Some things are just better fresh than frozen. Certain foods like chili or cookie dough do well in the freezer even for long periods of time but this isn’t always the case for all foods. Some simply lose their luster when frozen and are best served as fresh as possible. Rice is one of those foods. While the tasty grain may seem like a perfect candidate for freezing at first glance—it’s easy to cook in bulk and serves as the perfect base for many recipes—you’re better off cooking your rice as you go or storing leftovers in the fridge for short periods of time.
| Channel | Publish Date | Thumbnail & View Count | Actions |
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 OnePotChefShow | 2014-01-14 22:00:02 |  348,738 Views |
Quick Tips: Freezing and Reheating Cooked Rice | One Pot Chef
It is perfectly safe to freeze cooked rice but the texture will change after it has been frozen because the food is not able to withstand reheating. This is because the cell walls of rice break down when it thaws giving your perfectly cooked fluffy rice an unpleasant mushy texture. The thawed rice will also have no flavor. It is a dish that is best served immediately after cooking.
Despite its drawbacks frozen rice can be useful when it comes to cutting down on time in the kitchen. Instead of cooking rice every time you plan to use it in a meal freeze a portion and reheat it for meals that can mask its texture like soup or stew. Or if you don’t mind eating frozen rice instead of freshly cooked rice you can reheat it when making dishes like stuffed peppers burritos and protein bowls.
But before you start meal planning you need to know the best way to freeze cooked rice. Shortly after cooking spread the rice out on a baking sheet and place it in the refrigerator to cool. Once it’s cooled you can portion the rice into the portions you want by scooping it into Ziploc bags or airtight containers. Then you’re ready to put the rice in the freezer.
