White rice is a staple food in many cultures and countries around the world and is great paired with anything from meat and vegetables to a fragrant curry or stir-fry.
As well as being pretty easy to prepare and cook, it’s also cheap and filling, making it a perfect addition to your weekday meals. It also tastes good plain with a sprinkling of salt and cilantro or flavored with your favorite spices.
But like every food staple today, the choice of brands is pretty much endless, particularly when buying online.
That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best white rice brands on the market, putting in the graft so that all you need to do is click “order” and get premium brands shipped straight to your door.
Best White Rice Brand – Comparison Table
Best White Rice Brand – Reviews
Nishiki Premium Rice
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Nishiki Premium Rice is one of the best brands available online and contains all-natural medium grain rice raised in California. This rice is easy to adjust for your preferred level of stickiness and also makes ideal sushi rice.
This 15.3 lb package will last you months before you need another and save money in the long-run by choosing Amazon’s subscription service, meaning you’ll get a bag conveniently delivered to your door and could save up to 15%.
Annie Chun’s Cooked White Sticky Rice
If you’re looking for convenience, then Annie Chun’s is the brand you want. This sticky white rice cooks in under 2 minutes in the microwave, making it ideal for anyone from college students to busy office workers to moms who need a quick but healthy dinner option.
Annie Chun’s is one of the leading producers of gourmet Pan-Asian foods meaning you’re guaranteed authentic rice that is also quick and convenient to cook.
You needn’t worry about this rice being unhealthy just because it’s fast – unlike other microwaveable options, this rice is free from preservatives, artificial flavors, and additives and has no added oil or salt. Each serving is conveniently packaged in a separate microwaveable container making it ideal for eating at the office.
Botan Musenmai Calrose Rice
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One of JFC’s longest selling products on the market, Calrose medium grain rice, is grown in California’s rice-fertile soil and crystal clear water. This rice has a tender texture and delicate, natural flavor, making it versatile for all cuisines.
Most people boast that this is one of the best-tasting Japanese-style rice on the market, making it perfect for sushi or sweeter dishes like sticky coconut rice. It also makes great rice pudding. This rice is also Kosher certified.
Tamanishiki Super Premium Short Grain Rice
No products found.For premium and authentic short-grain rice, try Tamanishiki, which is apparently used by a range of prestigious restaurants and is easily cooked in a rice cooker or stove. It makes a flavorsome accompaniment to any meal and sticks together well for use in sushi.
This rice is rinse-free, and many cultures claim not rinsing the rice before cooking allows it to maintain more of its natural flavors. While this rice is good quality, a few people did mention the price has gone up since the COVID-19 pandemic, with more people bulk-buying rice.
Kokuho Rose Rice
No products found.This 100% Californian-grown medium-grain rice is Kosher certified and 100% gluten and wheat-free, making it ideal for a wide range of dietary needs. This brand has been around since 1948 and is renowned for providing premium rice with an authentic Asian texture and taste.
Whether you’re cooking it on the stovetop or in a rice cooker, this rice takes just 20 minutes to cook, making it ideal for quick weekday meals. It’s available to buy in 15-pound bags, and you can purchase several bags in a bundle, making it ideal for big families or simply for stocking up.
Things to Consider
Grain Size
You may have noticed that rice is categorized as small, medium, or long grain. The reasoning behind this is pretty self-explanatory: it’s based on its length to width ratio after it has been cooked.
Short-grain rice is nearly as wide as it is long, medium-grain is twice as long as it is wide, while long-grain is distinctively thinner and longer.
Short-grain rice is great for sticky rice dishes or sushi, medium can work well in Paella or Risotto when a little stickiness is required, while long-grain rice is great in salads or as a side to your main meal, as it is lighter and more separated when cooked.
Preparation time
Most rice is part-cooked, meaning the time it takes to cook is reduced slightly. Most white rice takes between 20-30 minutes to cook, making it ideal for everyday cooking. If you have a rice cooker, even better, as you can simply let the rice cook itself, and it’ll be fluffy and light when finished.
However, if you find yourself often rushing around and want rice that consumes as little of your time as possible, then microwaveable rice is a great option, such as Annie Chun’s White Sticky Rice. This rice takes under 2 minutes to cook and comes in convenient microwaveable containers.
While in the past microwaveable rice had many added oils and salt, this is no longer the case; Annie Chun’s has no additives or artificial flavors and is just as healthy as regular rice.
Cost
You may find that your go-to rice has gone up in price due to the Covid-19 pandemic and people bulk-buying. This should be temporary – as prices fluctuate a lot at the moment – however, it may be cheaper to buy several bags at once, or if not, to try a cheaper alternative.
Our top picks range from $4.99 to over thirty dollars for a huge bag – so there’s bound to be something out there for every budget.
Storage
It’s important to keep your rice stored in an airtight container to ensure maximum freshness.
Store yours in a plastic, glass, or metal container and always make sure it has a tight-fitting lid and that it is stored in a clean, dry, and cool place such as a cabinet or cupboard.