Here’s a simple recipe for Seasoned Japanese Rice cooked on the stovetop, using short-grain rice seasoned with sesame oil, rice vinegar and Furikake to use in bowls or as a tasty side to meat and fish.
We’ve been loving our homemade Furikake Seasoning and have been enjoying it on Japanse Rice as of late, to serve as a base for healthy bowls. Traditionally Japanese rice is made with short-grain white rice, but we’ve upped the nutritional value here and have been using short-grain brown rice, which, turns out, works very well- it’s deliciously nutty, toothsome, and super flavorful!
Short grain brown rice is lower in calories and had a lower glycemic index than white short-grain rice. I also find it to be more flavorful- but up to you! Make sure to see recipe notes for white short-grain rice.
What you’ll need to make Japanese Rice:
- Short grain rice- uruchimai, genmai (short-grain white rice, or short grain brown rice)
- Scallions
- Sesame oil (optional)
- Rice vinegar
- Furikake (or sub toasted sesame seeds)
What type of Rice to Use?
- Use short-grain rice- grains of rice that are short and rounded versus long and thin (like basmati or jasmine). Both short-grain brown rice and short-grain white rice (or sushi rice) will work here, but be aware of different water-to-rice ratios, and differences in cooking times (see recipe notes).
- For a more detailed outline of all the types of Japanese Rice I found this blog post, Japanese Rice-Everything You Need to Know, very helpful!
How To Cook Japanese Rice:
- Quickly rinse the rice (or soak the rice for 20-30 mins)
- Place water and rice to a medium pot on the stove.
- Add scallion ends.
- Drizzle in a teaspoon of sesame oil and a pinch of salt.
- Bring to a simmer, cover tightly, lower heat.
- Simmer on low heat until all the water is absorbed, about 45 mins for brown rice.
- Using a wooden paddle or spoon, toss with Rice vinegar
- Season with scallions and furikake!
Expert Tips:
- Cook short-grain rice by carefully measuring out the rice to water ratio- forgoing the “pasta method” here, for best results.
- Toss the white ends of the scallions to the rice water for extra flavor, keeping the green ends for garnish.
- Drizzle a teaspoon or two of toasted sesame oil, to not only prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot, but to infuse the rice with a lovely nutty flavor.
- After the rice is cooked, toss the with rice vinegar, for flavor, and also to lower the glycemic index.
Once the rice is cooked through and cooled just slightly, mix in a couple of tablespoons of rice vinegar.
Ways to improve Health Benefits of Rice:
- Adding vinegar to cooked rice will not only add flavor, but research shows it can lower the glycemic load of the rice.
- Studies show that cooling the rice in the fridge and eating it cold actually changes it and makes more of a “resistant starch” – which feeds our good gut bacteria! Read this article on the Benefits of Cold Rice for more info!
How to season Japanese Rice:
Serve the warm Japanese Rice in a bowl and sprinkle it with Furikake (or toasted Sesame Seeds) and scallions or chives. The furikake gives such a great flavor- toasty, nutty, lots of umami! Scallions make it pretty.
What to serve with Japanese Rice:
- Furikake
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
- Teriyaki Salmon with Baby Bok Choy
- JAPANESE FARM STYLE TERIYAKI BOWL
- Asian Cucumber Salad
- Furikake Salmon Bowls
- Simple Baked Miso Salmon
- White Miso Black Cod
- Top it with an Egg for Breakfast!
Enjoy the Japanese Rice and have a great week. Let us know what you think in the comments below!
xoxo
More Favorite rice recipes!
- Farmers Market Fried Rice
- Indian Lemon Rice
- Indian Fried Rice
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Forbidden Black Rice: Incredible Benefits & Easy Recipes
- How to Make Cauliflower Rice!
Japanese Rice
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: side, rice, brown rice
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Japanese Rice made with short-grain brown rice and seasoned with rice vinegar, sesame oil, furikake, and scallions – a simple tasty side dish to serve with fish and meat, or in bowls.
