Over 71% Of People Said This Is Their Go-To Way To Reheat Rice

With a mild flavor and chewy texture, rice is one of those foods that can be used for a lot of purposes. Plus, because it's both fat- and sugar-free, rice can be a relatively healthy addition to any meal (via Very Well Fit). Whether you like white, brown, basmati, or some other type of rice, it's great on its own with a dash of butter and a sprinkle of sea salt, or mixed into all sorts of dishes, from casseroles to stews. There are plenty of uses for your leftover grains, too, like homemade egg fried rice, which many people say is actually better when made with day-old rice (as long as you store it properly!).

If you want to reheat your rice for dinner for a second night, what's the best way to do so? Mashed polled nearly 600 people across the United States to find out. Out of all the respondents, 10.87% said they reheat their leftover rice on the stovetop, while 9.2% stir fry it and just over 8.7% pop it in the air fryer. However, there's one option that more than 7 in 10 people use — and it's arguably the quickest and easiest.

While there are plenty of ways to reheat rice, most people prefer to put it in the microwave, according to Mashed's poll results. A whopping 71.24% of respondents said that microwaving is their favorite method to bring leftover rice back to life. However, if you've ever put a container of rice in the microwave for a few minutes and ended up with crispy, dried-out grains, you know it isn't as easy as just pressing a few buttons — there are a couple of techniques to microwaving rice properly.

The Kitchn explains that the key to fluffy, second-day rice is bringing some of the moisture back to it. To do that in the microwave, The Kitchn recommends adding a dash of water to your rice, then covering it with a wet paper towel to essentially steam it while it heats up. A more interesting method of microwaving rice comes from Southern Living, and involves an ice cube. Experts say to put an ice cube directly on your rice, then cover it with a paper towel before putting it in the microwave. Apparently the rice draws out some of the moisture from the ice cube, leaving you with nice, soft grains.