Making rice pudding on the hob or cooker is the quickest way to get a creamy, comforting pudding on the table. This simple stove-top rice pudding uses just a few ingredients, takes around 30 minutes, and is cheaper, tastier and lower in sugar than supermarket pots. Perfect for cosy desserts, snacks, or batch-cooking for the week.
Cook short-grain rice gently in milk on the hob until thick and creamy. Sweeten at the end. Serve hot or cold with fruit, spices or jam. This recipe makes 4 generous portions.
If you've got milk to use up, stove-top rice pudding is one of the easiest, low-waste desserts you can make. Add your favourite toppings, or use up leftover bananas or berries and you've got a simple food-waste busting, delicious dessert.
Quick Summary. Rice Pudding on the Hob
- Prep time: 5 minutes.
- Cook time: 30 minutes.
- Servings: 4 (adjustable in recipe card).
- Key Ingredients: Pudding rice, milk, butter, sugar.
- Cooking method: Hob. Stove-top.
- Make ahead: Yes.
- Fridge storage: 4-5 days.
- Freezer storage: 2-3 months.
Jump to:
- Quick Summary. Rice Pudding on the Hob
- Why Cook Stove-Top Rice Pudding?
- Traditional Hob Rice Ingredients
- What Rice is Best for Rice Pudding?
- How to make Rice Pudding on the Hob (Step-by-Step)
- Troubleshooting Rice Pudding on the Hob
- How to Make Vegan Rice Pudding on the Hob
- How to Serve Rice Pudding (Warm or Cold)
- Topping & Flavour Ideas
- Oven-Baked Rice Pudding (Alternative Method)
- How to Store and Reheat Rice Pudding
- Sustainability
- Rice Pudding on the Hob FAQ's
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
Why Cook Stove-Top Rice Pudding?
It's an obvious question when you can buy rice pudding in handy pots or tins. However, there are many advantages to homemade rice pudding.
- Budget-friendly: making your own gives you huge savings on shop-bought pots.
- Lower in sugar: a much healthier version than shop-bought ones & you control the sweetness.
- Flexible: make it vegan and add in your own toppings.
- Fast: ready in about 30 minutes.
- Great for reducing food waste: use up milk, fruit and even jam odds and ends.
- No skin version: making rice pudding on the hob gives you a creamy finish without the thick skin you get from oven-baked versions.
- Energy saving: this no-oven rice pudding uses less energy than an oven.
Check out more energy saving tips for the kitchen here.
Traditional Hob Rice Ingredients
- Pudding rice: a short-grain rice that will turn creamy.
- Milk: whole milk gives the creamiest results. Substitute coconut milk or almond milk for a dairy-free version.
- Butter: adds more creaminess, or use a margarine for a dairy-free version.
- Sugar: added at the end so you can adjust to taste.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
What Rice is Best for Rice Pudding?
Short-grain rice is what gives rice pudding its classic thick, creamy texture. The best choices are:
- Pudding rice: the traditional option (find this near the tinned rice pudding, not the rice aisle)
- Arborio rice: usually used to make risotto. This short grain rice also works beautifully for rice pudding thanks to its high starch content.
Avoid long-grain rice as it won't break down enough and results in a thin, watery texture.
For more ways to use up arborio rice, check out some of my risotto recipes, including Tomato and Courgette, Chicken and Chorizo, or Prawn and Pea.
How to make Rice Pudding on the Hob (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Start with Cold Pan
Add the rice, milk and butter to a cold non-stick pan. This prevents the milk burning or curdling, especially if using almond milk.
Step 2: Heat Gently
Bring everything to a slow boil over a medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Don't worry if it looks like too much liquid, it will absord!
Step 3: Simmer Slowly
Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring often to stop it sticking.
Step 3: Sweeten
Once thick and creamy, stir in the sugar. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes. It will thicken further as it rests.
Troubleshooting Rice Pudding on the Hob
Here's how to fix some common problems making a tradional rice pudding on the hob.
- Too thick? Stir in a splash of milk to loosen it
- Too thin? Simmer for another 5 - 10 minutes until the rice softens and absorbs more liquid.
- Burning on the bottom? Heat is too high or try using a thicker non-stick pan and stir more often.
- Rice still hard? Keep simmering, some batches of rice just need longer.
- Rice pudding sticking to the pan? Heat is too high, keep it low and stir every few minutes.
- Not creamy enough? Use whole milk or add a little extra butter.
The ideal consistency for a homemade rice pudding is similar to porridge.
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How to Make Vegan Rice Pudding on the Hob
Switching to dairy-free is easy:
- Swap the milk for coconut milk, almond milk, soya milk or oat milk.
- Replace the butter with margarine or skip it entirely.
- If using coconut milk, reduce or skip the sugar as it sweetens naturally.
Pro Tip. If using almond milk, keep the temperature low to prevent curdling.
How to Serve Rice Pudding (Warm or Cold)
This easy stove-top rice pudding recipe makes a great breakfast, dessert or after-school snack. It can be stored in the fridge for 4 -5 days so is a handy go-to throughout the week.
- Serve warm for the classic comforting pudding.
