V TOWER Kitchen · Oct 31, 2026 · Updated Nov 3, 2026
How to Rinse Rice: Bowl, Colander or Pot
Short answer: put the rice in a bowl, cover it with cold water, swirl for 10–15 seconds, then pour off the cloudy water. Repeat three or four times until the water is mostly clear, and drain well; it takes about two minutes. A strainer bowl rinses about two cups of dry rice; for bigger batches, use a 5 qt colander.
Why rinse rice at all
Dry rice carries loose starch on the surface of each grain, rubbed off during milling and in the bag. In the pot that starch turns into a sticky film, which is why unrinsed long-grain rice can come out gummy and clumped. Rinsing washes most of that loose starch away, so the grains cook up more separate.
There are two cases where you may not want to rinse:
- Risotto, paella and rice pudding. Here the surface starch is what makes the dish creamy, so most recipes cook the rice straight from the bag.
- Enriched rice. Some American long-grain rice is enriched: vitamins are added to the surface of the grain, and rinsing washes part of them off. If the bag says “enriched” and asks you not to rinse, follow the bag.
For everyday white rice, jasmine, basmati and sushi rice, rinsing is worth the two minutes.
How to rinse rice, step by step
- Measure the rice into a bowl, a strainer bowl or a colander set inside a larger bowl.
- Cover it with cold water by an inch or two. Warm water starts to soften the grains.
- Swirl gently with your fingers for 10–15 seconds. You are loosening starch, not scrubbing, so there is no need to rub the grains hard.
- Pour off the cloudy water, holding the rice back with your hand, the lid or the holes of the strainer.
- Repeat three or four times. The first water is milky; by the third or fourth it should be nearly clear.
- Drain well. Leave the rice for a few seconds so the last water runs out, then cook it as usual.
Rinsed rice holds a little water. If it comes out softer than you like, use slightly less cooking water next time.
How to rinse rice without a strainer
No strainer? Rinse in the pot or a mixing bowl. Swirl, let the grains settle for a few seconds, then tip the pot slowly and pour the cloudy water off the top, holding the rice back with your flat hand or the lid held slightly open. A little rice will escape at first; it gets easier by the second rinse. A fine-mesh sieve also works, though long grains can wedge in the mesh. If you cook in a rice cooker, skip its non-stick inner pot: Aroma and Panasonic say not to rinse rice in it. If your cooker foams over, see why a rice cooker boils over and how to stop it.
How clear is clear enough?
The water does not have to be as clear as tap water. Translucent water, where you can see the grains through it, is enough. There is no need to keep going past that.
Rinsing different kinds of rice
| Rice | Rinse? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jasmine and other long-grain white | Yes, 3–4 changes | Grains cook up separate instead of clumped |
| Basmati | Yes, until nearly clear | Many recipes also soak it for 20–30 minutes before cooking |
| Sushi and other short-grain | Yes, gently | Swirl lightly and let it drain well before cooking |
| Brown rice | A quick rinse | Less loose starch, so one or two changes are enough |
| Arborio for risotto | Usually no | The surface starch makes the dish creamy |
| Enriched long-grain | Check the bag | Rinsing washes off part of the added vitamins |
Bowl, colander or pot: which to use
You can rinse rice in the pot you cook it in, but tipping off the water without losing grains takes practice. A tool with holes in the right place makes it a one-handed job.
| Tool | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Rice strainer bowl with side holes | Daily rice for two to four people, quinoa, berries | Rinses about two cups of dry rice at a time |
| Stainless colander with fine holes | Big batches, pasta and potatoes in the same tool | Set it inside a bowl to soak or swirl |
| The cooking pot | No extra tool to wash | Grains slip out when you pour |
Rinsing in the V TOWER Rice Strainer Bowl
The Rice Strainer Bowl is a rice washing bowl built for exactly this job. It holds 1.7 L (57.5 oz), rinses about two cups of uncooked rice at a time and measures 9.4 x 6.7 x 3.4 in.
- Wash, tilt, drain. Pour in rice and water, swirl, then tilt the bowl toward the side drain holes. The slanted bottom lets the water run out while the grains stay put.
- Long handle. It keeps your fingers out of the tap stream while you swirl and pour. When the bowl is full of wet rice, support it by the rim and use the handle to steady it.
- Soak in the same bowl. Lay it flat to soak rice before cooking.
- Short-grain rice needs a few seconds to drain before the final pour.
- Easy care. It is light ABS plastic and goes in the dishwasher.
It also rinses quinoa, grapes and berries, and drains a small portion of pasta.
Buyers mention two things to expect. The water drains slowly through the small holes, so give each pour a few extra seconds. Two buyers find it flimsy, the handle in particular, so lift a full bowl by the rim rather than by the handle alone.
Rinsing a bigger batch in a colander
For rice for a crowd, or when one tool has to drain pasta too, a fine-hole colander does the job. The V TOWER Stainless Colander holds 5 quarts and is 11 inches across, enough for a pound of spaghetti. Its tiny punched holes keep in rice, quinoa, lentils and orzo that slip through ordinary colanders.
To rinse rice in it, set the colander inside a larger bowl, fill the bowl with water, swirl, then lift the colander out and empty the bowl. Two side handles let you shake out the last water without touching the rice. Rinse it or put it in the dishwasher, and dry it after every wash so the steel stays bright.
Common questions
Should I rinse rice for a rice cooker?
Yes, the same way: rinse, drain well, then add the water your cooker asks for.
Hot or cold water?
Cold. It loosens the starch without starting to cook or soften the grains.
Do I need to rinse quinoa?
Usually, yes. Quinoa has a natural bitter coating, and a quick rinse in a fine-hole strainer removes it. Some boxed quinoa is sold pre-rinsed; the box will say so.
Can I rinse rice the night before?
Yes. Rinse it, cover it with fresh water and keep it in the fridge overnight. Before cooking, drain it well and use a little less cooking water, since soaked rice has already taken some in.
See the whole Rinse & Strain group. More from the Kitchen Journal: peeling carrots or potatoes for the same dinner? See how to use a finger peeler.