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Some brands of rice milk contain microscopic bits of metal.
I had been planning on writing a post on homemade rice milk at some point, but after reading an article last week in Mother Jones about this latest non-food food additive, I decided I better whip up a batch of rice milk and write a post about it sooner rather than later.
According to the writer (and the scientific sources he cites), nano-size particles (a nanometer is a billionth of a meter) of titanium-dioxide now lurk in, among other products, Dannon Greek Plain Yogurt, Silk Original Soy Milk, Rice Dream Rice Drink, Hershey’s Bliss Dark Chocolate and Kraft’s American Cheese-Like Singles. Why? Because nanoparticles of titanium dioxide whiten white foods like yogurt and rice milk and brighten dark foods like chocolate.
How do nanoparticles affect the body? Well, we don’t know. The FDA says they pose a risk—but has done nothing to curb this trend. Ninety-six food items in the United States now contain unlabeled nano ingredients but as “recently as 2008, only eight US food products were known to contain nanoparticles, according to a recent analysis from Friends of the Earth—a more than tenfold increase in just six years.”
I don’t buy rice milk because of the overpackaging. I’ve seen it only in Tetra Paks, which aren’t recyclable (at least not where I live), and recycling is a last resort anyway. I prefer to refuse packaging, buy whole foods and cook for myself. Rice milk happens to be pretty easy to make.
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown or white rice, long or short grain (I buy mine in bulk in my own container and I chose brown rice for this post)
- 4 cups water (plus more for soaking the rice)
- Sweetener (optional)
- Vanilla (optional)
Instructions
1. Rinse rice thoroughly and place in a bowl. Cover with water by about half an inch. Let soak overnight. This batch soaked for about 14 hours. One of the nice things about this recipe is you don’t use any energy to cook the rice before making the milk. If you prefer almond milk, just replace the cup of rice with a cup of raw almonds, and follow these same directions.
2. After the rice has soaked, drain but do not rinse it. Place rice in a blender along with the 4 cups of water. If you want to add sweetener, vanilla or other flavorings, do it now. Unlike homemade almond milk, I think rice milk really needs just a bit of sweetener to taste (try a teaspoon of honey). You can add the flavorings after you blend everything and strain the liquid, but then you’ll have to clean the blender out and pour everything back in. It’s just easier to add it now. (I opt for easy.)
3. Whirl the rice and water around in the blender on high for about 3 minutes.
4. Place a sieve lined with a very thin towel over a bowl. Pour the rice milk into it. Allow the liquid to strain and drip into the bowl below. My thinning, old tea towel is still a bit thick, but it did the trick.
5. Gather the corners of the towel up and squeeze out the remaining liquid.
6. Pour rice milk into jars, replace lids and chill. Drink your rice milk within a week. (I tend to avoid eating food more than a week old unless it’s fermented.)
If you have any ideas for what to do with this rice sludge, please let me know. I put mine in the fridge, where I imagine it will sit for several days until I finally compost it. I’ve baked with almond or coconut pulp left from making milk, but not rice.
No-Cook Rice Milk
Yields approximately 3 1/2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown or white rice, long or short grain
- 4 cups water (plus more for soaking)
- 1 teaspoon honey or sugar (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
Directions
1. Rinse rice thoroughly and place in a bowl. Cover with water by about half an inch. Let soak overnight.
2. After the rice has soaked, drain but do not rinse it. Place rice in a blender along with the 4 cups of water. Add sweetener and vanilla, if desired.
3. Whirl the rice and water around in the blender on high for about 3 minutes.
4. Place a sieve lined with a very thin towel over a bowl. Pour the rice milk into it. Allow the liquid to strain and drip into the bowl below.
5. Gather the corners of the towel up and squeeze out the remaining liquid.
6. Pour rice milk into jars, replace lids and chill. Drink your rice milk within a week.
Click here to read my recipe for rice milk made with cooked rice.
