What Is Long grain rice and How Can I Use It?

Long grain rice rewards a little know-how: how to choose it, cook it, store it, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 260 recipes to cook with it.

What is long grain rice?

Long grain rice is rice whose kernels are three to four times longer than they are wide. That slender shape is the reason it cooks up dry and fluffy, with grains that stay separate, where shorter rice turns soft and clingy.

The difference comes down to starch. Long grain rice is high in amylose, a starch that stays firm and keeps the grains from sticking.

Short and medium grain rice carry more amylopectin, the sticky starch that makes risotto creamy and sushi rice cling. Common long grain types include plain American long grain plus the fragrant cousins, basmati and jasmine.

This is the everyday rice for a pilaf, a stir-fry, or any plate that wants distinct grains rather than a sticky mound.

Cooking It So It Stays Separate

The standard ratio is about 1¾ to 2 cups water per cup of long grain white rice, simmered covered for 18 to 20 minutes, then rested off the heat for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Rinsing is the step most people skip.

Swirling the raw rice in a few changes of cold water until it runs clear washes away loose surface starch, which is exactly what causes clumping.

The most common mistake is stirring while it cooks. Every stir knocks starch loose and turns separate grains into a sticky mass, so once the lid goes on, leave it alone. Lifting the lid to peek lets out the steam doing the cooking.

Long grain rice also takes well to toasting. Cooking the dry grains in a little oil or butter before adding liquid, the start of a Pork Jambalaya or a Mexican rice, deepens the flavor and helps the grains stay loose.

Where It Earns Its Place

Pick long grain whenever you want grains you can count. It is the rice for a shrimp and pork fried rice, where day-old, dried-out long grain fries up loose instead of gummy.

It is also the base for saucy dishes like an Asian rice with shrimp and snow peas, where you want the sauce to coat distinct grains rather than soak into a paste.

Substitutes

Among long grains, basmati and jasmine swap in for plain long grain and bring their own aroma. Basmati cooks up the driest and longest, jasmine a touch softer and floral.

Medium grain rice works if long grain is all you have run out of, though it will be stickier and less fluffy.

Avoid short grain or arborio here; they are built for creaminess and will turn a pilaf gluey. For a similar fluffy, separate texture without rice, couscous is a reasonable stand-in.

Buying and Storing

White long grain rice keeps almost indefinitely in a sealed container in a cool, dry cupboard, well away from moisture.

Brown long grain has its oily bran intact, so it goes rancid within about six months at room temperature; keep it in the fridge or freezer to extend that.

Buy by type for the dish: basmati for Indian and Persian food, jasmine for Southeast Asian, plain long grain for everyday cooking.

Cooked long grain rice keeps three or four days in the fridge and is the ideal starting point for fried rice, since chilling dries the grains and firms them up.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find long grain rice: Long grain rice is usually found in the rice & beans section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Long grain rice is a member of the Cereal Grains and Pasta US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

长粒大米

British (UK) term

Long grain rice

en français

riz long grain

en español

arroz de grano largo

How much does long grain rice weigh?

Related

Cereal Grains and Pasta

Recipes using long grain rice

There are 260 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Shrimp Flavored Beef over Rice

My intention was to combine flavors of shrimp and beef inside the meat as well as inside the sauce..

Lemon Rice & Pea Chapatis

Indian-style lemon rice and pea chapati wraps with brown rice, mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric, and a bright lemon-tamari finish. Vegan, ready in 25 minutes when rice is pre-cooked.

Mexican Rice with Carrot/Peas

Easy Mexican rice with carrots, peas, picante sauce and canned tomatoes with green chilies. A one-pot vegetarian side dish that's ready in under an hour.

Southwestern Rice & Bean Salad

Colorful Southwestern rice and bean salad with kidney beans, corn, and picante dressing. Vegetarian, low-fat make-ahead perfect for potlucks.

Cabbage Beef Casserole

Cabbage Beef Casserole, a dish that is not only satisfyingly subtly sweet but also a testament to frugality and the art of stretching one's dollar! Easy to make with simple ingredients and feeds a hungry family.

Down-Home Fried Rice

A main dish fried rice packed with plump shrimp, smoky ham with a touch of Asian flare.

Mexican Beans & Rice

An easy and tasty side dish - spicy beans and rice.

Parmesan & Sage Rice

An easy side dish for poultry. I also have used fresh sage leaves, minced. It's easy, tasty, and versatile.

