Rice milk, made with rice, water, and your favorite sweetener. It's so smooth and tasty, very easy to make, and ready in 5 just minutes!
Rice milk is one of my favorite dairy-free alternatives to cow's milk. It's smooth, full of flavor, and perfect to have with anything that calls for regular milk. Besides, store-bought plant milk is more expensive and packed with lots of sugar, preservatives, and additives.
This beverage is more digestible than other milk substitutes like soy milk and lighter than other kinds of nut milk. It's also suitable for celiacs, lactose intolerants, people with nut allergies, and, of course, for vegans!
I like to make this milk with brown rice because it's healthier and more nutritious, but you can also use a different type of rice. It's a delicious, smooth, and tasty drink, as well as more inexpensive than other types of plant milk. Also, you don't need to soak the rice grains.
To prepare this rice milk you only need cooked rice, water, a blender, and a nut milk bag. Serve it hot or cold and customize it with some vanilla extract, cocoa or carob powder, and even a cinnamon stick!
How to make rice milk - Step by step
- Cook rice according to package directions. Drain and let it cool down. You can also use leftover rice.
- Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth (photo 1).
- Strain the mixture using a nut milk bag, cheesecloth, napkin, or a strainer (photo 2). This step is optional.
- Use or serve your rice milk immediately.
Pro tips
- To make this recipe you can use any kind of rice, but my favorite ones are brown rice and short-grain white rice. Feel free to use long-grain rice.
- Sweetener is optional, although you can use sugar or syrup, whatever you prefer. Just add it slowly to taste.
- There're some rice milk recipes that contain a little bit of salt to enhance the flavor or even some oil, but I like it better without it.
- For creamier milk, feel free to use less water.
- Serve this non-dairy milk hot or cold with cocoa powder to make a vegan version of chocolate milk and eat it with some vegan zucchini bread, vegan peanut butter cookies, vegan donuts, or even vegan banana pancakes.
What is rice milk?
It is a vegan alternative to dairy milk. It is suitable for people who can't consume nuts or soy, and it has a very light and refreshing flavor.
Is rice milk good for you?
Of course! As long as you can eat rice, this milk will be good for you. One of my favorite parts about it is that you can use leftover rice!
How long will this rice milk keep?
This lactose-free milk recipe doesn't contain any preservatives or additives, so it's absolutely fresh and natural. That is why you should make sure to keep it in an airtight container in the fridge and it will last for 3-5 days.
Looking for more milk substitutes?
Did you make this rice milk?
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Rice Milk
Ingredients
- ½ cup cooked rice, I used brown rice, see notes
- 2 cups water
- 2 Medjool or 4 Deglet Nour dates, optional
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package directions. Drain and let it cool down. You can also use leftover rice.
- Add all the ingredients to a blender (cooked rice, water, and dates) and blend until smooth.
- Strain the mixture using a nut milk bag, cheesecloth, napkin, or a strainer. This step is optional.
- Use your rice milk immediately and serve it hot or cold with cocoa powder to make a vegan version of chocolate milk. Feel free to eat it with some vegan zucchini bread, vegan peanut butter cookies, vegan donuts, or even vegan banana pancakes.
- Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Notes
- If you want to cook your rice from scratch, use ⅓ cup of 55 g of uncooked rice and cook it according to package directions.
- To make this rice milk you can use any kind of rice, but my favorite ones are brown rice and short-grain white rice. Feel free to use long-grain rice.
- Sweetener is optional, although you can use sugar or syrup, whatever you prefer. Just add it slowly to taste.
- There're some rice milk recipes that contain a little bit of salt to enhance the flavor or even some oil, but I like it better without it.
- For creamier milk, feel free to use less water.
- Cooking time is not included in prep time.
- Nutritional info has been calculated before straining the milk.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in September of 2014, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips in January of 2022.
Alex says
When you say store the rice milk in the fridge for 3 or 4 days, does that mean you have to store it for that long or that's how long it will remain good for?
Iosune says
Hi Alex! The second one, you can drink it immediately 🙂
Michael Storm Jensen says
Delicious drink. Very nice touch with the dates. I have tried before without a sweetener and it was not so good. I do like it with white rice and also to add a little bit of saffron makes fantastic :).
Thank you for sharing
Iosune says
Hi Michael! I'm so glad you liked it 😀
Onsenia says
Hey gurls 🙂 and hoby chefs, can i make a vegan rice mayo out of homemade rice milk? Im playing in the kitchen instead of doing yoga 🙂 so it would be awesome to stay guilt free 🙂 im not that close to my succes ( and my rommates delights)
Iosune says
Hi Onsenia! We have a vegan mayo recipe that is really popular on the blog: simpleveganblog.com/vegan-mayonnaise/ I've never used rice milk (only soy and almond milk), but maybe it works... Have a nice day!
Teresa Henderson says
Hi
how did you cook the rice first? silly question I know.
Iosune says
Hi Teresa! I cook the rice according to package directions. Just boil the rice with some water until it's soft 🙂
Vicky says
Hi i want to try it but i relly dont know what dates are?
Iosune says
Hi Vicky! They're a healthy sweetener, so you can use any other sweetener you want. Have a nice day!
Sue de Koning says
Hi there,
Just wodering...is it necessary to cook the rice first?
Thanks.
Sue
Iosune says
Hi Sue! I think you could blend the water with raw rice and then cook the milk, although, but you will get a thick paste, not a plant milk. Besides, when the rice is cooked, the mixture is easier to blend 🙂
Jocelyne says
Does anyone have a rice & coconut milk recipe? with the two combined? (and almond+rice) I tasted a store-bought version that was organic (made in Italy) but I would like to make it myself.
Thank you!
Iosune says
Hi Jocelyne! You could blend cooked rice (cold), some fresh or shredded coconut and your favorite sweetener with some water 🙂 Hope it works!
Jennifer says
Sounds yummy! Can' wait to try it. I love the taste of soymilk in my coffee but try to avoid soy if I can. Most rice milks on the market are watery and have yucky ingredients.
Iosune says
Hi Jennifer! My favorite plant milks are almond and oat milk, but this one is also delicious! Hope you like it 😉
Sandra says
I don't have dates. My recipe calls for unsweetened. Thanks for sharing.
Iosune says
Hi Sandra! Feel free to use any other sweetener you have on hand 🙂
Ramona Manns says
do you need to use a sweetener?
Iosune says
Hi Ramona! No, you don't, it's up to you!
marti says
4 dates?
Iosune says
Hi Marti! I used 4 Deglet Nour dates 🙂
abe says
Thanks for the recipe. It's exactly what I need. I can't seem to find a packaged rice milk without other ingredients I don't want to eat!! Now that I have tried this, I don't know why anyone would bother buying the packaged stuff!!
Love your website. Found you for your delicious vegan gluten free pancakes last weekend and they are awesome. Can't wait to try out some of your other creations!! Thanks for posting!!
Iosune says
Hi Abe! That's why I love this recipe, it's made with only 3 ingredients!!! Thanks a lot for your words and I'm glad you liked the pancakes 😉
Saniel says
Make sure to rinse all rice until runs clear to rid the grains of surface starches, prevents clumping, and yields a clean, fresh taste. Whether you are rinsing the rice in a pan, a rice cooker insert, or a bowl, use plenty of water and always start by stirring the rice in circles with your fingers or by rubbing it gently between your palms to loosen the starches.
Generally cleans the rice same as quinoa and other grains
Iosune says
Hi Saniel! Thanks a lot for your comment, it's really interesting 🙂