White Rice is a super versatile staple loved by cultures all around the world. Whether it's a simple side dish or the star of a meal, its quick 20-minute cooking time makes it a kitchen favorite everywhere!
White rice is at the heart of Puerto Rican cuisine and a must-have on nearly every table. It's the base for classics like arroz con gandules, a festive holiday dish, asopao, a hearty meal perfect for celebrations, and the iconic arroz blanco y habichuelas guisadas with chuletas. Simple, versatile, and comforting, white rice is the ideal canvas for the bold flavors that define Puerto Rican food.
Here are a few recipes that go perfectly with white rice: Carne Guisada, a savory Puerto Rican beef stew with potatoes and carrots; Puerto Rican-Inspired Roasted Chicken Thighs; or Instant Pot Pernil Roast. White rice also shines as the base for Arroz con Dulce, a sweet, sticky dessert perfect for any occasion. White rice is also a key ingredient in Asopao de Pollo, a brothy chicken and rice soup and that is comforting and warm, and Arroz con Pollo (Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice), a Puerto Rican One-pot wonder.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Now, do not get me wrong. The easiest way to make white rice is by using a rice cooker. A rice cooker is the easiest way to make white rice, delivering perfect results without guesswork. But knowing how to cook rice on the stove or over an open fire is invaluable when camping or without power.
- Easy: This is one of the easiest ways of cooking white rice and getting consistent results repeatedly.
- Empowering: Why? Because knowledge is power, and knowing the basic recipe to cook rice gives you the power to master many other recipes.
- Quick: You will be eating in no time! This method does not take long to cook, and you will pair your rice with a protein or a vegetable and enjoy your meal in no time.
Ingredient Notes
- Rice: I use Jasmine rice a lot. I also like Basmati. Jasmine rice has floral undertones, and Basmati is known for nutty undertones. These flavor undertones do not overpower the final product but add another layer of delicate flavor to your meals.
- Water: Normally, I push to add more flavor, and in my other recipes, you will see that I use broth instead of water. For this recipe, I used water only because I want to stress it is the basic recipe for making rice. The use of water makes this rice a savory side dish and a base for a great dessert.
- Salt: Just a pinch. Enough salt to open the grains to absorb water and enhance the natural flavor of the rice.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions
- Brown Rice: A whole grain option with more fiber and a nutty flavor.
- Quinoa: A protein-packed grain that works well in place of rice for a more nutritious option.
- Cilantro Lime: Add a dash of lime juice and zest, plus chopped cilantro, for a tasty version of this dish.
- Garlic Butter Rice: Cook rice with butter, garlic, and a touch of seasoning for a savory, rich flavor.
- Coconut Rice: Cook the rice with coconut milk for a creamy, tropical flavor, perfect with seafood or Caribbean dishes.
- Puerto Rican Yellow Rice: Add saffron threads to your rice for a fragrant, golden dish that pairs well with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines.
- Tomato Rice: Cook rice with tomato paste, garlic, onions, and
spices for a flavorful, slightly tangy variation. - Arroz Chino (Chinese fried rice) or Chaufa: Take leftover rice and stir-fry with vegetables, soy sauce, and eggs for a quick and delicious meal.
The many ways to cook rice
Ask ten people how they cook rice, and many will give you methods for cooking rice very differently from each other, with a few who prefer to have someone else cook the rice because they always mess it up. That was me for the longest time. I want to share with you some of the other methods I have tried, and I have reached success, but not as consistently as I have with my recipe today.
- Knuckle method: Pour your raw grain rice into a pot and level it off. That makes sure the rice is not taller on one side or the other. Place your finger inside the pot to touch the rice while pouring water into the pot. Stop pouring water once the water reaches the first crease of the finger's first joint. Bring to a boil for about five minutes, cover and reduce the heat to low, and cook for another 15 minutes. When I have to make rice for a crowd or at a restaurant, I follow this method, and instead of the stove, I use the oven. I will use a large rectangular pan for cooking the rice and covering it from the beginning.
- The 2:1 ratio: I have always used this method and have never been successful. I have played with my times, covering or not covering the rice, but I still cannot get it to work. The concept is to boil two cups of water and add a cup of rice. Cover and lower the heat to low for 20 minutes.
How to make Puerto Rican White Rice
One cup of uncooked rice serves two to three servings of cooked rice. The ratio I use is one and a quarter cups of water per cup of dry rice instead of two cups of water per cup of dry rice.
- Step 1: Rinse the rice until the water comes out clear. Once clean, drain the excess water. Rinsing the rice, removes excess starch from the grains.
- Step 2: Bring water, oil, and salt to a boil.
- Step 3: Once the water begins to bubble, add rinsed rice.