Arroz Amarillo (Yellow Rice)

With its vibrant color and flavor, yellow rice is a staple in Latin America and the Caribbean. In Cuba, it's traditionally garnished with pimentos, but I sometimes top it with sliced scallions. Serve it with Cuban-style roast pork, ropa vieja or as a side to grilled meats, poultry or seafood.

Mihshi Malfuf Bi Zayt (Meatless Cabbage Rolls)

Mihshi malfuf bi zayt (meatless cabbage rolls): Lebanese vegetarian cabbage rolls stuffed with rice, chickpeas, tomato, and parsley, simmered with garlic, mint, and lemon. Served cold or lukewarm.

Vegetable Pilaf

This made for a very tasty side to some salmon filets. I skipped the 2 hour soak time. Didn't need it, since my rice cooks in about 20 minutes anyway. I used shiitakes for the mushrooms.

Old El Paso - Spicy Rice & Chicken Enchiladas

Spicy succulent strips of chicken, onion and peppers mixed with sweetcorn, rice and cheese served in a warm tortilla. A great sharing dish – help yourself to a couple of enchiladas and eat with a fresh green salad, scatter with the rest of the grated cheese.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

This dish, which originated on the island of Hainan, off the coast of Southern China, emphasizes the natural sweet flavour of an absolutely fresh chicken and served with rice that is cooked in chicken fat with garlic and then simmered in chicken stock.

Homemade Milk Rice-Srilanka

Milk rice is one of the very popular food in Sri Lanka!

Savory Stuffed Tomatoes

A great way to use some of your abundant tomato crop.

Pizza with Rice Crust (Gluten-free)

Gluten free pizza with a rice crust. Easy to make & delicious. Perfect for a gluten-free diet.

Maple Rice Pudding

This recipe definitely deserves 5 star at least. This creamy and delicious rice pudding was made with only a few simple ingredients.

Stuffed Zucchini

Hearty beef stuffed zucchini boats topped with melted cheese. Ground beef, rice, and marinara fill summer squash halves for a satisfying baked dinner.

Chicken with Fennel Red Pepper & Rice

Absolutely fine dish.. What's the best? I like the taste of rice and fennel...Thanks for this idea...

Savory Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Golabki)

A tastier variation of the traditional Polish version

Arroz a la Mexicana (Perfect Mexican Rice)

Mexican rice with sure-fire recipe for perfectly cooked fluffy rice perfect for Cinco de Mayo or as a side to numerous Mexican mains.

Jambalaya One-Pot Meal

Super easy to make, and it tastes delicious. A perfect one-pan meal on a busy week day!

German Cabbage Rolls

German cabbage rolls (kohlrouladen) stuffed with ground beef, rice, and onion in a sweet-tart tomato sauce thickened with gingersnap crumbs. The Old World comfort dish.

Tom's Classic Salisbury Steak

Salisbury steaks in a beefy mushroom sauce. This recipe makes nice thick steaks with lots of tasty mushroom sauce.

Cold Rice Salad

Such a flavorful and refreshing rice salad that is ideal on a warm spring day or a hot summer day, especially it's best served once chilled. Feel free to add cucumber, radishes or any your favorite spring veggies.

Asian Rice With Shrimp & Snow Peas

This vibrant, Asian-inspired dish combines fluffy long-grain rice with succulent shrimp and crisp snow peas, all brought together by a zesty sauce of soy, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and a hint of spice. Topped with crunchy almonds and fresh scallions, it’s a balanced, flavorful meal that’s both satisfying and easy to prepare. Ideal for a weeknight dinner, this recipe is light yet hearty, with bold flavors that make it a crowd-pleaser.

Lulas Rechadas (Stuffed Squid)

Lulas rechadas (Portuguese stuffed squid) filled with ham, hard-boiled eggs, rice, and parsley, then baked under tomatoes. A classic Iberian seafood dish with hearty, savory stuffing.

Pork Jambalaya

Pork jambalaya browns cubed pork in olive oil, then simmers with long-grain rice, bell pepper, scallions, white wine, and hot sauce. One-pot Cajun classic with a Bayou-style mint accent.

Rice & Lentil Salad

Wild rice and lentil salad with brown rice, tri-color bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs in a fat-free tomato-herb vinaigrette. A colorful, high-fiber grain salad.

Pumpkin Walnut Loaf

Vegetarian pumpkin walnut loaf: fresh pumpkin, rice, walnuts and herbs baked together and served with a quick stewed tomato sauce. A fall main dish that doesn't apologize for being meat-free.

