Can You Freeze Uncooked Rice?

How to freeze uncooked rice

Freezing uncooked rice is very easy, as uncooked rice is a freezer-friendly food and it won’t lose its consistency or texture after it has been thawed.

Here is a step by step guide for you to freeze it perfectly:

Step 1:

Make sure the uncooked rice is as dry as possible, you want to avoid it having any moisture when you freeze it.

It’s also a good idea to divide your uncooked rice into portions so that you can defrost the amount you need for each meal and leave the rest as it is in the freezer. 

Step 2:

Place the uncooked rice in a sealable freezer bag or in an airtight container. If you’re using a sealable freezer-bag, make sure you’re pushing out as much air as possible when closing it.

If you’re using an airtight container, make sure you close it shut as tight as possible too. 

Step 3:

Label and date your rice bag or container. This is very important so that you can keep track of how long it’s been in the freezer and you can make sure to consume it before it goes bad.

On average, most rice can be kept in the freezer for up to 30 years, which is an insane amount of time that you’ll never have to worry about.

However, and this is the important bit, brown rice can only be frozen for up to 12 months, so this is the type of rice that you have to 100% label and date.

Step 4:

Place your bag or container of rice into the freezer, and let it freeze.

If you’re using a sealable freezer-bag, it’s always best to place it down horizontally on a flat surface, as it will make it easier to defrost when the time comes for it. 

How to defrost uncooked rice:

Uncooked rice is one of the easiest foods to defrost and thaw, and it requires barely any effort.

It is also completely safe to thaw in different ways, so there’s no way of getting it wrong.

Nevertheless, here is a guide with the main different ways in which you can defrost and thaw uncooked rice from frozen.

Defrosting option 1:

Cook straight from frozen. That’s right, you can take the uncooked rice out of the freezer and use it for cooking straight away, without having to wait for it to defrost or thaw.

Super easy and fast, right? Ideal if you don’t have enough time to wait for it to defrost. 

Defrosting option 2:

Take the uncooked rice out of the freezer, without removing it from its sealable freezer-bag or airtight container.

Then simply place the bag or container of rice into the refrigerator, and let it thaw for a few hours. Super simple and no hassle.

Defrosting option 3:

Take the uncooked rice out of the freezer, without removing it from its sealable freezer-bag or airtight container. Then place the bag or container of rice anywhere in the kitchen and let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours.

There is absolutely no risk of bacteria growing in it, because it still hasn’t been cooked, which is why this is a perfectly viable option. 

Defrosting option 4:

Take the uncooked rice out of the freezer, without removing it from its sealable freezer-bag or airtight container.

Then you can palace the bag or container of rice in the kitchen sink, and leave it under running water to defrost a bit faster. 

However, if you do this, make sure the bag is still safely sealed or that the container is still tightly closed.

Factors to consider before freezing uncooked rice:

Uncooked rice is one of the easiest foods to store away, and there’s hardly ever any danger of it going out of date because it lasts for an incredible amount of time while remaining safe to consume.

When kept dry in a pantry, it can last for an indefinite amount of time. Meanwhile, if frozen, uncooked rice can be kept safe for future consumption for around 30 years. It’ll probably last longer than the freezer will!

What you have to consider is that brown rice is an exception to this. In fact, brown rice will only last for around 12 months, which is still a long time, but it’s a lot less than normal rice and therefore it must be well labeled and dated if you choose to store it in the freezer. 

Another thing you have to consider is whether it is truly worth you freezing your rice. Usually, the main reason for freezing food is to extend the amount of time it can last before being safely consumed.

But with uncooked rice, there is no need to extend its lifespan, because it can already last indefinitely if stored appropriately in a dry pantry. 

The main reason, perhaps, for freezing uncooked rice, could be to keep it safe from any pesky bugs or animals that might get to it. But it is something to consider if you have limited space in your freezer, as you might want to prioritize freezing other foods. 

Summary

Uncooked rice is one of the easiest foods to freeze and then defrost. It can last in the freezer for up to 30 years, meaning it can be perfectly stored there until you decide to use it in a meal.

However, it’s important to label and date the rice you freeze, because there are some exceptions, such as brown rice, that only last up to 12 months when frozen. 

Uncooked rice can then be defrosted in practically any way you want. As it hasn’t been cooked yet, there is no risk or danger whatsoever of bacteria growing as it thaws. 

The one thing you should consider before choosing to freeze your uncooked rice is whether you truly need to, or if it would be best to save that freezer space for other food