I never knew you could make a non-alcoholic drink from rice.
Until my Mexican classmate in French class let me have a sip from her tumbler.
That’s how I got introduced to horchata, my now guilty-pleasure summer drink!
Since this drink derives most of its flavor from rice, you better choose the right variety to make it taste just right.
Which variety, you ask?
Don’t worry; I’ll share three amazing rice options down below!
Horchata: Should You Use Rice or Tiger Nuts?
I remember seeing a Reddit thread where users were debating whether horchata should use rice or tiger nuts for its base.
My thoughts? Well, it really depends on which style of horchata you’re going for!
In Spain, horchata is traditionally made with tiger nuts, also referred to as chufa. They often use almond nuts as well.
However, in Mexico, where the horchata I’m most familiar with comes from, rice is the go-to base for the drink.
That said, yes– there’s no right or wrong answer to this not-really-a-debate question!
You can make horchata with either rice or tiger nuts! So, be comfortable with the type of horchata you prefer.
For me, that’s horchata de arroz, or horchata made primarily with rice!
Top Rice Variety for Horchata: Long-Grain White Rice
Full disclosure: I haven’t actually tried horchata in Mexico yet.
However, according to my Mexican friend (and the Internet), long-grain white rice is the variety that produces the most authentic-tasting horchata.
Hence, this variety is my go-to grain for horchata.
Oh, and not only is it incredibly easy to find, but it’s also very cheap (compared to other rice varieties).
Reasons to Use Long-Grain White Rice for Horchata
Neutral Flavor: Long-grain white rice doesn’t really taste like anything, which allows other ingredients, such as cinnamon and vanilla, to stand out in your horchata!
Smooth Texture: Since long-grain white rice has low starch content, it produces horchata that has a perfectly smooth texture. Never too gummy or thick!
Consistency: This rice variety always has consistently good results, as it blends easily. Other rice varieties may clump, causing flavors to not extract properly.
Rice Runner-Ups for Horchata
The rice varieties below can also create surprisingly good glasses of horchata!
Jasmine Rice
Love the floral aroma of Jasmine rice?
Why not take advantage of that quality to further enhance your glass of horchata?
Using Jasmine rice for horchata gives your drink enhanced sweetness compared to long-grain white rice.
Plus, due to its slightly higher starch content, it yields creamier horchata that many people love as a twist.
Long-Grain Brown Rice
Brown rice has an innate nutty flavor due to its whole-grain composition.
This quality makes it a good base for horchata, which is often enhanced with nutty additions such as almonds!
Flavors aside, using brown rice for horchata also produces a drink with a lower glycemic index and more nutrients.
And who doesn’t like healthier drink options that also don’t fail taste-wise?
Rice Maketh Horchata
Now, I know other cultures prefer using tiger nuts for horchata.
But the way I learned how to make this drink was none other than using rice.
So, for millions of other people and me, rice is what truly makes good horchata.
The classic option is long-grain white rice.
Jasmine rice, with its floral aroma, adds a unique twist to the drink.
And for a healthier, nuttier alternative, brown rice is the way to go!
Classic Mexican Horchata
Creamy, sweet, and incredibly easy to make– that’s what you can expect from this classic horchata recipe that you can whip up in just 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 cup of long-grain white rice (raw)
- 2 cups of milk (I use whole milk)
- 3 cups of hot water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup of granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon, for garnish (optional)
- Ice cubes (for serving)
Instructions
- Rinse the cup of rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
- In a blender, combine the rinsed rice, hot water, and cinnamon sticks.
- Blend the mixture until the rice and cinnamon sticks are ground roughly (typically takes about 1 minute).
- Pour the rice mixture into a large pitcher or bowl.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 8 hours) to let the flavors combine together.
- With a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, strain the rice mixture into another pitcher to remove the rice solids.
- Press gently on the solids to extract all the liquid.
- Into the same pitcher, stir in the milk and vanilla extract. Adjust the sugar to taste.
- Mix well until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Chill the horchata until you’re ready to serve it.
- Stir well before pouring over ice cubes in glasses. Feel free to sprinkle ground cinnamon on top for garnish.
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