How to Make Perfect Korean Purple Rice

Get ready to make this gorgeous Korean purple rice at home with just three ingredients and a rice cooker! This pretty purple rice has a nutty undertone and a little extra texture to help elevate your dishes. Of course, it never hurts to serve your kids colorful food, so they get more excited about eating whole foods at mealtimes. Sneaky! 

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What is Korean Purple Rice? 

Korean purple rice is a mixture of white short-grain rice and a small amount of black rice.

As you might have guessed by the name, the cooked rice has a purple hue from the small amount of black rice. 

The more black rice you add to your white rice, the deeper the shade of purple.

This recipe uses just one tablespoon of black rice to hit that sweet spot of a purple tint without making your rice lack vibrancy and start to seem black.

This rice dish goes by ‘Heukmi Bap’ in Korea, which translates to black rice. 

What Rice Do You Need for Korean Purple Rice?

Use Korean black glutinous rice or another sweet black rice for the best results. You can usually find these kinds of rice in a Korean grocery store or online.

Regular black rice will work in this recipe if you can’t get your hands on the glutinous variety.

However, regular black rice may make your rice appear more of a light reddish-purple than true purple when cooked. 

Tips and Tricks for the Best Korean Purple Rice

• Experiment with the ratio of black to white rice to find the best balance for your liking. 
• Use the recommended black rice variety for the best results. 
• Keep leftovers in the freezer for one month to have purple rice on hand anytime! 
• Don’t neglect to soak your rice before cooking so the rice can cook evenly. 
• What to Serve with Korean Purple Rice
• Anything Korean is an obvious choice for what to serve with Korean purple rice! 
• Alternatively, you could make a rice bowl with salmon, eggs, edamame beans, shredded carrot, cucumber, kimchi, and avocado. You may also wish to use this rice recipe with egg-fried rice in stir-fries or serve this rice with Korean soup. 

FAQ

Is Korean Purple Rice Healthy?

Absolutely! 

Jasmine rice is a great ingredient to incorporate into your weekly meal plan as it contains calcium, fiber, and carbohydrates. 

So although white jasmine rice won’t be as nutritious as the wholegrain variety, it’s still a great food to include in your diet!

Black rice is also an excellent ingredient as it contains numerous nutrients, including protein and iron, and antioxidants to help your body fight off free radicals. 

Eliminating free radicals from your body can reduce your risk of some cancers and heart disease.  

If you are less worried about the color of your purple rice and want the most nutritious ratio of black to white rice, use a half-and-half mix. 

The rice may look a little more black than purple and slightly chewy, but you will gain more nutritional benefits from the black rice. 

Related: How to Cook Black Rice in the Instant Pot Perfectly Every Time

Is This Purple Rice Recipe Gluten-Free? 

It sure is! Like other rice recipes, this Korean purple rice recipe is naturally gluten-free. 

Although it may sound confusing when the rice is named ‘glutinous,’ this name is due to the chewier texture of rice, not gluten in the grain. Phew! 

Perfect Korean Purple Rice Recipe

Ingredients

Servings: 2

• 3/4 cup jasmine rice (minus 1 tbsp jasmine rice)
• 1 tbsp black rice
• 3/4 cups water

Kitchen Tools

• Rice cooker

How to Perfect Korean Purple Rice (Step-by-Step)

Step 1. Measure and Wash the Rice

Measure 3/4 cup of jasmine rice (minus 1 tbsp of jasmine rice) and 1 tbsp of black rice. Wash the rice together in a rice washing bowl.

Step 2. Transfer Rice Mixture to Rice Bowl Insert

Transfer the washed rice mixture to the rice cooker bowl insert. Add 3/4 cup water and ensure all of the rice is fully submerged.

Step 3. Allow the Rice Mixture to Soak

Cover the rice cooker bowl insert and let it soak for 4 hours.

Step 4. Cook the Rice

After the rice has soaked, place the rice cooker bowl insert it into the rice cooker and cook the rice according to the manufacturer’s instructions (I chose the sushi rice option for mine!).

Step 5. Let it Sit for a Few Minutes, Then Enjoy!

Once cooked, let it sit for a few minutes then serve!

How to Store Korean Purple Rice

In the fridge

Store the Korean purple rice in the fridge if you plan to eat it within 3 to 4 days or if you want to use it in a stir fry so it can dry out over time. 

In the freezer

My preference is to store this rice in the freezer for general use. Put single servings into airtight containers or freezer-safe bags and freeze for about 4 to 6 weeks. 

Reheating the rice

To reheat the rice, simply microwave until piping hot. This usually takes around 90 seconds to 2 minutes of full power. Alternatively, you can defrost your rice overnight in the fridge to stir fry the following day. Easy! 

Top Tip

Allow your rice to cool down in the containers before adding it to your fridge or freezer. Otherwise, you may risk raising your appliance’s temperature, which can warm the other food in the refrigerator or freezer. 

The Takeaway

Now you know (almost) everything there is to know about Korean purple rice, including what it is, the health benefits of this rice dish, and how to store your rice. If you make this recipe at home, let me know how it went and what you served with your rice. If you like this Korean purple rice recipe, you’ll love my easy Korean soft tofu soup!

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and star rating below! I’d love to hear from you.