How to Cook White Rice Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Learn how to cook white rice using this easy, no-fail recipe! Perfect every time for using short, long grain, jasmine, or basmati white rice! A foolproof rice recipe for fluffy, white grains every time.
In high school, my Mom wanted to make sure that I knew how to cook the essentials before I left the nest and was out on my own at college. Along with biscuits, oven-baked chicken, and roasted vegetables, another one of the essentials she taught me was how to cook white rice. While it sounds simple enough, it can be intimidating to even the most seasoned cooks. There are a few tips and tricks that she shared with me then that make the best white rice I’ve ever tasted and make it foolproof every time.
This rice is perfect for serving alongside so many dishes. I love to serve it with dishes to soak up the sauces like my Teriyaki Chicken, Chicken Cacciatore, and my Red Beans & Rice. I also love it served with a big bowl of Chili or Vegetable Soup. You can also add it burritos, fajita bowls, and use leftover cooked and cooled rice in my fried rice recipe. It truly is so versatile!
The Best White Rice Recipe
To make the best white rice, you’ll need only four ingredients. You’ll need the following:
- Water, chicken broth or stock, or vegetable stock – you can use your choice of water, chicken broth or stock, or vegetable stock in this recipe. If I am making it to serve with chicken, I try to make it with chicken broth. It adds so much flavor to the rice.
- White rice – this recipe works for short-grain, long-grain, basmati, or jasmine.
- Butter – while the butter is optional, it does add flavor to the rice.
- Salt – the salt is also optional but adds so much flavor.
Ratio of White Rice to Liquid
A handy tip that she taught me when I learned how to cook white rice was to use the following ratio:
1 cup white rice : 2 cups liquid
Step-by-Step Instructions
Rinse. To make your rice, you’ll begin by rinsing your uncooked rice. Rinse the rice in a colander with cold water until the water runs clear. This helps the rice from clumpy or sticking together as it cooks and makes for the fluffiest rice!
Cook. As you rinse the rice, bring your liquid (water, broth, or stock) to a boil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Stir in butter, salt, and rice. Place the lid onto your pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook without disturbing for 20 minutes.
Fluff. Then, remove from the heat, remove the lid, lightly fluff the rice with a fork, and serve!
Storage Tips
How to Store Rice
Allow the rice to cool completely and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze Rice
Allow the cooked rice to cool completely and then store it in the freezer for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
More Rice Recipes We Love
Here’s Mama’s White Rice recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!
How to Cook White Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups water, chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 2 cups white rice, short-grain, long-grain, basmati, or jasmine
- 2 tablespoons butter, optional
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Rinse rice until the water runs clear. Add water chicken broth, or vegetable stock to a large saucepan or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Stir in salt and add butter, if using. Bring to a rolling boil and stir in the rice.
- Cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce the heat to medium-low and cook without disturbing or removing the lid for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, remove the lid and lightly fluff with a fork and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Robin, that’s pretty much how I learned to make rice also. However I might add, that after I moved to a location with an elevation of 8750 feet, I found I needed to add at least another 1/4 to 1/3 cup liquid. At altitudes above 5000 feet water boils off faster and the additional liquid allows the rice to cook fully. When made with the 1 to 2 ratio the rice doesn’t cook fully and is still crunchy. The additional liquid allows the rice to fully cook and be moist and tender without bring over cooked. But under 5000 feet your recipe does make the best rice.
Thanks for the tips on cooking rice at a high altitude, Doug. The altitude does make a difference to so many recipes.
Thanks. Finally at age 77 I now know how to cook rice properly. I think it was the pre-washing and fluffing which helped, as well as butter and salt.
Bruce
Thanks, Bruce. I’m so glad the rice recipe worked for you.
Oh my goodness! I am so sorry! I had a typo in the recipe. I’ve updated to the correct amounts now. 🙂
Robyn, if the ratio in the description is 1 cup rice to 2 cups liquid, why does the recipe show 2 cups rice to 2.5 cups liquid?
Thanks so much for catching my typo! The ratio is 1 cup rice to 2 cups liquid. I’ve corrected the recipe now! xo
That’s ok, Robyn! I wasn’t sure if I was reading it correctly. I consider myself a good cook but struggle with white rice. I think your process of rinsing the rice first is really going to help me. Love your recipes!!!
I needed to make rice this weekend for stuffed cabbage so I used this recipe. Thank you, thank you! The rice was sooo fluffy! I’m so glad I saw this and it’s the only way I’m going to make white rice from now on.
Thanks so much, Julie. I’m so glad this worked as well for you as it does for me.