Can you freeze cooked rice? Yes, you can freeze cooked rice. Cool it as quickly as possible by placing it in a shallow container in the fridge. Once the rice is completely cold, transfer it to freezer bags in desired portion sizes, flatten to about 3cm thick and expel as much air as possible before sealing tightly.
All types of rice freeze well, including white, brown, and even fried rice (containing meat and veggies). Batch cooking rice and freezing it for later can be a serious meal prep game changer.
How Long Can You Keep Cooked Rice in the Freezer? Frozen rice lasts up to a month in the freezer. When you're ready to take it out, reheat your rice in the microwave. Just make sure it's completely heated through and piping hot before you tuck in.
According to FoodSafety.gov FoodKeeper App, leftover rice can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days, and it can be stored in the freezer for one to two months. If you stored your rice in the freezer, then it's important to thaw it properly.
Refrigeration won't kill the bacteria but it will slow down their growth. For this reason, any uneaten leftover rice should be thrown out after five days in the fridge. Any longer and you risk having enough of the food poisoning bacteria present to make you sick.
Rice is best eaten as soon after cooking as possible, i.e. the next day, but generally, cooked rice, if cooled and stored correctly, lasts three to five days. The USA Rice Federation recommends only storing cooked rice leftovers for set periods: In the fridge, cooked rice leftovers may be stored for 3 to 5 days.
All you need to do is pop an ice cube on top of the rice before you reheat it in the microwave. Rather than melting, the ice cube helps to steam the rice and it will only take a minute to produce hot, ready-to-eat rice.
Microwave the rice in one minute intervals, fluffing it after each minute, until it's thawed. Breaking up the softening mound of rice with a spoon and fluffing it will help it defrost faster. Continue to microwave and fluff the rice at 1-minute intervals until the rice is completely defrosted.
Rice can be frozen both cooked and uncooked.
Freezing rice uncooked helps to prolong its shelf life so it will keep for longer, especially for brown rice on account of the small amount of natural oils in its kernels!
Ideally, serve rice as soon as it has been cooked. If that is not possible, cool the rice as quickly as possible (ideally within 1 hour). Keep rice in the fridge for no more than 1 day until reheating. When you reheat rice, always check that it's steaming hot all the way through.
Do not leave rice to cool down in the rice cooker, steamer or pan. Once cooled to room temperature, cover the rice and store in the refrigerator at 8oC or below (preferably below 5oC). Only reheat rice if it has previously been cooled down safely and kept in the fridge until needed.
Yes! In fact, this is the fastest and easiest of the rice reheating methods. The microwave can get the job done in less than a minute. Just put your rice in a microwave-safe bowl along with a splash of water.
Risks of eating cold rice
Eating cold or reheated rice increases your risk of food poisoning from Bacillus cereus, which may cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea, or vomiting within 15–30 minutes of ingesting it ( 9 , 10, 11 , 12). Bacillus cereus is a bacterium typically found in soil that can contaminate raw rice.
If you have time, soak the rice in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This will help the grains cook more evenly.
One of the most common bacteria found in fried rice is Bacillus cereus. It is a spore-forming bacterium also commonly found in soil and the environment. Upon contamination, these bacteria can grow in the food and produce toxins that can cause food poisoning – this is known as the “fried rice syndrome”.
Leftover rice is one of the most versatile ingredients—use it to make soups, stir-fries, casseroles, rice pudding, and even breakfast.
Room temperature is an ideal environment for bacteria to thrive and negatively affect any food. Don't eat cooked rice that was left overnight, as it may contain bacteria, even if it doesn't spoil or go bad.
The texture of frozen cooked rice was evaluated by analyzing its hardness and adhesiveness (Figure 5). As shown in Figure 5A, the hardness value initially decreased and then increased (P < 0.05).
How Long Can You Keep Cooked Rice In the Freezer? Frozen rice can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months and still be tasty. After that it loses flavor and dries out but won't be unsafe to eat.