until you realize that it takes a lot of work (and water) to get to that point. So is it ever okay to spare yourself the fatigue and just skip that step? Just how important is rinsing your rice?

I consulted our Senior Food Director Rob Seixas to unpack everything you need to know about washing rice to make sure your recipes come out perfect every time.

So, Do You Need To Rinse Rice?

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Sorry to burst your bubble: yes, you should be rinsing rice, regardless of the type or the recipe. Some schools of thought argue that washing rice is essential for removing any potential impurities, but Seixas says that it’s not the primary reason. There may be some truth regarding the presence of contaminants, but modern rice processing methods mean that the risk of finding impurities is pretty low.

Instead, you should be rinsing the rice because of the starch. “When rice travels in a bag to the market, all of the grains are rubbing against each other,” Seixas says. “That dust you’re seeing is starch.”

When that starch is hydrated and heated, it creates a sticky, gluey substance that clumps the grains of rice together. Rice is inherently starchy, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. What’s less ideal is the presence of excess starch.

Seixas says it’s essential to rinse every type of rice—even ones where you want to harness higher starch levels. “Even if you’re making risotto, you want to rinse,” he says. “If you don’t quickly rinse arborio you could get a gummy texture.”

How Should You Rinse Rice?

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The rinsing method you choose depends on the type of rice and how much time and energy you’re willing to spend. At the bare minimum, Seixas says you should always do at least a quick rinse in a sieve over running water.

If you want to be more thorough, you can add the rice to a bowl of water and agitate the grains before rinsing and repeating until the water is less cloudy. A good rule of thumb is repeating this process about five times, but you don’t have to be precious about it. “Perfect clarity is very difficult,” Seixas says. “It’s the ideal, sure, but don’t stress about it too much.”

Seixas also likes to add an extra step that does more than just slough off the starch: soaking. Instead of just passing the rice under the tap or giving the grains a quick bath, he sets aside time to soak the uncooked rice in water.

While some people don’t find this method necessary, Seixas likes to soak rice for a few reasons. Firstly, it removes the excess starch on the surface of each grain just like rinsing does.

But the other reason adds even more benefits. By allowing the rice to get a head start hydrating, you shorten the cook time and end up with a better result overall. “Flavor compounds leech out the longer you cook,” Seixas says. “Shortening the cooking time can preserve some flavors and cook the rice more evenly.”

The soaking step isn’t a necessary or useful method for varieties like arborio, glutinous (or sticky) rice, and any brown or black rice with the hull still in tact. But for any other type of rice, here’s Seixas’s go-to technique.

Fill a bowl or liquid measuring cup with the desired amount of dry rice, then add enough water to cover the grains with at least two inches of water above them. Allow the rice to sit for 10 to 20 minutes, then pour the contents over a sieve. From there, you can give them a quick rinse to remove any lingering starch and then proceed with cooking.