How to Make Sticky Rice at Home (2024)

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By Tablespoon Kitchens

Put down the takeout menu! Whether you’re in the mood for cashew chicken or beef and broccoli, no Asian dinner is complete without a side of sticky rice. Making it at home has never been easier with this how-to that walks you through what to buy, how to make it and how to serve it. Disclaimer: you’re on your own for how to use chopsticks.

What's In This Article

How to Make Sticky Rice on the Stove
How to Make Sticky Rice in a Rice Cooker
How to Steam Sticky Rice
How to Make Sweet Sticky Rice
Best Rice for Sticky Rice
How to Fix Sticky Rice
What to Eat with Sticky Rice
How to Store Sticky Rice
Sticky Rice FAQ

How to Make Sticky Rice on the Stove

Making sticky rice on the stove is an easy method when you don’t have a rice cooker or steamer basket on hand. All you need is a large pot, water and time. The key to the perfect stovetop sticky rice is a long soak in water—whatever you do, don’t skip this step. If you follow these steps, you’re guaranteed success.

What You Need:

Large pot

Ingredients:

Rice
Water
Salt

Step 1: Measure two cups of rice and three and a half cups of water into the pot. Let the rice soak for at least half an hour or as long as four hours.

Step 2: Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir.

Step 3: Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat to medium low and cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly off on one side to vent.Cook for 10 minutes - but DO NOT stir the rice while cooking!

Step 4: After 10 minutes, check to see if the rice has absorbed all of the water by pulling the rice away from the center with a fork to create a hole. If there is still water, continue cooking for 5 to 10 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed.

Step 5: Remove the pot from the heat and place the lid on securely. Allow the rice to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

That’s all there is to cooking sticky rice over the stove!

How to Make Sticky Rice in a Rice Cooker

While the stovetop works great for sticky rice, using a rice cooker is an even easier technique to try. For one, the rice cooker requires fewer steps than the stovetop and two, it’s rather foolproof with its timing.

What You Need:

Rice cooker

Ingredients:

Rice
Water
Salt

Step 1: Measure two cups of rice and two and a half cups of water into the rice cooker. Allow the rice to stand and soak for 30 minutes to four hours; again, the longer you wait, the more authentic your sticky rice will taste.

Step 2: Toss in 1/2 teaspoon of salt, close the lid and turn on the rice cooker. If your rice cooker has an automatic timer, let it go until it shuts off. Otherwise, cook the rice for 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 3: Allow it to stand for at least five minutes before serving.

How to Steam Sticky Rice

If you don’t have a rice cooker and you’d prefer not to cook the rice on the stove, the most traditional way to make sticky rice is to steam it. There are a variety of ways to steam sticky rice; you can use a bamboo steamer, a wok or even just a steamer basket insert for a large pot. This method does take longer due to the long soak time but you’ll be rewarded with perfectly sticky, authentic sticky rice.

Follow these steps to steam sticky rice:

What You Need:

Large wok or pot
Steamer basket

Ingredients:

Rice
Water

Step 1: Pour three cups of rice in a very large pot. Cover it with two or three inches of tepid water and let it soak for at least six or up to 24 hours—the longer, the better.

Step 2: Drain the soaked rice and pour it into a steamer basket.

Step 3: Boil two or three inches of water in a wok or large pot and set the steamer over it. Make sure the rice doesn't dip down into the water. Cover and steam for 20 minutes.

Step 4: Stir the rice so that the top layer is at the bottom of the steamer and vice versa. Steam another five minutes and it's ready to eat!

How to Make Sweet Sticky Rice

When you think of rice, you likely think of it as a side dish served along an Asian main like General Tso’s chicken or Mongolian beef, but sticky rice can be used in dessert-like dishes, too! To make sweet sticky rice, you’ll follow a similar method that you would with savory rice, but there are a few additional steps to add sweetness. Follow one of the methods we listed above (using the stovetop, rice cooker or steamer), and allow the rice to cool. The sweetness comes from an easy coconut sauce. To make the sauce, start with a can of coconut milk, a cup to a cup and a half of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Pour the ingredients into a sauce pan and bring to a boil over the stove. Pour the sauce over the cooled rice, stir and voila! You have yourself homemade sweet sticky rice. Serve with fresh mango slices or any fruit of your choice!

Best Rice for Sticky Rice

Getting the best rice for sticky rice is a must if you want restaurant-like results. Look for bags labeled "long-grain sticky rice," "sweet rice" or "glutinous rice." If it isn't available in the rice aisle of your neighborhood market, check the ethnic foods section. Still no luck? Head to a nearby Asian orinternational grocer or tryonline.

You could use regular white rice or brown rice to create a similar texture, but you won’t get the same level of stickiness as you would the options listed above. If you’re going with regular white rice, short-grain white rice is your best bet to achieve stickiness as it has higher levels of starch.

How to Fix Sticky Rice

If your rice is not quite right after cooking, don’t worry; depending on the problem, it’s actually quite easy to fix sticky rice. If you’re cooking over the stove and your rice is too watery, simply keep cooking for five to 10 minutes longer. If it’s undercooked, add a bit more water and cook for a few more minutes.

If you’re using the rice cooker and your rice is underdone, simply close the lid and allow the rice to sit a while longer with the cooker off. The residual heat will continue cooking the rice.

If you’re steaming your sticky rice and it’s undercooked, continue to steam until the desired consistency is reached.

Whichever method you choose, the main thing to remember is to not skip the long soak time in the beginning. You should also make sure to not add too much water. Stick to the recipe recommended amount, otherwise you’ll be left with a gooey mess rather than sticky rice!

