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This single serving Baked Rice cooks up perfectly every time—fluffy, tender, and full of flavor. Just mix the ingredients, bake, and let the oven do the work—no stirring or watching a pot. It’s a simple, perfectly portioned side that pairs well with so many meals.
Enjoy this baked rice with Chicken Tagine, Chickpea Curry, a Greek Chicken Bowl, or Red Beans and Rice. You can also use it to make Rice Pudding or Fried Rice.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: Made with just four pantry staples.
- Hands-Off Cooking: No stirring or watching—just bake and let the oven do the work.
- Perfectly Cooked Every Time: Fluffy, tender rice without the guesswork.
- Great for Any Meal: A versatile base for countless dishes
- No Waste: A small portion with no leftovers.
Baking rice in the oven is an easy, hands-off way to make perfectly cooked rice. Instead of simmering on the stove, the rice bakes in a small dish, absorbing liquid evenly for a fluffy, tender texture every time.
I love this method because it’s reliable, requires no stirring, and frees up the stovetop for cooking other parts of the meal. It’s perfect for anyone cooking for one or two—just pop it in the oven and let it do the work while you focus on everything else.
RELATED: How To Make Brown Rice In The Oven
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this single serving rice recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Long-grain rice: Use any long-grain white rice, such as Basmati, Jasmine, or standard long-grain white rice.
- Water: Use hot water to help the rice start cooking right away in the oven. For more flavor, substitute hot broth.
- Salt: I use 1/4 teaspoon for seasoning, but adjust to your taste.
- Butter: I use salted butter for a touch of richness, but you can leave it out if you prefer.
Recipe Variations
Customize this oven-baked rice with different flavors:
- Herbed: Add dried herbs like thyme, oregano, or parsley to the water before baking.
- Broth-Based: Replace water with chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth.
- Spiced: Add cumin, paprika, or curry powder to the water.
How to Bake Rice
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to bake one serving of rice in the oven. See the recipe box below for full recipe instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Add 1/2 cup of white rice (not instant) to a small oven-safe dish. I use a 5×5-inch baking dish (25 square inches), but a 4×6-inch dish works too.
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the rice.
- Pour in 1 cup of hot water and stir to combine.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil, place it on a baking sheet, and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.
Expert Tips
- Measure the rice and liquid accurately for the best results.
- Use hot, boiling water to kickstart the cooking process.
- Cover tightly with foil to trap moisture.
- If the rice is still firm and there’s liquid left, bake for 5-10 more minutes.
- Let the rice rest for 5-10 minutes after baking, then fluff with a fork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Use either two 5×5 inch baking dishes or one 6×8 inch baking dish and double all ingredients.
Let it cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Add a splash of water and microwave in 30-second intervals, fluffing in between, or reheat in a covered oven-safe dish in the oven at 300°F for about 10 minutes.
If you’ve tried this single serve baked rice recipe or any One Dish Kitchen recipe, please let me know how you liked it! Rate the recipe and share your thoughts in the comments below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Baked Rice For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup long-grain white rice
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Add white rice (not instant) to a small 5×5 inch oven-safe dish.
- Add butter and salt to the rice.
- Pour in hot water and stir to combine.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil, place it on a baking sheet, and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.
Notes
- Measure the rice and liquid accurately for the best results.
- Use hot, boiling water to kickstart the cooking process.
- Cover tightly with foil to trap moisture.
- If the rice is still firm and there’s liquid left, bake for 5-10 more minutes.
- Let the rice rest for 5-10 minutes after baking, then fluff with a fork.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Joanie, does the foil covering on the dish offer any quality advantage over using a glass or ceramic lid? I sometimes use small lidded casseroles or Corning Ware to make your recipes. So far, the lids seem to work fine.
Perfect results when I made this, and it felt easier than using my mini rice cooker. I love having multiple ways to make a simple dish.
Thank you! Using a lid instead of foil works just fine, especially with small lidded casseroles or Corning Ware. The main goal is to keep the moisture in, and both foil and lids do that effectively. I’m so glad to hear you had perfect results—having multiple ways to make a simple dish is always a plus!
I absolutely LOVE…LOVE…LOVE this rice. Easy to prepare and comes out perfect every time. My question is…if I make it with long grain brown rice are the ratios of rice to water the same? Just an increase in baking time?
Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so glad you love the baked white rice recipe—thank you for your kind words! If you’re planning to make it with long grain brown rice, the ratios of rice to water are different, and the baking time will also need to be adjusted. We have a separate recipe on our website specifically for baked brown rice that includes all the details. You can find it here: https://onedishkitchen.com/baked-brown-rice-for-one/.
I hope you enjoy the brown rice version just as much!
This is now the only way I make rice. Didn’t really want the oven on for one serving. Wasn’t sure about making in toaster convection oven. Set temp 5° less and it was perfect.
Thank you!
I’m so happy you love this rice recipe, thank you so much for sharing your feedback.
Great recipe ! I used garlic butter, a sprinkle of desiccated coconut and a little chicken stock into the water, perfect rice, I couldn’t stop eating it 👍
Easiest rice ever! Turned out tender and fluffy!
Can I use the air fryer instead of the oven?
We have not tested this recipe in an air fryer.
I used my Ninja Foodi, multipurpose cooker that includes air frying. I selected the bake mode and my jasmine rice turned out perfectly.
Have you ever used chicken broth instead of water? I’ve done it that way several times and it is always delicious.
This recipe is great! I feel like I have never been a person that has been able to cook rice well on the stovetop! Thank you so much for this recipe!!!