How to Cook Rice on the Stovetop

When it comes to rice, there are two types of households: one where a pot of hot rice is always nearby, and one where rice is nearby, well, sometimes.

If you’re reading this, I’m guessing your household is the latter. And we’re here to help! There is no magic when it comes to cooking white rice. Just a few helpful hints.

Ready? Let’s cook rice together!

What is white rice?

This is a practical question, not an existential one. According to the UK-based Rice Association, there may be 40,000 types of cultivated rice. “White rice” is a generic term.

To keep things simple, white rice has had the brown hull removed, revealing the white kernel.

There are three basic categories of white rice:

• long grain: fluffy, with a long core, usually simply boiled to serve as a side dish.
• medium grain: strong and stick together. An example is arborio rice used in risotto.
• short grain: plump and often sticky; Sushi rice is an example

Need to wash rice?

Rinsing the dry rice before cooking can result in looser cooked rice with more pronounced grains. This is because it washes away some of the excess starch that makes the rice grains want to stick together.

I’ve cooked regular long grain white rice with and without rinsing and I can’t tell too much of a difference. Flushing only takes an extra minute, but to be honest sometimes I’m too lazy to put in the effort for those extra sixty seconds.

BUT! Attention here—If you rinse the rice before cooking, it’s good to reduce the liquid you add. Long grain white rice has a classic cooking ratio of one part dry rice to two parts water. But if you rinse it out first, you should reduce the liquid to 1-3/4 cups. This will prevent your cooked rice from becoming too sticky.

Start with your rice first

Fully cooked white rice, over low heat or with the lid on the pot, can sit on the stovetop for a good while without losing quality (in fact, prolonged steaming only makes it better), so it’s smart to get it going, before you start preparing other parts of your meal.

Monitor your rice while you do other cooking tasks and when the rest of your food is ready, your rice will be ready too.

Choose the right pot

A 2 quart pot is just the right size for cooking 1 to 2 cups of dry rice. Too big and the rice may not steam properly. Too small and it will boil over and make a gooey mess. and You want a lid that fits well and doesn’t let tons of steam escape.

This lid thing is no small thing. I’ve had trouble with rice for years – it burned; it was too heavy; it wasn’t fluffy. Turns out the problem was my pot! It was from a thrift store and the lid didn’t fit the pot, so it didn’t keep the steam in. When I got a new pot with a tight-fitting lid, my rice woes were over.

Keep a lid on it

Try not to open the lid a million times while the rice is cooking. Again, it’s one thing that keeps steam from escaping. You can get a few looks, but once you get the hang of it, a look isn’t even necessary.

What is the right temperature for cooking rice?

Start cooking the rice hard over medium-high heat with the lid closed. If you hear your pot hissing or the lid shaking, immediately turn the heat down to medium-low, or as low as you can get, but still let the liquid simmer. Why? Rice likes it nice and easy.

Lower heat ensures tender, evenly cooked grains. And it keeps the liquid from boiling over and making a mess.

Every stove is different and it may take a little fiddling to achieve the ideal, comfortably smooth burner heat for yours.

How do I know when rice is cooked?

Immediately after the rice has reached initial hard boiling, reduce the heat and set your timer for 10 minutes.

When the timer sounds, lift the lid and check if it’s done. Steam holes scattered through the surface of the cooked rice indicate it is fully cooked. Look for the holes!

Rice is best after a break

Patience makes rice fluffy. Just like you, don’t like a rush!

The difference between good rice and perfectly cooked rice let it sit and passively steam for 10 minutes after it is ready to cook. This is something 95% of package inserts neglect, but it’s really important.

Consider these 10 minutes part of the cooking time. Now you know the big secret!

Troubleshooting rice

• Watery Rice: There is too much liquid. Strain off excess liquid, return the rice to the saucepan and let sit on the lowest setting with the lid on (if the rice is still tough) or the lid off (if it’s on the soggy side) for 10 minutes.
• congee: The rice was cooked with too much liquid or overcooked. Probably both. You can’t mash rice. Just pretend it is and see if anyone notices.
• Crispy or dry rice: There was not enough liquid or it did not boil long enough. Did you let it steam passively for 10 minutes after turning off the heat? Often that final rest will fix everything. If it’s still too crispy, add a little more liquid and cook on low for 10 minutes, then steam for 5 minutes.
• Burnt Rice: The heat was too high, or there was not enough liquid, or both. Presumably only the rice on the bottom of the pot is burned. When the remaining rice is edible, remove it without disturbing the burnt rice. Then fill the pot with water and let it soak for a while so you can scrub out the burnt rice and throw it away.

Ideas for seasoning rice

I don’t add salt to my rice because I usually serve it with something spicy like a curry or stir fry and that will flavor my rice. But if you’re serving your rice plain, you might want to add 1/4 teaspoon of salt for every cup of dry rice.

If white rice is too pale for you, refine the flavor using one of these techniques:

• Toast the rice in 1 teaspoon of any flavorful fat—butter, olive oil, or sesame oil—before adding the liquid.
• Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme or a dried bay leaf before cooking.
• Use vegetable or chicken broth instead of water.
• Use coconut milk for half the amount of liquid.
• For an Indian flair, add two green cardamom pods and a small cinnamon stick before cooking.

White Rice Fast Facts

Is rice gluten free?

Yes it is!

Can dry (uncooked) white rice go bad?

Dry white rice has a long shelf life, but can become stale depending on storage conditions (e.g., humidity and heat shorten its shelf life). According to the USA Rice Federation, dry white rice can be stored “almost indefinitely”; A survey of disaster preparedness websites found ranges of 4 to 7 years.

Our opinion? smell it If the rice has a stale smell, stand it up.

What about brown rice? Is cooking different?

Brown rice takes longer to cook and requires more liquid. You can find the full scoop and a recipe here.

Can I pressure cook rice?

You bet! The process is simple but a little different. We’ll tell you how it works here.

How long does leftover cooked rice keep in the fridge?

A week or less. Use your nose again – if it smells bad, throw it up. To prevent the cooked rice grains from turning into hard pellets, store them in an airtight container.

Can I Freeze Cooked White Rice?

Yes you can! Make sure your rice is completely cool before packing in freezer ziplock bags. Squeeze out excess air, label and date, and freeze for up to 6 months. It is best to let it thaw in the fridge overnight. do you need any more information? read here

If you are totally at a loss and afraid to cook rice because you have had so many disasters:

It’s OK. It’s just rice. You are still a good person. Our method below is instant, but if you’re really unsure, you can try this cook-as-it-noodle method.

Or you can just get a rice cooker.

More great rice recipes

• ricepudding
• Spanish rice
• Indian style rice
• mexican green rice
• coconut rice and beans
• Arroz con Tocino