Yes, it’s totally awesome. You can also prepare an almond milk like this or a soy milk from soy beans. It’s supercheap 🙂 I haven’t tried rice milk yet. I have to do it pretty soon! Thank you for the inspiration!
You’re welcome! Thanks for the comment. I forgot to point out how inexpensive this is to make. Let me know how your rice milk turns out 🙂
You can make raw rice cake with the drained rice!! It’s awesome and gluten free: 1 1/2 cup raw rice (soak in boiling water for 2h, drain, and put in the blender), 1 cup oil, 1 cup sugar, 3 eggs, pinch salt, 1 cup of liquid flavour of your choice (coconut milk, any juice, cocoa dissolved in water, lemon juice). Put all in the blender, add 1tbsp baking powder. bake in a oiled tin at 220oC for about 40min. Many different recipes in Brazilian websites (in portuguese) but thats the one I use…
I’ve never tried rice milk before, but it looks good in the pictures you’ve posted here. How does the taste compare to regular milk? Or does it just taste like rice? (Excuse my ignorance, please!) And I’d definitely love to try this with almonds, since I love almond milk, and I imagine it’s even better when homemade. Do you just swap out the rice for almonds to do it? Thanks for sharing. Love your blog 🙂
I drink cream-top whole milk, so it’s very different from that. It has the consistency of skim milk but a ricey (if I can use that “word”) flavor. I’m not a big fan of adding sugar to food, but I think this needs just a little bit of sweetener too. And yes, you can follow the same instructions for almond milk, with the same measurements (I’ll update my post and mention that). Thanks for the comment. I’m glad you like the blog!
http://sailurecipes.blogspot.com/2008/01/chalimidi.html try this recipe to use up the left over rice.
Thank you so much! I hate to throw anything out, even to the compost pile, if I can use it. I’ll look for jaggary and try making this.
Thanks for great recipe. .first one I’ve seen with uncooked rice. Came out great, and far more pulp than using cooked rice. I think the pulp can be used as a slight thickener in soups. I would start with about 1tblsp per 2cups is soup ..add more for desired consistency. This was only my 4th rice attempr..but have been doing almond fir a while.
Great! I’m so glad it turned out well. Thanks for the idea to use up the pulp 🙂
Couldn’t you use the rice pulp for rice puddings, or as a feelng for a layered dish.
Make rice cakes! 🙂 Thanks for the rice milk recipe.
Reblogged this on Permaculture Hamilton and commented:
This is The Zero-Waste Chef’s recipe for homemade rice milk, sans unappetizing metal bits. See our “Big Dairy” post on May 28 for background http://wp.me/p3TkW3-zQ.
Thanks for the reblog! And for your “Big Dairy” post 🙂
So simple! Thank you for the recipe, I can’t wait to try it.
You’re welcome. Thanks for checking it out 🙂 Let me know how it turns out.
I love this, I struggle with milk as my body does not like lactose. I am definitely going to try this as it’s cheaper than buying lactose free milk. Thank you so much for sharing.
You’re welcome and thank you for the comment 🙂 I hope the rice milk works out better for you. Almond milk is also easy to make using this method. By the way, I love your blog!
You can make your own lactose free milk by simple dissolving lactase tabs in warm water and pouring into regular milk. That’s how lactose free milk is made. The lactase pre digests lactose in milk. Buy lactase tabs online though as they are always expensive in the shops.
I found this thread as I need to take a two week break from dairy and wanted temporary alternatives. Apparently just a two week break can assist your liver to cleanse. Then a reintroduction to lactose only. Start with small amounts. Use raw milk and preferably A2 grass fed and organic only.
[…] was really happy with this milk, although I was unhappy about the cost until I came across Zero Waste Cheif Blog post on rice milk. I had seen rice milk on the shelves in supermarkets and health food shops […]
[…] nuts. Sometimes, I eat bread along with the salad, sometimes not. The dressing is a hummus-vinegar-rice milk mixture, mixed with some […]
Do u know if this rice milk priduces the same carbohydrate content as stated on the side of a carton of rice milk ? I am currently on a calorie counting diet and would love to know if I could replace this recipe for the carton stuff.