Ingredients
- 1 cup short-grain brown rice (see notes for short-grain white rice)
- 1 3/4 cups water – always check package instructions, as this may vary! (see notes for white rice)
- generous pinch salt
- 2 scallions, sliced (white ends separated)
- 1–2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1–2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon furikake seasoning (or sub toasted sesame seeds)
Instructions
- Rinse the rice, or if you have time, soak for 20-30 minutes. Drain.
- Add rice, water, salt, white ends of scallions, and sesame oil, to a medium pot, and mix and bring to a simmer.
- Cover tightly, lower heat to low, and cook at a gentle simmer until the rice soaks up all the water, about 45 minutes. Check at 35-40 minutes, continuing to cook until all the water is gone. (see notes for white rice). Let stand 10 minutes covered.
- Toss the rice with a couple of teaspoons of rice vinegar, and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with the furikake seasoning and green ends of scallions.
- Rice will keep up to 4 days in the fridge. See notes on cold rice.
Notes
Interesting Fact: Studies show that cooling the rice in the fridge and eating it cold actually changes it and makes more of a “resistant starch” – so good for our gut bacteria! Read this article on the Benefits of Cold Rice for more info! Also adding vinegar lowers the glycemic index. 🙂
Short-Grain White Rice (use 1 1/4 cups short-grain white rice (rinsed or soaked!) and 1 1/2 cups water – or read the package instructions). Keep everything else the same. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Continue with recipe.
Rice Cooker: Yes you can cook this rice in a rice cooker, but I don’t have one and can’t instruct on timing and rice to water ratios. Season the same way though!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¾ cup
- Calories: 193
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 146.8 mg
- Fat: 1.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 3.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Love this recipe. I used the Instapot. Followed the rice instructions on the bag for cooking times.
Good to hear Julie!
I host international students. I use Japanese sticky rice and follow this recipe, but add some chicken broth. I then fry and egg crispy edges sunny side up, prepared salmon roe. ( my husband is a sports man) I crumble salmon on top layered with salmon eggs and fried egg with pieces of nori. And drizzle Japanese mayo over top!
The rice is the most important part,,, my students say it is better than they have ever tasted… thank you for the terrific base! My students would love you! But I take the credit and don’t mention you. I do however pass this recipe along to my friends. Thanks again for making me look fabulous lol
OMG- I am drooling Angie! Yum.
The stars weren’t working for me, but I’m giving this rice 5 stars. The furikake, seasame oil, and rice vinegar were wonderful with the brown rice. This was easy to prepare, too. Thanks!
Thanks so much Kathy! Glad you enjoyed this!
Excellent, only had medium grain rice so followed the bag for water ratio, also used Trader Joe’s Everything seasoning as did not have furikake. Will be a new staple side.
Awesome, glad this worked for you!
We made the tuna, rice and Asian cucumber salad for dinner and thought it was delicious as well as easy to prepare. We had some tuna leftover and it was good the next day as well.
Great to hear Edith!
This sounds like a good recipe! I was wondering what “rice the rice” means in the beginning of the instructions 🤔
Hi, it was a typo- should be “rinse the rice”. 😉
Can I make with brown basmati rice?
Hi Heather, the texture will be much different. You would have to change the water to rice ratio and adjust cooking time ( see package directions). 🙂
Thanks Sylvia. I made it with the basmati rice and it worked (following package instruction for water: rice ratio), but I definitely think the short grain would be better for this style. Basmati was what was in the pantry. 🙂
Gottcha! Well good to know and glad you gave it a go Heather!
Best Japanese Rice
This is more of a takikomi kind of Japanese rice not the traditional plain steamed rice.
I like your Japanese rice recipe. I would like to see your next recipe.
the recipe was simple enough and so tasty but still how to make the furikaka seasoning
Hi Nancy, Please go to the Furikake recipe on the blog- it is linked here in the recipe- or type it in the search bar.
I LOVE Japanese food but have never made the FURIKAKA seasoning would you print the recipe….please
Hi Nancy! You can go directly to the Furikake recipe and use the print button at the top of the post. It’s truly delicious so I hope you give it a try!