Cook Ahead Freezer Rice

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Want to prepare some rice for meals ahead of time so that you don’t have to spend 20 minutes cooking it for supper? Here’s a simple way to make rice in advance and how to warm it back up when you are ready for it!

How to always keep cooked rice on hand! This method of making freezer rice is so simple and easy. Perfect for quick meals! #freezerrice #freezermeals

Cook Ahead Freezer Rice

I like to have some rice in the freezer for future meals that I won’t have to make the day of. This morning I packaged up 3 bags of cooked rice. Rice freezes well, and since it usually takes about 15 – 20 minutes to cook, having it already cooked and in the freezer ready to go can be a nice little time saver!

How to Freeze Rice

To start, all you need to do is cook your rice as normal. Either on the stove top or in a rice cooker. I cook mine on the stove in a small dutch oven with a lid. I put it on low on one of the medium burners and I do not lift the lid until after 15 minutes when I give it a little stir. After 20 minutes the rice is usually done (depending on what kind you make, I usually make a long grain white rice, brown rice will take longer).

After removing the rice from the stovetop, pour a little bit of olive oil in with the rice and fluff it around. You can use any kind of oil that your family prefers. This will just help it to not stick together in the freezer.

Place the amount of rice that you need for a meal into a freezer bag, either a quart or a gallon size bag. Be sure and label it with what’s in the bag and the date that you are putting it in the freezer.

Spread the rice out in the bag so that you can freeze it flat. Stack the bags into your freezer until you need them.

Reheating Frozen Rice

There is a simple way to reheat frozen rice that will make it taste almost like it was freshly cooked. Here’s how!

Place the rice in a saucepan on the stovetop with a little bit of water covering the bottom of the pan. Warm it up on low heat, stirring often. Once it’s heated through, it shouldn’t be dry.

Need some yummy meals to make with your rice? Here are some that we enjoy:

What meals do you make rice with? Have you ever tried freezing rice?

This post about Cook Ahead Freezer Rice was originally published on Little House Living in January 2011. It has been updated as of May 2019.

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21 Comments

    1. You can either just warm them up in the microwave after it thaws or you can thaw and add to other meals (casseroles, stir fries, ect)

  1. If these are heavy duty freezer bags, would it work put the frozen bag in boiling water to reheat?

  2. Hi, How long will the rice last in the freezer? I use a steamer to cook my rice. But sometimes I’m pressed for time and would love to freeze it ahead of time. Thank you!

  3. Foodsaver makes some steam bags, I was wondering if I put the rice in the steam bags and sealed them would it come out like the frozen bags of rice you can buy? Can I freeze things in it, like seasonings and veggies? I really do need to use my foodsaver more.

  4. What about freezer cooking casseroles that contain rice…do you cook the entire time and then freeze? Or cook half way and then cook longer when reheating? I would love some info on this!
    Thanks!

  5. I cook big batches of rice in my electric pressure cooker and bag them up in my vacuum sealer. This is such a big time saver and the rice comes out perfect!

  6. I purchased the annual gardening and Preserving Journal. I am now trying to find the free recipe ebook that was offered. Can you send the link to me again, please.?

  7. I saw your post just as I finished making Frugal Fried Rice for our lunch:) Yum! Having rice already prepared makes this super quick for a busy day.

  8. preparing my frozen rice for the day’s meal I place some warm water into my slow cooker – turn dial to low or medium and leave until needed.
    I do this with other food it’s a great way to defrost.