Hmmm, that’s a good question. I think some rice milk has pureed rice in it and that would have more carbs that this. I found this calorie counter for recipes: http://www.caloriecount.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
When I entered the ingredients for this, it spit out the nutrition facts BUT it assumed I’m eating the rice, which you don’t really. I’m sure a little rice gets in, but not that much. Sorry I don’t have a better answer.
Someone from another blog had said homemade rice milk had about 51 calories, compared to store bought which is around 130 calories.
Thanks for the info! I have never figured out the calories of recipes but I have seen websites that will calculate that for you.
You can use the rice “sludge” to thicken soups, stews and gravy, and add to smoothies. It works well and of course, it’s nutricious, too.
That’s brilliant Judy! Thanks for the idea 🙂
Reblogged this on bginny69 and commented:
I’m making this for my kitty. I’m going to try cooking the rice I’ll be straining out (for me).
Thank you for the reblog! I hope your kitty likes it 🙂 Someone recently told me to use the pulp to thicken soup. I thought that was brilliant!
Hello. For the left over rice sludge, this could be a pancake base! Add some vegi and an egg, some spice. Just an idea, I used left over soy bean sludge to make pancake before. It was quite good.
Ooooh, that’s a great idea Alice. I make vegetable fritter/pancake type things and think rice sludge would work really well. Thanks for the tip!
Similar idea from me. I used it to make a gluten free pizza base
I find it interesting that you choose to use raw rice to make this milk. May I ask why? Rice is a grain (which need to be soaked and cooked before being eaten).
Hmmm, you’re right Bob. I should revise this and soak the rice overnight. Thanks for pointing that out.
In the website/blog one of the commenters says the calories count compared to store bought. This would be under “Dairy Alternative: Homemade Rice Milk” in the search results dontwastethecrumbs.com/…/dairy-alternative-homemade-ric…
Thanks for that Yvon. I’ve seen that website a few times. Good info on there 🙂
I use ground rice and the bits after straining are made into smooth rice pudding, honey, cinnamon, cardamom etc. added and micro’d or cooked on the stove with some rice milk.
That sounds delicious Donna. Thanks for the great idea 🙂
Does it settle? I make rice milk and I have to shake it every time, as the solids settle on the bottom.
Yes some sediment does settle (but not a huge amount) and have to shake it a bit.
Recently found out I have a milk protein allergy, a well as egg, wheat and brewers yeast. I am soaking my rice now hoping to figure out SOMETHING that I can eat. The past couple weeks have been miserable and all this stuff at the store is ridiculously priced. Thank you for posting this as I might have hope after all to eat “normal” stuff again. Will let you know how/if it turns out.
Wow, Autumn, that sounds rough 🙁 I hope the rice milk works for you. Good luck and let me know!
i soaked the rice over night it looks the same. i was told you are supose to cook all grains? did i do something wrong ? help me please. i messed up the first batch i cooked the rive then measured it was really water down.
Hi Hary, you can make it either way but if you use uncooked you have to soak the grains. Here’s a recipe for rice milk made with cooked rice: http://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2013/09/dairy-alternative-homemade-rice-milk-2/ I haven’t made this recipe myself but it looks good. I hope that helps and I hope you’ll try again. I have cooked lots of things that didn’t turn out the first time I tried them.
I imagine that you could use the rice pulp to make rice crackers with some herbs and chia or flax seeds. 🙂 Just mix the pulp with your favorite binder and some flavorings and stuff and then spread thin on a baking sheet or a dehydrator sheet and dry it out till crispy.
Will try this recipe but at the moment I’m thinking you can use the rice sludge to make a body or facial scrub. Perhaps adding a little oil (to get a moisturizing effect) and if the sludge is too smooth a little baking soda can be added to it.
That’s a great idea Hannah. Thank you!
