Cooking parboiled basmati rice (aka sella basmati) on the stovetop is easy. Many of us love regular basmati rice – and for good reason. But the parboiled variety is great too, if you cook it right and give it a chance.

It's less prone to getting mushy if you accidentally overcook.

You can prepare it the simple way that I'm sharing here and serve as a side dish. Or use as an alternative to white rice in one-pot rice meals for perfectly fluffy grains.

Love rice sides? Try my chicken bouillon rice, cumin spiced basmati rice or this Persian style barberry rice next.

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Ingredient notes
How to make parboiled basmati rice
Recipe troubleshooting
Substitutions and variations
What to serve it with
Storage and reheating
Related
Parboiled Basmati Rice (Stovetop Method)
Reviews

Ingredient notes

Here are some helpful notes on ingredients you'll need. See the recipe card below for exact quantities.

ingredients required for making parboiled basmati rice

Parboiled basmati rice – commonly sold as "sella basmati". This variety goes through a pre-cooking process that partially boils the rice in its husk. The grains are firmer than regular basmati and less prone to getting sticky or mushy if overcooked. So a great choice for rice-based dishes like pilafs and biryanis. But but but…. it also requires longer soak time than regular basmati. You can find it in Indian, Pakistani and Middle Eastern stores. Look for long grain or extra long grain options.
Water – you'll need 1.5 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice you're cooking.
Salt – the right amount of salt is important to bring out the best taste. So don't skimp.
Cooking oil – I use olive oil but feel free to use any cooking oil you prefer.
Fresh parsley – optional, for garnishing.

How to make parboiled basmati rice

Follow these simple, photo-assisted instructions to prepare this recipe. Check out recipe card below for a printable version that has quantities, instructions and notes in one place.

adding water, oil and salt to a saucepan

Step 1 – Wash and soak rice (tips in recipe card below). Put water, salt, olive oil in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.

Step 2 – Once boiling, add the drained parboiled rice, give a quick mix.

Step 3 – Cover with lid again. Cook for 4 to 7 minutes or until the rice has absorbed most of the water.

Step 4 – To check if it's time for next step, remove the lid, look for small holes with bubbles on the surface. If you see this, give the rice a gentle mix and cover again. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let the rice steam exactly 15 minutes.

Step 5 – Next – turn off the heat, remove the saucepan from burner but don't remove the lid. Let the rice rest covered for 15 minutes so it can finish cooking with the residual heat.

serving cooked parboiled basmati rice on a plate

Step 6 – Uncover, spoon out the rice, garnish with some parsley leaves (optional) and serve.

Recipe troubleshooting

Rice too sticky or mushy?

Likely to happen if you cook rice longer or use more water than recommended. You only need 1.5 cups of water for each cup of rice. Also important is to rinse and soak the rice. And to keep the heat really really low (the lowest you can go) during the steaming step.

Rice too hard and undercooked?

Skipping or shortening the soak time or using less water is the likely cause here. And tempting as it may be, please DO NOT remove the lid during steaming or resting steps. Once that steam escapes, you'll end up with undercooked or unevenly cooked rice.

Bottom layer of rice burnt?

During the steaming step, keep the heat at lowest possible setting on your stove. Keeping it any higher will likely burn the bottom layer of rice.

Substitutions and variations

Rice varieties – this parboiled basmati rice cooking method can also be used for most other parboiled rice varieties (white rice only, not brown).
Broth/stock – you can replace water with chicken or veggie broth for more flavor. But may have to reduce the quantity of added salt.
Garnishes – fresh parsley is great, but chopped cilantro, dill or mint are also nice options.
Aromatics – fresh minced garlic or diced chilies like jalapeno and serrano can be added for fresh flavor and subtle heat. Cook them in the oil for few seconds before you add rice, water and salt. Use 1 or 2 cloves of garlic per cup of rice and adjust the amount of chilies to your heat preference.

What to serve it with

Curries and stews – all kinds! Whether it's eastern-style tikka masala, korma, dal, butter chicken or western-style beef stew with potatoes and carrots – this rice is the perfect side.
Grilled or roasted meats – think grilled chicken, roasted lamb, barbecued ribs or kebabs.
Simple stir-fries – because no one ever said simple white rice and jasmine rice are your only options.
Fish – well-seasoned, pan cooked, grilled or baked fish. Saucy recipes work particularly well.

Storage and reheating

Storage – transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate. Consume within 3 days. Not freezer friendly, the texture changes.
Reheating – transfer leftovers to a pot/pan, sprinkle some water and warm on very low heat. Mix occasionally. If microwaving, sprinkle a little water on top and reheat in 1 minute spurts. Mix gently after each spurt.

Check out these posts — they might be of interest to you!

parboiled basmati rice served on a plate

Parboiled Basmati Rice (Stovetop Method)

By Nelo

5 from 4 votes

Prep: 1

Cook: 40

Cooking parboiled basmati rice (aka sella basmati) on the stovetop is easy. It's less prone to getting mushy, compared to regular basmati, if you accidentally overcook. You can prepare it the simple way that I'm sharing here and serve as a side dish. Or use as an alternative to white rice in your one-pot rice meals.

Save Pin

Servings: 3

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup (185 g) parboiled basmati rice - aka sella basmati (Note A)
▢ 1.5 cups (355 ml) water - for cooking (not soaking)
▢ ¾ teaspoon salt
▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil - or any cooking oil
▢ some fresh parsley - optional, for garnishing

Instructions

Using a fine mesh strainer, wash the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear (takes about a minute).
Then soak in room temperature water for 1 hour in warm water or 2 hours in room temperature water (Note B). Strain after soaking.
Combine water, salt, olive oil in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Once boiling, add the drained parboiled rice, give a quick mix and cover with lid again.
Cook for 4 to 7 minutes or until the rice has absorbed most of the water (not all). Be watchful during this time – if the liquid starts to spill out, turn down the heat a little, briefly lift the lid to let steam escape – then cover again.
To check if it's time for next step, remove the lid and look for small holes with bubbles on the surface. If you see this, give the rice a gentle mix and cover again.
Now reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let the rice steam exactly 15 minutes. It's important not to remove the lid during this step.
Next – turn off the heat, remove the saucepan from burner but don't remove the lid. Let the rice rest covered for 15 minutes so it can finish cooking with the residual heat.
Once the resting time is up, remove the lid, spoon out the rice, garnish with some parsley leaves (optional) and serve.

Ingredient & Recipe Notes

Note A: Parboiled basmati rice – the grains of this rice variety are firmer than regular basmati. And less prone to getting sticky or mushy if mistakenly overcooked. You can find it in Indian, Pakistani and Middle Eastern stores.

Note B: Soaking rice – soaking is NOT optional. For the best results, aim for the 2-hour soak. If short on time, a quick 1-hour soak in warm water will do. Without soaking, you'll end up with unevenly cooked rice that won't reach its full potential in cooked grain size and texture.

Note C: Helpful content – click on the links below for related useful content in the main body of the post.