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.
Ann McEntee says
Has anyone tried using agave nectar (the real stuff - not the processed garbage) for the sweetener? Any thoughts on amounts?
Iosune says
Hi Ann! I've never tried it myself, but any sweetener will do. Just add it gently until it's sweet enough for you 🙂
Jemmah says
Is parboiled white rice unhealthy to use in this recipe ?
Iosune says
Hi Jemmah! You can use the type of rice you want. However, brown rice is the healthier choice 🙂
Yassmen says
Thank you dear for the nice way of writing
My 4 month old baby has cow milk allergy
So I am looking for recipes for her
Iosune says
Hi Yassmen! Thank YOU for your comment 🙂
Sacha says
Hi! This is a silly question but I want to clarify before I make the recipe 🙂 is the 1/2 cup of rice before it is cooked or after? If it is cooked, how much raw rice is it before cooking? Thanks!
Iosune says
Hi Sacha! As you can read in the recipe box, it's 1/2 cup of cooked rice, so it's after. I can't tell you how much raw rice you should use, sorry!
Lisa Cornell says
Can I make the rice the night before, and blend it the next day? Will it effect the flavor at all? -from a busy mom who always forgets until the evening-
Iosune says
Hi Lisa! Yes, you can, it will be delicious as well 🙂
Leo Sigh says
Thanks for the recipe, I'm going to try it this afternoon as I'm so tired of paying almost 2 euros for a container of rice milk and then it having oil and other ingredients I don't want or need. Looks easy enough, and certainly can't taste any worse than some of the packaged rice milks I've bought lately 🙂
Thanks again!!
Iosune says
Hi Leo! Hope you like it 🙂
Charlotte says
Hi there! I'll definitely try this. Just an fyi, dates are great for diabetics since they're shown to help regulate blood sugar. Made date syrups, etc for my mom and kicked her diabetes good bye 😀
Also for the question on how to do this with uncooked rice. You'll need to soak the rice and drain but don't rinse. No need to cook. Will be interesting to see how different this taste in comparison.
Iosune says
Hi Charlotte! Thanks a lot for your valuable comment 🙂 Have a nice day!
Martin says
Hi there,
Do you blend the cooking water with the cooked rice or do you use fresh water ?
Thanks,
Martin
Iosune says
Hi Martin! I use fresh water 🙂
Cheryl says
I'm so glad I found this recipe. I just looked at the store bought rice drink and it is loaded with oil, I do not want to consume. Since I only use rice milk for oatmeal and smoothies. Would I really have to strain it? Thank you I will look over your website and bookmark you.
Iosune says
Hi Cheryl! I prefer to strain it, but it's not necessary 🙂
mariana says
Hi!
lovely recipe ; )
what can we do with the rice pulp from preparation? do you have recipes perhaps?
thanks!!
Iosune says
Hi Mariana! No, I haven't, but you can add it to your smoothies or soups or even make cookies, energy bites or many other recipes 🙂
Princess Neleh says
Hi, I think I have to try this now because it looks so nice.
Iosune says
Hi there! Thank you so much 🙂 Hope you like it!
Niki says
Hi. Does it have to be brown rice or will white rice work?
Iosune says
Hi Niki! White rice also works 🙂