When I made flax milk I added a tomato, and the filtered out part, I mixed with a probiotic capsule and dehydrated it at 105 degrees. It was delicious. You might have to germinate the rice, or maybe it is just too hard for what works with flax seed or sunflower seeds.
That sounds really good. Thanks for the idea!
Doesn’t cooking the rice release the remainder of anti nutrients still in the rice even after soaking. And if so, if its not cooked could this cause a digestive issue or at least lost nutrients being passed through the GI track. I think it’s important to get this right!! The recipe is the same 1-4 ratio 1cup soaked and cooked rice, 4cups water 5 pitted dates for sweetener. (or 3 tbs maple syrup) I drink it as is without straining (using a vitamix helps with this very little grit or sludge.) If it settles shake it and add it to smoothies yum!!
Hi Mark. I actually want to revise this post because I’ve had much feedback similar to yours (and regular traffic to it every day–so I do have to get it right). It’s on the (very long) to-blog list. Your recipe sounds delicious 🙂
Hi! Just curious as to why you don’t rinse the soaked rice (gently) before blending.
Hi Trisha. My daughter was the first one to make rice milk and she didn’t rinse so that’s how I make it. But I should try that and see what happens. I actually want to revise this post. I’ve had so many questions about it and people have sent me other rice milk recipes that I want to try. ~ Anne Marie
OK no worries! I thought maybe it got all mushy or something. So many recipes, so little time 😀
Isn’t it unhealthy to eat uncooked rice though?
If not, there might be an even easier way to make rice milk: put rice flour and water in a blender (along with sugar, oils, vanilla and salt). If it’s safe to consume raw rice, then I’ll definitely try it.
You can make a sort of cottage with the sludge, just add some olive oil, salt, herbs of your choice and sometimes a bit of carrot or tomatoes
What a great idea Maria. Thanks for that 🙂 ~ Anne Marie
Hi! Love the recipe and your site.
To answer your question, “If anybody has any ideas about what to do with this sludge, let me know,”
I’d suggest dehydrating it, throwing it in the blender, and using it as a cosmetics base. Without doing anything special, at this point it can be used as an oil-absorbing face powder… Think Shiseido Blotting Papers!
Thank you for the nice comment and the brilliant idea Anastasia! ~ Anne Marie
Ideas for rice sludge: add 3/4 cup of oats 1 cup water 1 tea spoon chia seeds, 1t spoon cinnamon, 1/2 t spoon vanilla, 1 table spoon honey, 1 grated apple all mixed together in backing dish 1 cup mixed berries on top and sprinkle with shredded coconut and sunflower seeds and bake in 180 degree Celsius for 25 -35min serve with yoghurt once cooked ( rice oat sludge berry bake) if want more pudding texture add more water if want more protein can add eggs.
:O Thank you for this Melissa. It sounds delicious! ~ Anne Maie
Thanks for sharing this recipe…. It came at the right time as I am currently experimenting with a Four grain Energy milk recipe from a local Thai recipe, which is a bit labor intensive… I will soon share the recipe and process… It requires lotus seeds, job’s tears, brown rice and kidney beans, which have to be slow cooked for some time and then faster later one… Coconut Palm Sugar and you have a tasty meal replacement… at the moment, I still have a lot of leftover and need to figure out what to do with it…. All work in progress, but trying on figuring out more local recipes…
Perhaps rice pudding??
You can make some amazing rice pulp fritters with the rice pulp!!!! It’s amazing! Just get all the pulp fry them into little balls and boom! Amazing rice pulp fritter, goes good with some spicy sauce.
Save the pulp, put on cookie sheet and dehydrate in oven on lowest heat until completely dry. Run through blender or food processor to make rice flour, which can be used in recipes in place of flour.
Hi Rosie. I started to do this with almond pulp leftover from making almond milk. I’ll try it with the rice milk too. Thanks for the idea. ~ Anne Marie
Have you ever made cheese with your rice milk?
No I haven’t but I would love to try. Have you? I’d love to hear about it. I would also love to make cashew cheese. It’s on my “to-cook” list.
