Rice in the Thermomix® comes out fluffiest with the steamer basket method: rice in the steamer basket, cooked over water for 20 minutes at 100°C or Varoma. No soaking needed, no burning possible. The classic absorption method (rice directly in the mixing bowl) works too, but requires precise water ratios and a 10-minute resting time. Both methods have their place, and we show you both.
We cook rice in the Thermomix® several times a week. The steamer basket method has been our standard since 2018: rice in the basket, steamed over boiling water for 20 minutes. The rice cannot burn, it cooks evenly, and you skip the resting ritual entirely. The absorption method (rice directly in the mixing bowl) works well for smaller quantities or when you want to cook a sauce in the mixing bowl at the same time. We show you both methods here with the exact settings.
Perfect Rice in the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 3 ✓
- 350 g long-grain rice
- 1000 g water
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions 0 / 4
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1
Weigh the rice.
Hang the steamer basket inside the mixing bowl and weigh the rice into it.
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2
Wash the rice.
Remove the steamer basket and rinse the rice thoroughly under running water until the water runs clear. Allow the rice to drain.
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3
Cook the rice.
Add the water and salt to the mixing bowl. Hang in the steamer basket and cook for 20 minutes / 100°C / speed 4.
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4
Serve.
Lift out the steamer basket using the spatula and serve the rice or use it in another dish.
Tip: For us, long-grain rice cooked this way is just right: fluffy with grains that still have a little bite. If you prefer it softer, simply add another 3 to 5 minutes of cooking time. Cooking time also varies by rice variety, so check the guidance on the packet.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Method 1: Steamer basket (our main method)
This is the method from our main recipe below: 350 g long-grain rice in the steamer basket, 1000 g water in the mixing bowl, 20 minutes at 100°C on speed 4. The rice cooks in steam, not in direct contact with water. No burning, no resting time, no sticking.
Advantage: You can put up to 600 g of rice in the steamer basket. The mixing bowl stays free for a sauce or vegetables in the Varoma attachment on top. Everything in parallel, in one go.
Process: Weigh the rice into the steamer basket, remove it and rinse the rice under running water until the water runs clear (reduces surface starch). Add water and salt to the mixing bowl, hang in the steamer basket, 20 minutes / 100°C / speed 4. Done. No soaking, serve straight away.
For wild rice we use the same method with adjusted values: 300 g wild rice, 800 g water, 20 minutes / Varoma / speed 1 (see second recipe below). Wild rice needs the higher steam temperature, but the cooking time stays the same.
Method 2: Absorption method (alternative for smaller quantities)
The absorption method cooks the rice directly in the mixing bowl with a precisely measured amount of water that the rice absorbs completely. After cooking, the rice must rest for 10 minutes with the lid closed so it can absorb the remaining moisture and the starch can settle. This method is suitable for up to 400 g of rice and when you do not need the mixing bowl for other ingredients at the same time.
Water-to-rice ratios by variety: The ratio determines whether the rice turns out fluffy or mushy. Too much water causes the grains to burst; too little leaves them hard.
Important for the absorption method: Do not open the lid immediately after the cooking time ends. A 10-minute resting time with the lid closed is essential; otherwise excess starch remains in the rice and makes it sticky.
Washing rice: removing starch and stickiness
Whether you should wash rice before cooking depends on the variety and the result you want. Basmati and jasmine rice have excess starch on the surface that leaches out during cooking and sticks the grains together. Rinsing the rice 2 to 3 times under cold water until it runs clear reduces the starch by 20 to 30 percent (Journal of Food Science, Effect of Washing on Rice Starch Content 2018). The result is fluffy rice with separate grains.
With Risotto or rice pudding, the starch is desirable. It makes the dish creamy. Do not wash the rice in those cases. The same applies to sushi rice: the stickiness is intentional so the rolls hold together.
The steamer basket method makes washing easy: weigh the rice into the basket, remove it and rinse it directly under the tap. The fine holes in the basket let the water drain away without losing a single grain.
