Rice for a Crowd (Oven-Baked Method)

Cooking rice for a crowd is SO easy with this baked rice method! For a potluck, family reunion, or church party, bake it in the oven and have up to 50 servings in about an hour!

What You’ll Need to Cook Rice for a Crowd

Just three ingredients for this basic and easy recipe. You can add more seasonings like fresh herbs or lime juice as desired but here’s what to start with:

• Long grain, white rice – I use a five pound bag of long grain rice for this recipe. I prefer that over short grain or medium grain. That’s about 12 cups of rice or 3 quarts.
• Water – five quarts or about 20 cups water. You could use chicken broth, vegetable broth or beef broth instead of water.
• Kosher salt – three tablespoons, or add a teaspoon salt more at a time, to taste.

Seasoning Variations for Baked Rice

Once you get the gist of cooking large quantities of rice for a crowd, it is SO easy to make variations and flavors depending on what you are serving. Keep it simple with lemon zest, a little garlic, and garnish with parsley, bell peppers or green onions. Season with some soy sauce or teriyaki sauce. Or try one of these recipes below. They’re super easy and absolutely delicious!

• Spanish or Mexican Rice: The recipe below calls for 5 quarts of water. For this Spanish Rice, reduce water to 3.5 quarts and then add two 28-ounce cans of Rotel tomatoes, 2 cups of tomato sauce, ⅓ cup of taco seasoning, and more salt to taste (if needed). Continue directions as directed below. This is delicious served with refried or black beans. 
• Seasoned Rice: Use 2 quarts water and 3 quarts chicken broth. Eliminate salt (or just use a pinch to taste). Slice four sticks of butter (2 cups) into squares (pats) and evenly place over rice. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons EACH of thyme, basil, and paprika and 1 tablespoon turmeric. Sprinkle mixture evenly over rice and butter. Carefully pour water and chicken broth over the top and lightly stir to combine butter and herbs/spices if needed. Bake as directed below.

Getting the Quantities Right

The baking times and methods shouldn’t change depending on the quantity of rice. It may vary slightly but not much. You will just need bigger or smaller pans depending on whether you need more or less rice. The recipe below makes 50 servings but it can easily be doubled to make 100 servings. If doubling, you will definitely want to use 2 separate pans, but they should still be able to fit in 1 oven. If you need closer to 20 servings of rice, you can half the recipe but still use the same-size pan or opt for a smaller pan.

Get the Right Size Pan

Cooking rice in the oven is so easy and can make a large quantity. Use a 20-3/4″ x 12-3/4″ x 4″ steam table pan. It holds 15 quarts, so plenty of room for rice expansion. You can also use a roasting pan or a large baking dish with a lid. Just make sure that it can hold at least 10 quarts of rice and liquid. I like using the steam pan because it allows the rice to liquid ratio to cook more evenly. It is only 4″ deep, so not too shallow, not too deep. The closer you can get to the dimensions above, the better.

Types of Rice to Use

For this baked rice recipe I used long-grain white rice. You can also use basmati rice, wild rice, short-grain rice or jasmine rice. The cooking times should remain the same. If using brown rice, you may need to add another 10-15 minutes to the cooking time.

Tips for Perfect Baked Rice

Some of our wonderful readers offered some helpful tips to make this rice perfect every time:

• Toast the dry rice in the oven for about 30 minutes on 350 degrees, stirring every 10 minutes.
• Add blended charred tomatoes and onion to the boiling liquid just before pouring it over the rice to be baked.
• Use boiling water, not cold water. Water temperature will affect how the rice cooks in the oven.
• Make sure to use enough water and check the volume of water in the recipe. Keep in mind that there is more water in this recipe than cooking on the stove or a rice maker.
• Double the foil pan due to weight of water for added stability. You can use foil steam pans or a large casserole dish.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Store any leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Heat again by warming in the oven, or microwaving single servings. If the rice seems a little dry, sprinkle a little water over the top before heating.

Frequently Asked Questions