One recipe tester roasted the rice in a pan for about 4 minutes before soaking. It improved the taste and settled the issue about being cooked.
I mixed the rice sludge with a mashed up banana and a teaspoon of honey and make mini pancakes out of the batter.
[…] Leftover rice pulp from no-cook rice milk […]
I just found this post today, on the same day I bumped into this recipe on the link on facebook. I’m going to try and use the rice that comes from making the milk to make this: https://www.facebook.com/marmiton/videos/10154967530157947/
[…] Rice milk […]
I threw the pulp from this into a vegan chowder on a whim, and as i had hoped – it turned creamy! i will probably save the pulp in the freezer or fridge to add to soups whenever i make this. thanks for the instructions!
Brilliant idea, Julie! I sometimes want a thickener for soup and usually add cashews that I purée in a bit of broth but I will try the rice sludge! Thanks ~ Anne Marie
Spread the sludge on to dehydrator sheets and score thin break lines. Switch on your dehydrator for a few hours and you have some nice rice crackers..You can also dehydrate them on a low setting in the oven.
might i suggest making the rice mush into a butter somehow, since u created rice milk.. and have that rice mush.. see if u can make it into butter somehow..
I’m wondering if the rice should have softened before blending it. I have just tried to make it after soaking the rice for 12 hours and I’m not getting anywhere. Could also be because my food prosessor isn’t great. Perhaps I should cook it instead and try again?
Hi Sarah, I’m sorry the recipe hasn’t turned out. I have another one here for rice milk made with cooked rice: https://zerowastechef.com/2017/05/31/rice-milk/ That might work better. ~ Anne Marie
I’m curious about the nutritional content as a pre-diabetic my concern is with carbohydrates and I’m curious as to if straining this helps reduce. And lower calories. I have seen similar recipes that use cooked rice and leaves it in but are high in carbohydrates and a calories per cup even more so then that of skim milk
Hi Charles, Could you drink almond milk instead or would you have similar worries? I also have made rice milk with leftover rice–so all the rice remains–and you basically drink rice with that recipe. This is quite different. It’s very light. So it would have fewer carbohydrates than the leave-in version but I’m not sure how many still remain. ~ Anne Marie
I’ve been using brown rice, cooking it, cooling it with coconut oil (changed the carb structure) then processing in a blender with a bit of low/non-refined sugar, a bit more liquified coconut oil & sunflower lecithin; it’s pretty thick/ or can be.
> the leftover / strained rice ‘sludge’ : can be added to muffin mixes, or pancakes as a great fiber source.
it does make them less light & fluffy, which is not a deal breaker for me; they’re just heartier.
[…] No cook rice milk from the Zero Waste Chef https://zerowastechef.com/2014/06/04/no-cook-rice-milk/ […]
Hi! For the soaking portion, does the rice in water need to soak in the fridge?
Hi Alix, I do it at room temperature but the refrigerator should work. If it’s really hot out (like it is here today), that might be a good idea. But it’s not necessary. ~ Anne Marie
How about not straining it? That way you get all the fiber, no waste, a a bit of additional protein. I soften a tsp of gelatin 1/4 c water , add 1 c boiling water, stir until dissolved, cool a bit, then add to the 4 c water that I blend with the rice. When cold, the rice solids are suspended in a pourable liquid.
The remaining rice can be used in lots of recipies… the trick is to further soften the rice by simmering it as a paste or choose a recipe which has an initial cook (as do many rice flour recipes). For something really simple look up unleavened rice bread or for something more involved any number of vegan savoury cakes recipes eg thai chickpea and corn cakes (1/2 a cup of rice flour which can be substituted).
I’ve noticed that this rice milk recipe yields less milk than a similar oat milk recipe. I’m combining milks to get the best elements of each.
you could possibly make Juk or Congee with the left over
Thanks sooooo much for this recipe for rice milk. I am totally out of options after Costco discontinued their organic rice milk. I don’t have time to read the posts (have to go to work) but I look forward to reading them all before I make the milk. I cannot tell you how excited I am to try this for my golden milk and mashed potatoes and gravy, etc. thanks again!
