How To
Ever thought about cooking rice in the air fryer?
Ever thought about cooking rice in the air fryer? Air fryer rice might sound unusual, but it’s actually simple and turns out fluffy and delicious!
No rice cooker? No problem. Cooking rice in an air fryer is easy. It also requires a lot less babysitting than hob or stove-cooked rice. So you can get on with the rest of your meal, while the air fryer hums quietly in the background.
You may be surprised to hear it, but yes, you can cook rice in an air fryer! While an air fryer is typically known for crisping and frying, it can also function as a small convection oven, allowing you to steam rice when the proper method is followed.
It’s an excellent, hands-off alternative to using a rice cooker or the stovetop. As long as you have the right equipment – specifically a small, oven-safe tin or barrel to hold the rice and water – you can achieve perfectly fluffy rice with minimal fuss, leaving you free to focus on the rest of your meal.
To cook uncooked rice, you’ll need a couple of bits and bobs from elsewhere in the kitchen, because you won’t be able to cook rice in the normal air fryer basket. Rice needs water to cook, and you can’t just tip cups of water in there. So, make sure you’ve got a sieve, a cake tin or barrel (this is what the rice will go in), some water, the kettle, and a pinch of salt.
…and of course, an air fryer.
There are a few different recipes online for cooking rice in an air fryer, but here is our recommendation.
Strain your uncooked rice under warm running water using a sieve. Continue until the water runs clear. This step is crucial for removing excess starch, which prevents the rice from becoming sticky.
Set your air fryer to 200°C and allow it to preheat for a few minutes while you prepare the ingredients.
Place the rinsed rice into your oven-safe cake tin or barrel. Add the measured boiling water and a pinch of salt.
Seal the tin tightly with aluminium foil. This ensures the steam is trapped inside, allowing the rice to cook fully and achieve a light, fluffy texture.
Carefully place the covered tin into the air fryer basket. Cook for 25 minutes at 200°C.
Using oven gloves, carefully remove the hot tin. Gently peel back the foil and let the rice stand for 5-10 minutes. This allows the remaining moisture to be absorbed. Finally, fluff the rice with a fork and serve immediately.
While the method for cooking rice doesn’t vary massively and therefore won’t make a difference in an air fryer, there are some types of rice that just won’t work.
The air fryer method is best suited for long-grain rice, such as Basmati or Jasmine. These varieties have a lower starch content and naturally separate easily, which complements the air fryer’s steaming process. When using long-grain rice, stick to the standard method: a 1:2 rice-to-water ratio (e.g., 200g rice to 500ml of boiling water) and a cooking time of about 25 minutes at 200°C in a tightly sealed tin. This reliable combination ensures that the rice cooks through evenly, resulting in the light, fluffy texture you expect.
While it requires some significant adjustments, you can also successfully cook brown rice in the air fryer. Since brown rice retains its bran layer, it needs much more moisture and a longer cooking duration compared to white rice. To accommodate this, you should increase the water ratio to between 1:2.5 and 1:3 (for example, 200g of rice to 625ml or 750ml of water). The cooking time must also be extended, generally requiring 35 to 45 minutes at 200°C. Due to this longer cook time, it’s essential to check the brown rice for tenderness before serving and add a little more water or time if needed.
Conversely, short-grain and sticky rice (like Arborio or sushi rice) are not recommended for the air fryer method. These types are intentionally high in starch, which is what gives them their characteristic sticky or creamy texture. They require a specific, sustained steaming environment that is difficult to replicate accurately in a simple sealed tin within an air fryer. For the best, most consistent results with sticky or short-grain rice, you should rely on traditional methods like a dedicated rice cooker or a stovetop steamer.
Ready-to-heat rice isn’t really a perfect fit for the air fryer – stick to the microwave. However, you can reheat leftovers from yesterday. It’s simply a case of placing them in an oven-proof dish, or a cake tin, as we mentioned above, and making sure everything is evenly warmed throughout. Make sure to remove the grate from the basket beforehand, to give you a little bit more clearance at the top.
Throw in your favourite supporting ingredients, like some protein or veggies, and a splash of oil or butter, and you’ll be enjoying lightly toasted rice in no time. Aim to cook for around 15 mins (varying depending on how much is in the basket), stirring regularly to ensure everything gets cooked thoroughly. Although you can try this with any type of rice, long-grain is best, as short-grain can be a bit tricky when dry.
The air fryer is a fantastic tool for reheating leftover rice, making it slightly crispy on the outside while ensuring it stays hot all the way through.
Looking for some more inspiration on what to cook tonight? Check out our how-to page, full of step-by-step guides. You can also check our “how to use an air fryer guide” to make the best of it.
For the best results using long-grain rice (like Basmati) with the sealed tin method, the total cooking time is 25 minutes at 200°C. This assumes you have already rinsed the rice and added boiling water to the container before placing it in the preheated air fryer. Remember that you also need to factor in a 5–10 minute resting period after the cooking cycle is complete to allow the rice to finish absorbing moisture.
We do not recommend cooking ready-to-heat or microwave rice in an air fryer. Microwave rice is specifically designed for quick, efficient heating in a microwave. Attempting to cook it in an air fryer may lead to uneven heating or drying out, making it stickier or chewier than desired. For these convenient products, stick to the microwave instructions on the packaging.
Yes, you can! While it may seem unconventional, the air fryer acts like a small convection oven, making it possible to slow-bake creamy desserts like rice pudding. You will need to prepare the ingredients (rice, milk, sugar, and seasonings) in a small, deep, oven-safe dish that fits into the air fryer basket. Recipes vary, but a typical bake setting might be around 140–170°C for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally to achieve that classic creamy consistency and the desirable skin on top.
Absolutely. The air fryer is excellent for reheating leftover cooked rice. It quickly warms the rice thoroughly while giving the exterior a pleasant, lightly toasted or “fried” texture, making it far superior to reheating in a microwave. Use a shallow, oven-safe tin, and cook the rice at 180°C for around 10–15 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even heating.