What to Eat with Sticky Rice

Now that you have your perfectly cooked sticky rice, there are endless ways to use it. Serve it alongside a spicy red curry full of crunchy fresh vegetables. Or turn it into dessert by adding fruit and sweetened coconut milk. Need more inspiration on what to eat with sticky rice? Check out these delicious recipes just waiting to be eaten alongside your home-cooked Asian side:

How to Store Sticky Rice

Sticky rice is best eaten the same day, but if you find you have extra, it can be stored and saved for later. Just remember sticky rice will get stickier over time. You can store the rice in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for a day or two—anything beyond a couple of days, and you’re better off just making a new batch. However, you can freeze sticky rice! Fill a plastic bag, remove the excess air and store it in the freezer for up to two months.Or, fill a plastic bag; remove the excess air and store in the freezer until needed.

Sticky Rice FAQ

Is sticky rice gluten free?

Yes. Despite being called “glutinous,” sticky rice does not contain gluten. The name simply refers to its sticky and glue-like texture.

Why is sticky rice sticky?

Sticky rice gets its infamous stickiness from starch; or rather, one type of starch in particular. Other starchy foods contain two starch components—amylose and amylopectin. Sticky rice, however, is mostly amylopectin and while it does contain trace amounts of amylose, it’s an insignificant amount. It’s the amylopectin, which is water-soluble and breaks apart in hot water that creates the signature stickiness of sticky rice.

So, now that you’ve got the steps and skills, you can make perfect sticky rice whenever you want right from the comfort of your own home. Serve it with entrees, desserts or even on its own. Skip the takeout temptation and enjoy!

Become the cook you’ve always wanted to be with our how-to tutorials.

FAQs

How to Make Sticky Rice at Home? ›

The "cold soak" methods (previously called soak-and-steam methods). This is the traditional way Thai and other Southeast Asian people cook sticky rice. You simply soak the rice in room temp water for an absolute minimum of 3 hours and upto overnight. Then drain and steam it using various steaming implements.

Get More Info ›

How to turn regular rice into sticky rice? ›

How to Make Sticky Rice. Soak rice for 15 minutes prior to cooking it for an additional 10 minutes. This rice requires a ratio of 1:1, meaning 1 cup of rice to every cup of 1 cup of water. It's as easy as that!

View Details ›

How do they make sticky rice? ›

Cover rice with cold water and let soak for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain rice using a fine-meshed sieve or colander (line with cheesecloth if colander holes are too large). Place rice over a pot of rapidly simmering water (don't allow water to touch sieve) and steam, covered, for 15 minutes.

Keep Reading ›

How to make sticky rice without a steamer? ›

How to Make Sticky Rice without a Rice Steamer

Measure water into a 3 quart (3 litre) pot with a tight-fitting lid.
Bring to a boil.
Add rice, cover saucepan and simmer over low heat for 9-11 minutes or until all water has been absorbed.
Let stand, covered, for 2 minutes.
Fluff with a fork and serve.

More items...

Know More ›

What can I add to rice to make it sticky? ›

Combine 4 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a small saucepan. Mix everything together with a spoon. This will be the seasoning for your sushi rice. It may also help your rice become a little more sticky.

Read On ›

What rice is best for sticky rice? ›

In the present time, most Thai and Lao sticky rice is imported from Thailand, so to be sure that you get the right type of rice, look for “sweet rice” or “glutinous rice” on the package, along with any kind of indication that this rice has been imported from Thailand, including the word ข้าวเหนียว.

Can I use jasmine rice for sticky rice? ›

Combine Jasmine Rice, coconut milk, water, sugar, vanilla, lime zest and salt in medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender and absorbs most of the liquid. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Keep Reading ›

What makes restaurant rice sticky? ›

This article by The Kitchn explains that all rice is made up of two different parts of starch components: amylose and amylopectin. Now, I don't really begin to know what each really is, but sticky rice contains almost zero amylose and all amylopectin, and that's the reason it's sticky.

Know More ›

What is sticky rice called in the grocery store? ›

Sticky rice is also known as glutinous rice and is widely popular among many Asian cuisines.

Explore More ›

Is sushi rice the same as sticky rice? ›

Uruchimai and Mochigome are Japonica rice or Japanese rice types, but the key difference lies in the starch content: amylose and amylopectin. Uruchimai contains 80% amylopectin, while Mochigome ("Sticky Rice") is almost 100% amylopectin, making it sticker and gooier when cooked.

Discover More ›

Can you make sticky rice with regular rice? ›

To make sticky rice using regular rice, let the rice soak in water for at least 30 minutes before you cook it, which will help make it stickier in the end. Then, add 2 parts water and 1 part rice to a large pot. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat.

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What is a substitute for a sticky rice steamer? ›

Alternative #1Use a Splatter Screen

A splatter guard makes a convenient (and space-saving) alternative to the traditional sticky rice steamers. The process for making the rice is pretty easy: Soak one cup of rice for 2-3 hours or longer and drain it. Fill a large pot or deep pan with water and bring to a boil.

Find Out More ›

How to make minute rice sticky? ›

The best way to prepare sticky rice with minute rice is to first rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer or colander until the water runs clear. Then, place the rinsed rice in a medium saucepan and add 1 ½ cups of water and 1 tablespoon of oil.

Get More Info ›

Can you make sticky rice out of white rice? ›

So good, you can treat this dish as a dessert! Our coconut sticky rice recipe uses instant white rice and a mixture of coconut milk, sugar, cornstarch and salt.

Get More Info Here ›

Do you need to wash rice to make sticky rice? ›

Rinsing the rice of excess starch keeps it from over-clumping into a solid mass. Steaming the rice in a cheesecloth parcel allows you to adapt the recipe to whatever steamer setup you have in your kitchen.

Discover More ›