- Step 4: Continue to cook at medium to high heat until water begins to be absorbed. Once almost absorbed. Bring heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Step 5: Check the rice for doneness. If the rice is still not fully cooked, add about a quarter cup of water, cover it, and cook for five to ten minutes. Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork, cover and let it rest for another five minutes. If you use a spoon to fluff the rice, you risk the chance of squashing the grains.
Top Tip
Rinse the rice before cooking! This removes excess starch and prevents the rice from becoming too sticky. Also, let it rest covered for about 5 minutes after cooking to allow it to firm up.
Expert Tips
- DO NOT TOUCH IT WHILE IT IS COOKING: I mean it. Maybe an initial toss to make sure all the grains are covered by the water and the salt is distributed, but other than that, do not turn the rice while it is cooking. I find that it makes it stickier. If the pot is covered, the steam and condensation drippings will cook the grains on the top of the pot. Trust me.
- I mentioned fluffing with a fork: Yes, you will use the spoon to serve the rice, but fluff the rice once the rice is cooked is best with a fork. The tines of the fork allow you to lift the grains without smashing or squashing them. Do a few turns with the fork in the pot, and then switch to the serving spoon to serve.
- Neutral seasoning allows for versatility: The seasoning for this recipe is relatively mild since we are only using a pinch of salt, which opens the leftover to endless possibilities, like:
- A dessert like rice pudding
- Quick fried rice, or
- Protein or vegetable-stuffed rice balls that could be pan-fried as an appetizer or snack.
Recipe FAQs
Short-grain rice tends to be starchier and cooks softer and fluffier, mostly used in sushi, casseroles like paella, and desserts like pudding. Long-grain rice tends to be less starchy and drier and gives a grainy texture when cooked.
I find that 1.25 (one and a quarter) cups of water per cup of rice works best for me. I have used a 1:1 ratio before, and that has also worked, but not as consistently as 1.25:1.
Yes.
I think this is a matter of preference. When my mom was teaching me to cook, she taught me to wash the rice. At the restaurants, we never really washed the rice, and the rice came out fine. The concept behind it is to remove any impurities that might come from the processing of the grains, like pebbles, faulty grains, and excess starch. In recent years most rice is coming relatively clean, so I do not wash my rice all the time. I do, however, pick through my rice to eliminate any grains that might seem harder than the rest, ensuring there are no small pebbles or foreign particles.
More Traditional Puerto Rican Classics
- 16 Puerto Rican Recipes for a Mother's Day Celebration
- Low-Carb Polvorones
- Puerto Rican Spice Cake (Hojaldre Añasqueño)
- Puerto Rican Guava Cakes (Panetela de Guayaba)
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📖 Recipe
Arroz Blanco, Puerto Rican White Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice I use Jasmine but our favorite type or size will work as well.
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Rinse the rice until the water comes out clear. Once clean, drain the excess water. Rinsing the rice, removes excess starch from the grains.
- Bring water, oil, and salt to a boil.
- Once the water begins to bubble, add rinsed rice.
- Continue to cook at medium to high heat until water begins to be absorbed (about five to 10 minutes). Once almost absorbed. Bring heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Check the rice for doneness. If the rice is still not fully cooked, add about a quarter cup of water, cover it, and cook for five to ten minutes. Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork, cover and let it rest for another five minutes. If you use a spoon to fluff the rice, you risk the chance of squashing the grains.
Notes
- DO NOT TOUCH IT WHILE IT IS COOKING: I mean it. Maybe an initial toss to make sure all the grains are covered by the water and the salt is distributed, but other than that, do not turn the rice while it is cooking. I find that it makes it stickier. If the pot is covered, the steam and condensation drippings will cook the grains on the top of the pot. Trust me.
- I mentioned fluffing with a fork: Yes, you will use the spoon to serve the rice, but fluff the rice once the rice is cooked is best with a fork. The tines of the fork allow you to lift the grains without smashing or squashing them. Do a few turns with the fork in the pot, and then switch to the serving spoon to serve
- Neutral seasoning allows for versatility: The seasoning for this recipe is relatively mild since we are only using a pinch of salt, which opens the leftover to endless possibilities, like:
-
- A dessert like rice pudding
-
- Quick fried rice, or
-
- Protein or vegetable-stuffed rice balls that could be pan-fried as an appetizer or snack.
-
- What is the ratio of water to rice? I find that 1.25 (one and a quarter) cups of water per cup of rice works best for me. I have used a 1:1 ratio before, and that has also worked, but not as consistently as 1.25:1
- Do you have to wash rice before cooking? I think this is a matter of preference. When my mom was teaching me to cook, she taught me to wash the rice. At the restaurants, we never really washed the rice, and the rice came out fine. The concept behind it is to remove any impurities that might come from the processing of the grains, like pebbles, faulty grains, and excess starch. In recent years most rice is coming relatively clean, so I do not wash my rice all the time. I do, however, pick through my rice to eliminate any grains that might seem harder than the rest, ensuring there are no small pebbles or foreign particles.