- Chill and enjoy cold from the fridge as a snack or breakfast.
- Add extra milk if serving cold and you prefer it looser.
- Pair with stewed fruit in winter or fresh berries in summer.
Topping & Flavour Ideas
Rice pudding is delicious on its own, but toppings make it even better.
Spices
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
- Mixed spice
- Vanilla extract. 1 teaspoon added to the milk.
Fruit
- Stewed apple
- Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries
- Banana slices
- Cooked rhubarb
- Mango or pineapple (perfect with coconut milk)
Sweet Things
- A spoonful of jam (classic)
- Honey or maple syrup
- Cocoa powder - stir through 1 -2 tablespoons.
Texture Boost
- Sultanas or raisins
- Chopped nuts
- Seeds
- Granola crumbs
Oven-Baked Rice Pudding (Alternative Method)
If you prefer a more hands-off approach.
- Heat the oven to 150°C / 300°F / Gas 2.
- Grease an ovenproof dish using butter or margarine.
- Mix all the ingredients together in the dish, sprinkle nutmeg over the top.
- Bake for 2 hours, stirring after 45 minutes.
This develops that classic golden skin on top.
How to Store and Reheat Rice Pudding
- Fridge: 4-5 days
- Freezer: 2-3 months
- Reheat gently on the hob or in the microwave with a splash of milk to loosen it.
Sustainability
A 500g bag of pudding rice makes around 30 portions, making homemade rice pudding extremely budget-friendly and low-waste. It also avoids plastic pots and cardboard sleeves.
Many ingredients can be bought Fairtrade, such as pudding rice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut milk, vanilla extract, bananas, pineapple and mango. Check out this Fairtrade recipe collection for more ideas on how to use fairtrade ingredients in your everyday cooking.
Rice Pudding on the Hob FAQ's
Too much liquid, rice not cooked long enough or the wrong type of rice used. If the rice is cooked but there is still too much liquid, try draining some off or continue simmering.
Your rice pudding probably needs more cooking time. Constant stirring will help release the starch from the rice which thickens the liquid.
Yes you absolutely can make rice pudding without sugar. You can choose instead to sweeten it with honey, maple syrup or golden syrup. Coconut milk is naturally sweet so is a good alternative to cows milk or almond milk for a sugar-free sweeter rice pudding.
Yes you can leave out the butter. Adding butter helps make it more creamy and adds some flavour.
You can make rice pudding both on the hob and in the oven. Cooking on the hob is quicker and gives more control for a creamy, skinless finish. Oven baking takes a lot longer and results in a caramelized skin and a firmer, custardy texture.
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐rating and review below the recipe card. I really appreciate hearing from you. Stay in touch and get weekly recipe suggestions, food waste and sustainability tips. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube.
📖 Recipe
Easy Rice Pudding on the Hob
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Ingredients
- 100 g pudding rice Fairtrade, organic
- 750 ml semi-skimmed milk organic. Substitute almond milk for Vegan
- 10 g salted butter leave out for Vegan
- 25 g Caster sugar Fairtrade, organic
Instructions
- Add the rice, milk and butter to a cold non-stick pan. This prevents the milk burning or curdling, especially if using almond milk.100 g pudding rice, 10 g salted butter, 750 ml semi-skimmed milk
- Bring everything to a slow boil over a medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Don't worry if it looks like too much liquid, it will absord!
- Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring often to stop it sticking.
- Once thick and creamy, stir in the sugar. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes. It will thicken further as it rests.25 g Caster sugar
Notes
Ingredient Notes
- Pudding rice: a short-grain rice that will turn creamy.
- Milk: whole milk gives the creamiest results. Substitute coconut milk or almond milk for a dairy-free version.
- Butter: adds more creaminess, or use a margarine for a dairy-free version.
- Sugar: added at the end so you can adjust to taste.
Tips
Use a pudding rice or a short grain rice such as arborio or calrose. Add the ingredients to a cold pan and bring to a boil. Don't let the milk boil over. To make a Vegan or Dairy Free rice pudding, leave out the butter and replace the milk with almond milk or coconut milk or half and half. Coconut milk with make it much sweeter so you might not need to add the sugar.Topping Ideas
The following toppings work well with rice pudding :- Cinnamon, nutmeg, stewed apple, soft fruits such as blueberries, bananas, strawberries, cooked rhubarb, mango, pineapple. Also, jam, honey, granola, or nuts.Storage
- Fridge: 4-5 days
- Freezer: 2-3 months
- Reheat gently on the hob or in the microwave with a splash of milk to loosen it.
Nutrition per serving
The Nutritional Values are computer generated estimates based on industry standards and are provided as a helpful guide only.
Naiomi
To make it vegan I used a can of coconut milk and made up the volume with oat milk. Much richer than almond milk if that’s your thing!
REALMEALDEAL
Thanks Naiomi for the tip. That's so helpful.
Barry Mackie
Great and easy recipe and ideal for people who are living on a budget.
Claire
When do you add the vanilla and how much?
REALMEALDEAL
Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the milk when cooking your rice to give it an added sweetness.