Perfect White Rice Recipe (With Video and Step-by-Step)

Servings:

4

Making rice is an essential cooking technique—and with this white rice recipe, you'll make fluffy, perfect rice every time. The secret to our foolproof method is adding long-grain rice (and salt) to a measured amount of boiling water as opposed to starting the rice in a cold pot. This technique keeps the grains intact, so you can say goodbye to mushy, stuck-together clumps.

The other difference to this technique is the ratio of water to rice: Forget the 2-to-1 ratio of water to rice and use our ratio of 1.5 cups of water for each 1 cup of rice for fluffy white rice that’s never soggy.

Perfect White Rice - in bowl — Emily Laurae

Directions

Perfect White Rice - ingredients — Emily Laurae

Boil water:

Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan.

Emily Laurae
Add rice and salt:

Stir in the rice and salt and return to a boil over medium-high heat.

Emily Laurae
Cook rice:

Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid, 16 to 18 minutes (check only toward the end of cooking time).

The rice should be studded with craters, or steam holes, when it is ready.

Emily Laurae
Let rice sit, then fluff:

Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 10 minutes. Then fluff with a fork and serve.

Emily Laurae

Don't rush cooking rice: It needs 10 minutes off the heat, covered, to allow the last bit of steam and water to fully absorb into the kernels so they are extra fluffy.

The Best Way to Reheat Rice

Rice needs to be handled carefully as it can contain a bacteria, Bacillus cereus, that may cause food-borne illness. If rice is reheated to the correct temperature and not left at room temperature for too long, the bacteria is not an issue. Reheated rice should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit as measured by a food thermometer.

Reheating Rice on the Stovetop

Our go-to technique for reheating rice is in a pan on the stovetop. It takes longer than microwaving but produces better rice.

Remove rice from the refrigerator, transfer it to a suitably sized pan, and let it come to room temperature for 10 minutes.
Add a couple of tablespoons of water per cup of rice and place the pan over low heat.
Cover and cook for 5 minutes. (You may need to cook a large amount of rice for longer.) Turn off the heat and let sit to finish steaming, as you would when cooking rice initially.

Reheating Rice in the Microwave

For a smaller amount of rice, such as a single serving, reheat rice in the microwave.

Place the rice in a shallow bowl, cover it with a damp paper towel.
Microwave on high for a short time; try 30 seconds and repeat if needed.

Storing Cooked Rice or Leftover Rice

As part of meal prep, many home cooks make a big batch of rice to use for meals throughout the week. If you’re cooking rice ahead or have some leftover after dinner, let it cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and storing it in the refrigerator. The rice will keep for three to four days.

Freezing Leftover Rice

Leftover rice can also be frozen. We recommend freezing leftover rice flat in freezer-safe bags that have all the air squeezed out. Divide rice into smaller portions rather than freezing a big batch of rice, so you can pull out one or two servings if that’s what you need. Frozen cooked rice will keep for one to two months.

5 Ways to Use Leftover Rice

We think of leftover rice as the culinary equivalent of money in the bank. There are so many ways you can use it:

Stuffed cabbage and beef with rice
Chicken and wild rice soup (or add it to any of your favorite soups that don't include noodles)
Fried rice
Roasted vegetable and brown rice bowls
Breakfast sweet rice porridge

Frequently Asked Questions

What seasoning can you add to white rice?

You can add a variety of seasonings to white rice. We are fans of good-quality white rice simply seasoned with salt, but there are many other seasonings you can add, such as butter, chopped parsley or cilantro, scallions, chives, lime juice, freshly grated parmesan, and tamari or soy sauce.
What is the standard ratio of white rice to water?

The standard ratio for white rice to water in most recipes is twice the amount of water to rice. Most recipes require 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water. The secret to our perfect white rice recipe is that we use less water to rice; our go-to ratio is 1 cup of white rice to 1 ½ cups of water.
Should I stir my rice?

No, you should not stir your rice. Stirring rice while it is cooking activates the starch and makes it gloppy. The only rice you should stir is risotto. Risotto is made with a specific, different type of starchy rice called arborio.