How Much Oats to Substitute for Rice
Works for baking, sauteing, and slow cook. Oats keeps a similar flavor profile to Rice.
How much oats equals one cup of rice?
Use 1 cup oats per 1 cup rice.
Health notes
Compared with Rice, Oats has: more calories (389 vs 358 per 100g in Rice), more fat (6.9g vs 0.5g per 100g in Rice), more saturated fat (1.2g vs 0.1g per 100g in Rice), more protein (16.9g vs 6.5g per 100g in Rice), and less carbs (66.3g vs 79.2g per 100g in Rice).
Using oats as a rice substitute in baking
Use 1:1 in savory bakes or grain bakes. Oats give a chewier, denser bite than rice.
Other cooking methods
- Sauteing
1:1 swap works for pilaf-style dishes. Toast oats first for a nuttier base.
- Slow Cook
1:1 in soups and stews. Oats thicken the liquid more than rice does.
- Steaming
1:1 for porridge-style sides. Softer, stickier result than steamed rice.
- Drinks
Use 3/4 cup oats per 1 cup rice for horchata-style drinks; strain well, texture is creamier.
Methods to avoid (3)
- Frying
Not recommended: oats turn mushy or gummy instead of crisping like fried rice.
- Grilling
Not recommended: no whole-grain rice dish to grill, oats don't hold shape on heat.
- Raw Cold
Not recommended: raw oats are hard and dry, need cooking to soften.
FAQ
- How much oats equals one cup of rice?
Use 1 cup oats per 1 cup rice.
- Can I substitute oats for Rice in baking?
Yes. Use 1:1 in savory bakes or grain bakes. Oats give a chewier, denser bite than rice. Not recommended: oats turn mushy or gummy instead of crisping like fried rice.
- How much oats to use as a rice substitute?
Nuttier and slightly bitter; a pinch of salt or toasting smooths it out.
- How does the flavor change when substituting Oats for Rice?
Oats keeps a similar flavor profile to rice.
- How does texture change when substituting Oats for Rice?
Oats creamier, stickier, and chewier than rice, with more liquid absorption and less separation between grains.
- What else should I know about substituting Oats for Rice?
For porridge, pilafs, soups, and stews. Expect a chewier, creamier result with more thickening power and a nuttier taste. Skip fried rice and sushi where separate grains matter. Toast oats first to bring out flavor and cut extra liquid slightly since oats absorb more.
- What still works when substituting Oats for Rice?
Oats still works as a texture and moisture.
- How well does Oats match Rice?
Oats is okay on structure, okay on heat, and okay on flavor.
- How does nutrition compare per 100g when substituting Oats for Rice?
Oats has about x13 more fat, x9 more sat. fat, and x3 more protein. Overall, calories is similar.
- How do the flavor notes shift when substituting Oats for Rice?
The flavor shifts toward more bitter notes.