How To Cook Rice

A pot of perfectly cooked rice is often treated as the holy grail of cooking—mysterious, elusive, and ultimately impossible to consistently achieve—but I’m here to tell you that it’s absolutely NOT as challenging as you think, and you don't even need a rice cooker to nail it. Follow this simple recipe, and you’ll be rewarded with success every time.

I designed the following recipe to yield lightly seasoned, fluffy white rice with distinctly separate grains: perfect to use as an accompaniment to almost any dish you like. Depending on the culture you grew up in or your personal preferences, you might desire slightly different results. Feel free to adjust the amount of salt in the recipe (I recommend increasing or decreasing by 1/4 tsp. to start) so the rice is seasoned to your preference.

Also, if you prefer your rice on the stickier side, you can add it to the water with the salt and bring everything up to a boil together, rather than waiting for the water to boil and then adding the rice. This “cold water method” will result in rice that sticks together in little clumps rather than fluffing into distinct grains, which is delicious in a different way, but not everyone’s preference.

How To Make Rice

Let me say it again: making rice is NOT hard. Just like any other recipe, there are specific steps you need to follow and, just like any other recipe, there are certain ways to improvise if something unexpected happens in your kitchen. Don’t be intimidated. Cook with all your senses, keep your head on, and you’ll have nothing to worry about.

INGREDIENTS

• Rice: This recipe is designed specifically for long-grain white rice. Since different types of rice cook differently, I don’t suggest swapping for another kind of rice. If you’re looking to cook brown rice, I recommend using my brown rice recipe.
• Kosher Salt: I prefer to use Diamond Crystal kosher salt, since the size of the granules make it easier to season evenly without overseasoning. If you have Morton, I recommend using about half the amount called for in the recipe.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Start by rinsing the rice. The easiest way to do this is to add rice to a fine-mesh sieve, hold it under a tap, and run cold water over it while stirring with your hand. Continue to rinse until the water falling through is clear instead of cloudy.

Meanwhile, in a small pot, combine 1 1/2 c. water and 1/2 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully pour the rinsed rice into the pot. Bring the water back up to a simmer, then lower the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it cook, undisturbed, for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender but not mushy.

After that, remove the pot of rice from the heat, uncover, and cover the pot with a paper towel. Replace the lid over the paper towel or clean kitchen towel to seal it. Let the rice steam, off the heat, for 10 minutes. The towel will absorb any excess moisture in the air, and this will result in fluffier rice. After the 10 minutes is up, remove the lid (and the towel!) from the top of the pot. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Variations

• How to cook brown rice: Get your whole grains in with this simple recipe for brown rice.
• Instant Pot rice: Cut the cooking time by making rice in your instant pot.
• Coconut rice: If you’re looking for rice that’s a little richer, try this sticky rice that’s infused with coconut milk.

Recipe Tips

• The rice will cook best if it’s left undisturbed while it simmers, but if you’re nervous about it overcooking and want some reassurance, feel free to remove the lid from the pot during the last few minutes of cooking and taste a few grains from the top.
• Different burners have different strengths. You’ll want to use your lowest-powered burner to cook this rice. If, for some reason, your burner is too powerful and causes the water to evaporate faster than the rice is cooked through, you can always add a few tbsp. of water to the pot and set it back over low heat. If the bottom becomes scorched, don’t worry: just leave the scorched layer alone and take the rice from the top. If it doesn’t taste scorched, it will be perfectly fine to eat!

Storage

Rice is always best fresh, but if you like you can store this in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. (Please note: Letting the rice stay out at room temperature to keep it “fresher” will not prevent it from drying out. It will only create a breeding ground for bacteria!) Rice will dry out with time, so to help rehydrate it, I recommend splashing it with a little water before covering and reheating it in the microwave.