Can You Cook Rice in an Air Fryer? Yes - Here's the Full Guide

Yes. Rinse the rice, combine it with 2 parts water to 1 part rice in an oven-safe dish, seal it tightly with foil, and cook at 385F for about 25 minutes. The foil traps steam, and that steam does the cooking; the payoff is fluffy, separated grains.

The biggest win is that you already own one. It cooks rice with little or no oil, keeps grains separate, and runs hands-free, freeing a burner. Cleanup is foil and a rinse. The same basket that runs your easy air fryer recipes covers the side dish, too.

Ingredients

• 1 cup white long-grain rice (jasmine, basmati, or standard long-grain)
• 1.75 to 2 cups water
• Optional: salt, butter, broth, or seasonings

Tools and Accessories

• An oven-safe cake pan or bowl that fits inside your basket
• Aluminum foil for a tight cover
• A sieve or fine-mesh strainer for rinsing
• A fork or a non-stick rice paddle for fluffing
• Oven mitts; the pan will be hot

A two-basket model is a nice upgrade: an air fryer with two baskets, like the 8-quart Ninja DZ201, lets a cake pan ride in one zone while dinner cooks in the other. Shopping for one? Our best air fryers of 2026 roundup has the full ranked list.

Here is the method we keep coming back to, step by step.

Step 1: Rinse the Rice

Rinse regular white rice in the sieve until the water runs clear, about two or three passes; surface starch turns rice gummy. Skip the rinse for enriched rice, whose vitamins are sprayed on.

Step 2: Measure Rice and Water (Water-to-Rice Ratio)

Use 2 parts water to 1 part rice: 1.75 to 2 cups per cup of dry rice, 2 cups for softer grains, 1.75 for firmer. Room-temperature water is the forgiving choice; some methods use boiling water with success.

Step 3: Combine, Cover, and Place in the Air Fryer

Combine the rice and water in the pan and seal it tightly with foil; a pan lid is usually too tall for the basket. Set the pan in the basket with room for air.

Step 4: Cook at the Right Temperature and Time

Preheat to 385F (about 195C) for 3 to 5 minutes; some methods skip preheating. Cook the covered pan at 385F for 25 minutes, then add time in 5-minute steps, up to 35 minutes, if the grains are firm.

Step 5: Rest and Fluff

Leave the covered pan in the off air fryer for 5 to 10 minutes so the trapped steam finishes the cook, then fluff.

The steps above are tuned for white long-grain; here is how other types shake out.

White Rice (Jasmine, Basmati, Long-Grain)

This is the sweet spot: 2:1 ratio, 385F, about 25 minutes. Jasmine and basmati come out aromatic with separated grains.

Brown Rice

Brown rice works too, at the same general temperature, with 30 to 45 minutes and more water. An optional 30-minute soak improves texture.

Short-Grain and Sticky Rice

Skip short-grain and sticky rice in the air fryer: their high starch needs sustained steaming, and they clump and turn pasty. Use a rice cooker or stovetop for sushi rice.

Pre-cooked and Ready-to-Heat Rice

This is where the air fryer shines. Ready-to-serve and leftover rice crisps beautifully: single layer, a little oil, a stir every few minutes, about 20 minutes total.

How to Store Cooked Rice Safely

Refrigerate cooked rice within 1 hour of cooking, per USDA's food-safety guidelines for cooked rice leftovers. Most leftovers get 2 hours; rice gets 1, shorter still above 90F.

• Refrigerate in an airtight container at 40F or below
• Use within 3 to 4 days
• Freeze what you cannot eat in time; freezer life runs 1 to 4 months
• Reheat to 165F, measured with a food thermometer

How to Reheat Rice Without Drying It Out

Reheat leftovers at 320 to 360F for 3 to 5 minutes with a splash of water and a stir; some methods go up to 10 to 15 minutes for a toasted exterior. Long-grain reheats well; dry short-grain less so. Reheat each batch once.

A few habits separate good rice from perfectly fluffy rice:

• Rinse regular rice until clear; skip the rinse on enriched.
• Do not scale past one cup of dry rice; overcrowding turns it soggy.
• Rest the covered pan 5 to 10 minutes off heat before fluffing.

Rice Is Undercooked or Hard

• If you lifted the foil or opened the drawer mid-cook, re-cover, add a splash of water, and return for 5 minutes.
• Add time in 5-minute steps, up to 35 minutes.
• Boiling water can cook the outside of the grain before the center finishes; room-temperature water avoids it.

Rice Is Mushy or Sticky

• Cut the water to 1.75 cups per cup of rice for firmer grains.
• Skipping the rinse is a classic cause.
• Short-grain or sticky rice is the problem; switch to long-grain.

Rice Dries Out or Burns

• Slide parchment paper under the rice before cooking.
• Drop the temperature 25F and add a few minutes.
• Check at 25 minutes and keep the covered rest.

A rice cooker stays the most hands-off option, and the stovetop wins for crowds. The air fryer sits between them: small-batch friendly, hands-free, and no extra appliance to store. Still weighing hot-air appliances? Our air fryer vs. convection oven comparison covers the difference. The trade-off is texture: the grains come out slightly firmer at the edge.

Here are the method numbers by rice type:

Simple Seasoned Rice (Garlic, Herbs, or Broth)

Swap part of the water for broth and add a smashed garlic clove, a bay leaf, or dried herbs; salt goes in with the water.

Air Fryer Fried Rice

Fried rice is the best reason to cook extra. Spread leftover or pre-cooked rice in a single layer, toss with a little oil, and cook about 20 minutes total, stirring every few minutes. Fold in egg, vegetables, and sauce near the end; air fryer rice recipes from Mahatma Rice have more ideas.

Rice Bowls and Easy Sides

The separated grains hold up under a saucy protein, making air-fryer rice a reliable base for bowls.

Can you cook rice in an air fryer? Yes, and the method is easy to repeat: 2 parts water to 1 part rice, a tight foil cover, 385F for about 25 minutes, a short rest, and a fluff. It will not replace a rice cooker for a crowd. For small batches and leftover fried rice, the air fryer earns its place.