Community Pick
Perfect Basic White Rice
"You do not need to be afraid of cooking rice again! lol Real rice is so much better for you than instant. So here is a basic recipe that will have you cooking rice like a pro! Check out the options too! Your friends and family will think you're a star! "
photo by Jonathan Melendez
- Ready In:
- 20mins
- Ingredients:
- 5
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon butter (optional)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon white vinegar (optional)
directions
- In a saucepan with a good fitting lid bring water, salt and optional ingredients if desired to a boil. The salt and butter are simply for flavor. The vinegar keeps your grains separated and gives you a prettier dish. No one will taste the vinegar at all!
- Add rice and stir.
- Cover and reduce heat to low. You will know that your temperature is correct if a little steam is visible leaking from the lid. A lot of steam means your heat is too high.
- Cook for 20 minutes.
- DO NOT LIFT LID!
- The steam that is trapped inside the pan is what allows the rice to cook properly.
- Remove from heat and fluff with fork.
- Serve!
Questions & Replies
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I make white rice in the oven all time. I bring the liquid (part water and chicken broth), butter to a boil first. Add the amount of rice in a baking dish usually (8 x 8), add the boiling liquid, cover tightly with foil, and usually 20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven and it comes out perfect. I might try adding the vinegar had never heard of that before. Am I the only one that has made rice this way? Doesn't work as well with wild rice. -
The rice is perfect but everytime I make it, the bottom and sides of the pan always burn. How do i prevent that?
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Will this recipe work with jasmine rice? -
How is it even the easiest Rice recipes just don’t come out for me. I tried This and got a pot of mush? Help
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If I double the amount of rice, does the time and amount of water also double?
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Reviews
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I've banished the boil in the bag variety and retired my rice cooker, cos I've found Mama's method, tried & true! I've been making rice this way for so long, my apologies for not (thanking Mama, and) reviewing this recipe sooner. I have used this method with white rice and par-boiled with no problems (other than it's hard to put the fork down!) I usually make this with chicken broth in lieu of water, as my family loves it. Thank you. -
Rice needs to be thoroughly rinsed under cold water to remove the dust and dirt before cooking. No exceptions. I use a chinois (a very fine, cone-shaped strainer), shaking vigorously, until the water runs perfectly clear. The white dust (starch) acts like a glue making the cooked rice like paste. Rice is basically a dirty grain that is moved around with big bucket loaders. Unrinsed, you're eating dirt. This is true of all brands, even the most expensive. Also, be on the lookout for tiny stones that can easily break a tooth. -
Thanks so much for posting what the rice producers SHOULD have written on the bag! As I make it more and more, I am gaining confidence in the recipe and the rice is getting better! -
My beloved rice cooker broke and my husband didn't think I need to go to the expense of<br/>replacing it. I have not had a lot of luck with a pot. The rice was ususally too sticky.<br/>I followed this recipe exactly and it is HEAVEN! Thank you soooo much!!!
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Best white rice recipe. My rice came out so beautiful!!! Thank you for sharing these amazing tips
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Tweaks
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The challenge to cooking rice is the ratio of rice to water. Take this recipe for instance. Common sense would tell you that if you want more rice, you can just double this recipe. Wrong! If you double this recipe, you will have a gigantic pot of sheetrock mud. 1 cup of rice will absorb 1 cup of water. That is scientific fact. The extra water in recipes is to compensate for evaporation. Me personally I use the following: 1 cup of rice 1 1/2 cups water, 2 cups of rice 2 3/4 cups water, 3 cups of rice 3 1/2 cups of water. Pot with a tight lid, bring the water to a boil first, add the rice, stir just to make sure the grains are all saturated, return to a slight boil, cover, put on low, cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Do not stir or remove lid during the 20 minute cook. When you're ready to eat, fluff with a fork and serve. -
When I was a young girl there were so many complicated directions for making rice it seemed ridiculous,; it's a simple dish it should be simple to make! I've now followed the same directions for probably 30 years and it always comes out perfect. 1 part rice, 2 parts liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer for exactly 17 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Never sticky, never undercooked! And if you let it stand a little longer....no harm done! The End! -
This has been my traditional rice recipe for decades, however I've never tried vinegar before and found it to be superb! I leave out the butter for calories and sodium sake and always start with cold water and bring to a boil because of minerals in the tap water. A shortcut is to use an electric hot water pot to quickly boil it and then add the 2 cups boiling water directly to pan on high heat to have it boil immediately in the lidded sauce pan. I often add a couple tablespoons of dried onion flakes, a health pinch of herbs provence, or a teaspoon of curry powder depending on what it is accompanying. Last tip is to leave lid on for full 20 minutes, then remove from heat and keep lid on for another 10 minutes. This cools the rice just slightly and re-incorporates some of the moisture making it super fluffy. -
I dreaded the thought of even thinking about cooking rice. You have given me the freedom with this recipe to not fear cooking rice any more... Thank you so much for sharing this??.. I used a touch of Italian dressing for taste and the family loves it
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I will make this rice every week??It is delicious.. Thank you so much for this amazing ?? recipe...
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Mamas Kitchen Hope
Brenham, Texas
Proud Zaar original member! Very disappointed with the new site.