Thermomix® models: TM7, TM6, TM5 and TM31 differences
Our main method (steamer basket) works identically on all models. The settings in the recipe cards apply to TM5, TM6 and TM7. On the TM31, replace 100°C with Varoma and add 2 to 3 minutes to the cooking time, as the TM31 takes a little longer to reach temperature.
The TM6 (from 2019) and the TM7 (from 2024) have an automatic rice cooking mode for the absorption method (Vorwerk TM6 manual p. 28). The machine measures the temperature in the mixing bowl and switches off as soon as 100°C is reached. A 10-minute absorption phase with the lid closed then follows automatically. This works reliably for long-grain and basmati rice with the standard 1:2 ratio. For the steamer basket method you do not need the automatic mode; set the time manually.
Sticky, hard or burnt: 3 common problems solved
1. Rice is sticky (absorption method)
Cause: Excess surface starch or a missing resting time after cooking. If you do not wash basmati or jasmine rice, the starch glues the grains together. If you open the lid immediately after cooking ends, the starch cannot settle.
Our solution: Rinse the rice 2 to 3 times under cold water until it runs clear before cooking. With the absorption method, observe a 10-minute resting time with the lid closed. With the steamer basket method, sticky rice is almost impossible because the steam distributes the starch evenly.
2. Rice stays hard (absorption method)
Cause: Too little water or too short a cooking time. Wholegrain rice needs more water and more time than white rice because the bran layer takes longer to soften. If you use the standard 1:2 ratio for wholegrain, the centre stays hard.
Our solution: Check the water-to-rice ratio in the table above (absorption method). For wholegrain rice always use 1:2.5, not 1:2. If the rice still has a hard bite after the stated cooking time, add 3 more minutes and let it continue to absorb. The steamer basket method with 20 minutes works only for standard long-grain and wild rice, not for wholegrain.
3. Rice burns (absorption method)
Cause: Too little water in the mixing bowl or the speed set too high. With the absorption method the water ratio must be exact; otherwise the water evaporates before the cooking time ends and the rice sticks to the base.
Our solution: Use the steamer basket method. The rice cannot burn because it sits above the water, not in direct contact with the base of the bowl. If you want to use the absorption method, follow the water ratios in the table strictly and never cook above speed 1.
Portions: 80 to 100 g per person
As a side dish, allow 80 g of uncooked rice per person. That yields roughly 200 g of cooked rice. When rice is the main dish, use 100 to 120 g per person (DGE portion size guidelines 2022). Example for 4 people as a side dish: 320 g rice, with the steamer basket method 1000 g water in the mixing bowl (this stays constant).
The steamer basket holds a maximum of 600 g of uncooked rice. That is enough for 6 to 7 people as a side dish or 5 people as a main. If you need more, cook the rice in two batches.
Sushi rice: round-grain rice plus vinegar dressing
Sushi rice needs the absorption method because the starch is desirable. Use round-grain rice, which is naturally sticky. The water ratio is 1:1.2 (e.g. 350 g rice plus 420 ml water). Cooking time: 18 minutes / Varoma / speed 1, then 10 minutes resting time.
After cooking, stir in a vinegar dressing: 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt. Fold the mixture through the still-warm rice using a wooden spatula. The vinegar gives the characteristic sushi flavour; the sugar balances the acidity.
Fridge and freezing
Cooked rice keeps for 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Freezing works for up to 3 months. Freeze the rice in flat portions so it thaws faster. Thawing works in the microwave (2 to 3 minutes at 600 W) or in the Thermomix® (5 minutes / Varoma / speed 1 with 50 ml water in the mixing bowl).
Risotto and rice pudding are not suitable for freezing. The starch crystallises on thawing and the rice turns grainy rather than creamy.
Our tip: Serviettenknoedel with the Thermomix®.
If you need rice as a base for other dishes, try our rice salad recipes, Djuvec rice or Asian vegetable rice. For a sweet version: Thermomix® rice pudding.