I didn’t read all the comments, but I dry my sludge in the over then blend it in the blender for rice flour and it’s great! I’ve made muffins with it 🙂👌
Thank you for taking the time to help the rest of us! An idea for your rice sludge; I use rice in my “cream” soups for added texture. Before allowing it to simmer, I use an immersion blender to make the “cream” silky smooth.
Thanks for this. It so easy! My first try turned out great (except for being a little salty, but that’s my oops moment!). Drying the pulp for flour seems to work, as others have said. Do you have any favorite additions to this (maple, vanilla, etc)?
Why strain? Unless you use it for tea or coffee just give the bottle a good shake before using so no waste and much less trouble. Ok
Hi Zero Waste Chef,
This sounds delicious 🙂 Thank you
Also the water you used to soak the rice you can turn it into a skin toner or use it as a hair rinse
The “rice Sludge” you can turn it into a face mask or scrub.
I know it’s not food, but you wont waste it either
Hi there,
I have tried making cooked rice milk, but it doesn’t taste that great, it gets very gooey and slimy, so your method seems like the perfect solution.
So I really want to try your method but I have been told that rice carries bacteria spores and that if its not cooked you run the risk of food poisoning. Do you have any comment regarding this?
Best
Dmitry
You may try the middle way—cook the rice in water until it come to a boil and then remove it from heat i.e., do not cook the rice to the point where the grains become soft all the way through, but the water in the rice gets boiled for food safety.
You may try the middle way—cook the rice in water until it come to a boil and then remove it from heat, i.e., do not cook the rice to the point where the grains become soft all the way through, but the water in the rice gets boiled for food safety.
You may try the middle way—cook the rice in water until it come to a boil and then remove it from heat, i.e., do not cook the rice to the point where the grains become soft all the way through, but the water in the rice gets boiled for food safety.
You may try the middle way—cook the rice in water until it comes to a boil and then remove it from heat, i.e., do not cook the rice to the point where the grains become soft all the way through, but the water in the rice gets boiled for food safety.
I’ve been using the no-cook rice milk recipe for about 6 months now. I ran out of rice and bought some store rice milk to hold me over. It tasted awful. I really love my homemade rice milk. I just use water and rice (no sweetener or salt). I tastes delicious. Thank you. 😊
Thanks for this article! I was looking for the recipe which isn’t difficult to make. I like rice milk but also avoid buying it because of packaging. Today I’m going to try your method!
How much potassium does the product of your recipe contain?
In India, where I’m from, this is how we usually make a batter for our fermented savoury pancakes called dosa. I’m guessing you could use the sludge for something like that. They are crisp and yummy!
I imagine someone has already said it but make ridge porridge or congee with the leftovers. Or give it to an Asian family, Vietnamese and Chinese love rice porridge.
And thanks I’ll use this method for use in cold process soap. And I think I’ll use the left over, crushed grains as exfoliate in the soap.
[…] in Trieste, we made rice milk for our friends kids. It is a very simple procedure (we followed this recipe) and actually far cheaper than buying rice milk in a hardly recyclable […]
I use soaked Brown Rice; then, If you add: a smidge of Vanilla & High Quality Cinnamon to your taste, 1/8 c. of Good Coconut Sugar or an amount to your particular taste & put over ice made from purified water, it’s called Orchata-(hispanic drink).
I have CFS & I’m a Whole-(Cows Milk)-addict; so I like to sip on this all day, I do not strain it….it’s all good to me❣️ Happiness again, at last👍🏻
You can use the rice paste as a carrier for skin treatments. I like it because it easily absorbs any essential oils or vitamin E i choose and is gentle on my skin.
It’s a game-changer for those of us who are looking to reduce waste and make our own plant-based milk at home. Your step-by-step instructions were easy to follow, and I can’t wait to give it a try.