You know jasmine rice for its strong floral aroma, but what does jasmine rice taste like?
Does it taste like a flower too? Or does it taste just like other types of white rice?
Well, jasmine rice is not your average white rice.
Summary: It has a sweet, nutty, and floral flavor. At times, it also has a buttery taste, similar to that of popcorn.
But please keep in mind that its flavor is quite subtle, and you’d have to cook it well to bring out its amazing taste.
So how do you do that? Keep on reading to know how!
What Does Jasmine Rice Taste Like?
Generally, it has a neutral taste, especially for people who don’t have sensitive taste buds. But for those who do, you will notice it has a subtly sweet and floral flavor with a hint of nuttiness.
When cooked right and consumed only on its own (no main dishes included), it will also give off a buttery flavor, similar to that of popcorn.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that not all Jasmine rice will taste the same. Others would have a more neutral scent and taste while others would give off a more significant smell and flavor. It will depend on the quality and brand that you’ll buy.
To give you a better idea of what it tastes like, here are the other answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about its taste:
Does Jasmine Rice Taste Like White Rice?
Well, Jasmine is a type of white rice. But as compared to most types of white rice, it has a more distinct flavor and smell.
After all, it has the buttery, sweet, nutty, and floral tones that you can’t find in its average counterparts.
Does Jasmine Rice Taste Like Flowers?
Yes, it has a light floral taste that’s reminiscent of the jasmine flower.
But before you get turned off, the notes are just really subtle. If you’re not keen enough, you might not be able to catch its floral nuances.
Does Jasmine Rice Taste Like Perfume?No, it doesn’t taste like perfume.
Since it has a strong flowery smell, it makes sense for most people to think that it will taste like those floral-scented perfumes. But although it does have a hint of floral notes, its flavor is not potent enough to be likened to perfumes.
What is Jasmine Rice?
It’s a long-grain Asian rice variety that is commonly used in different parts of Asia, India, and the Middle East and is grown mostly in certain Asian countries like Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
Commonly called fragrant rice, it’s famous for its significant floral aroma. However, it didn’t get its name from sharing the same scent as the jasmine flower. Instead, it’s called such because its white color is similar to that of the Jasmine flower.
What’s the Nutritional Content of Jasmine Rice?
Jasmine has almost the same nutritional profile as other varieties—a good amount of calories, a whole lot of carbs, and a few trace minerals here and there.
However, it contains more fats and calories, but the difference is not enough to significantly affect your weight or satiety.
To be precise, here are the nutrients you can get from one serving (a quarter of a cup):
- Energy: 160 Calories
- Total Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 0mg
- Potassium: 0 mg
- Total Carbohdyrates: 36g
- Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 0g
- Protein: 3g
Additionally, the brown variety also contains good amounts of trace minerals like Magnesium, Phosphorus, Manganese, Selenium, Vitamin B1, and B6
Is Jasmine Rice Healthy?
Yes and no. There’s no denying it has plenty of health benefits including better digestive health, healthy pregnancy, and a stronger immune system. (*) However, it also comes with a few disadvantages including blood sugar spikes.
How to Cook and Serve Jasmine Rice
If you want to highlight its unique flavor, you should learn how to cook and serve it well. Here are some of the things to keep in mind on how to do that:
What is the Jasmine Rice-to-Water ratio?
The ratio depends on where you’ll cook it.
For stovetop cooking, add 1 ½ cups of water for every 1 cup of dry rice. On the other hand, try the 1 cup of water to 1 cup of dry rice ratio when using the rice cooker.
What to serve it with?
With its subtle sweet taste and sticky texture, it works well with a wide range of meaty and vegetable dishes like:
- Grilled meats,
- Asian ground meat recipes,
- Spicy curries,
- Stir-fried vegetables,
- Vegetable and meat stews,
- Fried food items,
- Thai and Asian dishes.
You can even use it in making sticky rice desserts.
What to avoid when serving or using it?
Due to its delicate texture, it’s not the best option for making fried rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best substitute for it?
Its closest substitute is basmati.
Since they are both long-grain varieties, they have a similar texture. Not only that, both of them are aromatic types of rice and they share the same popcorn-like scent.
However, they do have a few dissimilarities. For one, basmati tastes nuttier while jasmine tastes more floral. Additionally, basmati rice grains are thinner and longer.
Why does jasmine rice smell like flowers?
A lot of people think that it’s artificially scented using flowers. That’s not true.
It’s highly aromatic because it contains a lot of the most important aromatic compounds found in rice plants which are 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP). (*)
The Bottom Line
What does jasmine rice taste like? It tastes slightly sweet and a bit nutty with floral nuances to it. All these flavors are delivered in a soft (a bit sticky) yet fluffy texture.
To get all of its subtle flavors, make sure to follow all of the serving and cooking tips we’ve shared with you, especially the water ratio!
Up Next: What Does Basmati Rice Taste Like? (Honest Answer)