Dinner Nachos Supreme

A 15-minute skillet dinner of taco-seasoned ground beef with instant rice and tomato soup, topped with salsa, cheddar, lettuce, and tortilla chips. Quick, easy, and kid-approved.

Rice Cream with Strawberry Sauce

Creamy rice pudding folded with vanilla whipped cream and served with a blended strawberry preserve sauce. A cold, light dessert with a mousse-like texture.

Moroccan Chicken with Pistachios, Apricots, Roses, & Marigolds

Moroccan chicken with pistachios, dried apricots, pine nuts, and cinnamon over rice, finished with rosewater and edible flower petals. An aromatic, jewel-toned one-dish dinner.

Mila's Aroz Con Pollo

Arroz con pollo simmered in beer with chicken, long-grain rice, tomatoes, turmeric and saffron, finished with green olives, peas and pimentos. Cuban-style one-pot dinner.

Spanish Style Rice

Fragrant Spanish rice with sautéed mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, green pepper, garlic, cloves, cayenne, and a splash of sherry. A flavorful side dish ready in 30 minutes.

Yuvarelakia Soupa Avgolemono

A comforting Greek meatball soup with seasoned beef-and-rice balls simmered in a vegetable broth. Fragrant with mint, oregano, dill, and garlic. Pure comfort in a bowl.

Pulao for Stuffing Chicken

Indian pulao rice stuffing for chicken with curry powder, pistachios, raisins, pineapple juice, and chicken broth. A fragrant, jeweled rice that finishes cooking inside the bird.

Chicken & Rice Pot

Dump-and-bake chicken and rice casserole with cream of mushroom soup and onion soup mix. Six ingredients, 15 minutes of prep, and the oven handles the rest.

Osas

Osas are classic South Indian dosas: thin, crisp rice-and-lentil crepes made from a naturally fermented batter of rice and urad dal. Vegan, gluten-free, and golden with lacy, reddish-brown edges.

Midia Appetizer

Midia is a Turkish-style mussel and rice appetizer with pine nuts, currants, cinnamon, and allspice. Cooked in olive oil and served at room temperature with fresh lemon.

Dolma Ici Zeytinyagli (Rice Stuffing for Vegetables)

This stuffing is for eggplants, pepper, tomatoes and zucchini. It is made with olive oil and served as a cold vegetable dish.

Jolof Rice

Jolof rice with black-eyed peas, eggplant, tomatoes, and brown rice cooked in a spicy tomato-ginger sauce with curry and cayenne. A hearty West African one-pot vegetarian meal.

Casco Bay Rice

Casco Bay Rice tosses brown rice with shrimp, crab, marinated artichoke hearts, and tomatoes in a sherry-white wine sauce. A coastal Maine-inspired seafood rice bowl ready in 30 minutes.

Sweet 'N Sour Tuna Rice Salad

No-cook tuna rice salad tossed in a tangy sweet-and-sour vinegar dressing with fresh tomatoes, red onion, celery, scallions, and green peas. Low-fat, filling, and ready in 20 minutes from pantry staples.

Savory Fried Rice

Savory fried rice with turmeric, cardamom, whole cloves, sauteed leeks, cashews, and raisins. A warmly spiced, jewel-toned rice dish with sweet and savory contrast in every bite.

Rice & Beans

One-pot rice and black beans with garlic, carrots, thyme, and allspice simmered in stock. Low-fat, filling, and topped with cool yogurt and fresh parsley.

Spanakorizo (Spinach & Rice)

Spanakorizo is a classic Greek spinach and rice dish simmered with tomato, onion, fresh mint, parsley, and a whisper of nutmeg. Vegetarian, comforting, finished with hard-cooked eggs and lemon.

Creamy But Lean Chicken & Leeks

A silky puréed leek and rice soup with tender chicken breast, brightened by fresh lemon juice and bouquet garni. Light, elegant, and naturally creamy without a drop of cream.

Brown Rice Stew

Microwave brown rice stew with knackwurst sausage, tomatoes, carrots, celery, and Italian herbs. A one-pot weeknight dinner that cooks entirely in the microwave in about an hour.

Super Tasty Rice & Nuts

Indian-spiced brown rice pilaf with cumin, garam masala, ginger, and asafetida, finished with toasted nuts, seeds, and raisins. Vegan, fragrant, and meal-worthy.

All 260 recipes