You will get perfectly fluffy Basmati rice with this air fryer rice recipe.
Today I have been experimenting with many different recipes in my air fryer and this air fryer rice was the most difficult to get right. No worries for you there though. Follow this air fryer rice recipe and you are certain to get amazing results. I went through a kilo (2 lbs) rice trying to perfect the recipe so that you don’t have to.
This air fryer rice recipe is for Basmati rice so the cooking time and preparation will differ if using other types of rice.
About this recipe.
You need to follow these instructions exactly. As I mentioned above, it tried quite a few times to get this air fryer rice recipe right. I learned the hard way that air frying rice needs to be done in this way or it simply does not work.
The key to success is to use a small metal pan to cook the rice in. Many air fryer manufacturers offer metal cake tins as accessories. You can use any small metal pot that fit into the cooking chamber.
You need a tight fitting lid or wrap the cake tin in foil before you start cooking.
Which rice is best for this recipe?
As most of my curry recipes are served with Basmati rice, that is what I use for this recipe.
It works very well with Basmati rice. I haven’t tried the recipe with other varieties of rice.
Which pans?
Cake tins are popular accessories for air fryers.
I now use this one. (<– Affiliate link). My cake tin is 7 inches diameter but you can find them in many sizes to fit your air fryer. It is available in three sizes 6″, 7″ and 8″.
Will this air fryer rice recipe work in any air fryer?
I have tried this air fryer rice recipe with several different air fryers with excellent results each time.
I personally have a Ninja Foodie FlexDrawer Air Fryer (<– Affiliate Link) which I love. It has two cooking chambers so I can air fry your rice and cook a curry at the same time.
Can you use the popular silicone inserts that many manufacturers supply?
Unfortunately no. I had a couple of those inserts and experimented with them. The silicone does not get hot like metal and the rice ended up under-cooked with a lot of water left in the cellophane insert.
This was the case with three attempts before I finally gave up. Even when you cook the rice for longer, you end up with crispy yet undercooked rice.
How much rice can you cook in this way?
That really depends on the size of your air fryer. For my air fryer which is quite large, I only recommend cooking enough rice for two people in this way.
Larger air fryers could probably cook more but I haven’t tried that yet.
How long can you keep rice in the fridge?
You should be able to keep your air fried rice in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cover it tightly so that it doesn’t dry out.
You can reheat it in your microwave for a minute or two or until steaming hot.
Can you freeze this air fried rice?
Yes and I often do so that I have cooked rice on hand.
To do so, pour it into a plastic freezer bag and remove as much air as you can before sealing. Then just place it in your microwave for about 3 minutes or until hot.
Step by step photographs.
Measure out the rice and pour it into a mixing bowl.
Cover the rice with water and swirl it around. The water will be come milky because of the starch on the rice.
Repeat about 5 times or until the water is almost clear. It is important to remove as much starch as possible. Cover with fresh water to soak for 30 minutes or up to a few hours.
Strain the rice and pour into a metal pan with the butter and salt.
Cover with 500ml (2 cups) boiling hot water. Using a kettle is fine for this.
Cover the pan tightly with foil and place it directly in the cooking basket to cook at 200°C/400°F for 35 minutes.
Allow to rest for 5 minutes after cooking inside the air fryer and then remove the foil or lid. Fluff the rice with a fork. Do not stir too vigorously or the rice will split.
If you like these air fryer rice recipe, you might like to try some of these air fryer recipes too.
Air Fryer Whole Tandoori Chicken
Have you tried this Air Fryer rice recipe?
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Air Fryer Rice
I have got perfect results every time using this air fryer rice recipe. It is essential that you use a metal pan like this one (<-- Affiliate Link) which is a popular accessory for air fryers. Silicone pans do not get hot enough so be sure to use a metal pan that fits in your air fryer basket.
Ingredients
- 185g (1 cup) Basmati rice
- 500ml (2 cups) boiling water
- 1 tbsp butter or ghee (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Pour the rice into a mixing bowl and run it under your tap (faucet) to cover. Swirl the rice around in the water with your hand.
- The water will become milky from the starch. Pour the water out and repeat 5 times or until the water is almost clear. Then pour the water out and cover the rice with fresh water to soak for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours if more convenient.
- Preheat your air fryer to 200°C/400°F and set to air fry. Strain the rice and pour it into a metal cake tin or pan that fits the cooking chamber.
- Cover with 500ml (2 cups) boiling water and add the butter, if using and salt. Cover tightly with foil and air fry for 35 minutes. After 35 minutes, let the rice sit as it is for 5 minutes and then remove it from the machine and take the foil off.
- Fluff the rice with a fork or chopstick. It is important to delicately fluff the rice so take some time to do this. Do not stir vigorously to the rice will split and become mushy.
Notes
Stick to one measuring system. If using metric, use only metric. If using imperial, only use imperial. Do not mix the two.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 140Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 422mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g