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Jasmine Rice
We put six brands of jasmine rice—from supermarket varieties to high-end mail-order grains—to the test.
Top Pick
WinnerDynasty Jasmine Rice
Its “clean” flavor with a “great finishing hit of jasmine” and “tender, distinct grains” earned this rice our highest praise, even when it was covered with rich curry.
Origin: Thailand
Price at Time of Testing: $4.59 for 2 lb (14 cents per oz)
Its “clean” flavor with a “great finishing hit of jasmine” and “tender, distinct grains” earned this rice our highest praise, even when it was covered with rich curry.
Origin: Thailand
Price at Time of Testing: $4.59 for 2 lb (14 cents per oz)
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What You Need to Know
Jasmine rice, which is native to Thailand and a staple in Southeast Asian cuisine, is becoming a favorite in America, too. Here, its consumption shot up by 15 percent between 2011 and 2012, according to the USA Rice Federation. Unlike ordinary rice, the jasmine variety carries a delicate floral and buttery scent that is highly prized in Thailand. In fact, the purest form of the rice, known as Hom Mali (“good smelling”), receives special government certification. Packages of jasmine rice containing no less than 92 percent Hom Mali are stamped with a green seal from Thailand’s Department of Foreign Trade.
Though the name jasmine derives from Khao Dawk Mali, a variety of Hom Mali–certified rice grown in Thailand that translates to “white jasmine flower,” the fragrance of jasmine rice is not actually a byproduct of the plant. It’s the result of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, a flavor compound that’s found in all rice varieties but occurs in elevated levels in aromatic rice such as jasmine and basmati. The fragrance is detectable even when the rice is covered with bold sauces.
Compared with other varieties of long-grain rice, jasmine rice tends to cook up relatively soft and sticky, though it maintains a slightly firm chew. As Farman Jodari, an agronomist and plant breeder with the Rice Experiment Station at California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation, explained, that’s because it contains less amylose—a starch that resists water—and gelatinizes at lower temperatures than varieties like basmati, meaning the grains deconstruct at a lower temperature.
We sampled six products, five nationally available from Thailand and one mail-order package from Cambodia (most jasmine rice sold in the United States is imported), both plain and with Thai-style curry. All but one was prepared in a rice cooker; that outlier, from Uncle Ben’s, heats quickly in the microwave—and not surprisingly, ranked dead last. Tasters panned the waxy, yellow-tinged grains’ “fake,” “plastic” flavor. The pricey Cambodian rice also lost points for disintegrating in the curry. Top honors, meanwhile, went to Dynasty Jasmine Rice ($4.59 for 2 pounds), a supermarket product boasting a distinct fragrance and separate, toothsome grains.
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Everything We Tested
Recommended
WinnerDynasty Jasmine Rice
Its “clean” flavor with a “great finishing hit of jasmine” and “tender, distinct grains” earned this rice our highest praise, even when it was covered with rich curry.
Origin: Thailand
Price at Time of Testing: $4.59 for 2 lb (14 cents per oz)
Its “clean” flavor with a “great finishing hit of jasmine” and “tender, distinct grains” earned this rice our highest praise, even when it was covered with rich curry.
Origin: Thailand
Price at Time of Testing: $4.59 for 2 lb (14 cents per oz)
Carolina Jasmine Rice (also sold as Mahatma Jasmine Rice)
This particularly floral rice with a “slight sweetness” finished a close second. Served with curry, the grains remained “distinct” and “firm,” with a “smooth” texture.
Origin: Thailand
Price at Time of Testing: $4.19 for 2 lb (13 cents per oz)
This particularly floral rice with a “slight sweetness” finished a close second. Served with curry, the grains remained “distinct” and “firm,” with a “smooth” texture.
Origin: Thailand
Price at Time of Testing: $4.19 for 2 lb (13 cents per oz)
A Taste of Thai Jasmine Enriched Thai Fragrant Long Grain Rice
Most tasters described this rice as “very aromatic,” with “minor floral notes,” though some found the flavor “neutral” and “too subtle.” Its “slightly firmer texture” meant that it “held its integrity with the curry.”
Origin: Thailand
Price at Time of Testing: $4.94 for 17.6-oz box (28 cents per oz)
Most tasters described this rice as “very aromatic,” with “minor floral notes,” though some found the flavor “neutral” and “too subtle.” Its “slightly firmer texture” meant that it “held its integrity with the curry.”
Origin: Thailand
Price at Time of Testing: $4.94 for 17.6-oz box (28 cents per oz)
Goya Thai Jasmine Rice
While this rice had a “floral” aroma, its flavor was still described as “bland.” However, its texture was good, with “very distinct” and “firm” but “sticky” grains that “absorb sauce nicely.”
Origin: Thailand
Price at Time of Testing: $2.89 for 2 lb (9 cents per oz)
While this rice had a “floral” aroma, its flavor was still described as “bland.” However, its texture was good, with “very distinct” and “firm” but “sticky” grains that “absorb sauce nicely.”
Origin: Thailand
Price at Time of Testing: $2.89 for 2 lb (9 cents per oz)
Recommended with reservations
Lotus Foods Organic Mekong Flower Jasmine Rice
This mail-order, organic, heirloom strain drew mixed reviews: Some thought it was “a bit toasty” and even like “butter and flowers,” while others called it “plain.” Its downfall: Its softer grains “got lost” with curry.
Origin: Cambodia
Price at Time of Testing: $4.69 for 15-oz bag (31 cents per oz), plus shipping
This mail-order, organic, heirloom strain drew mixed reviews: Some thought it was “a bit toasty” and even like “butter and flowers,” while others called it “plain.” Its downfall: Its softer grains “got lost” with curry.
Origin: Cambodia
Price at Time of Testing: $4.69 for 15-oz bag (31 cents per oz), plus shipping
Not Recommended
Ben’s Original Ready Rice, Jasmine
The microwavable pouch delivered rice in 90 seconds; too bad it tasted like “plastic,” was a “weird color” (it’s predressed with canola or sunflower oil, soy lecithin, and natural flavor, which tints it a yellowish brown), and had a “waxy,” “wet sponge” texture.
Origin: Thailand
Price at Time of Testing: $2.94 for 8.5 oz (35 cents per oz; includes water content)
The microwavable pouch delivered rice in 90 seconds; too bad it tasted like “plastic,” was a “weird color” (it’s predressed with canola or sunflower oil, soy lecithin, and natural flavor, which tints it a yellowish brown), and had a “waxy,” “wet sponge” texture.
Origin: Thailand
Price at Time of Testing: $2.94 for 8.5 oz (35 cents per oz; includes water content)
*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.
Reviews You Can Trust
The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. Have a question or suggestion? Send us an email at atkreviews@americastestkitchen.com. We appreciate your feedback!
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See Why.