How to Make Cream of Rice in the Microwave (No Lumps)

The microwave is the fastest road to cream of rice, and also the fastest road to a lumpy, erupted mess if you skip two small steps: cold-water whisking and staged cooking. Here’s the exact method for a perfectly smooth bowl in under four minutes.

Yield: 1 bowl · Time: 4 min

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (45 g) cream of rice (labeled gluten-free)
• 1 3/4 cups (420 ml) cold water (or half milk)
• Pinch of salt
• Toppings of choice

Directions

1. Whisk the cereal, COLD liquid, and salt together in a large microwave-safe bowl before any heat touches it — starting cold is what prevents lumps.
2. Use a bowl twice the volume of the liquid; cream of rice bubbles up dramatically.
3. Microwave 2 minutes on high, then stop and whisk hard for 10 seconds.
4. Continue in 45-second bursts, whisking between each, until thick — usually 3 to 3 1/2 minutes total.
5. Rest 1 minute (it thickens as it stands), stir once more, and top.

Pro tip: If it still erupts in your microwave, drop the power to 70% — slightly slower, but it never climbs the bowl.

Gluten-Free Notes

Naturally gluten-free ingredients can still pick up gluten in processing, so choose labeled gluten-free versions of anything packaged here. Our label-reading checker walks through the details if you’re new to this.

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Browse more in Baking Basics & Pantry, or explore our gluten-free breakfast recipe database and hot cereal guide.