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a picture of cooked white rice inside of a green marble mortar with the pestle propped next to it. a container of raw rice grains is sitting behind it and a bright yellow cloth napkin is surrounding the mortar.
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5 from 2 votes

White Rice

Rice is a powerful and versatile staple ingredient used by many cultures worldwide. It can be a simple side dish or a main dish component.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 338kcal
Author: Zoe Morman

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rice I use Jasmine but our favorite type or size will work as well.
  • cups water
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions

  • Bring water to a boil
  • Once the water boils, add rice.
  • Add a pinch of salt.
  • Cook uncovered for 5 minutes on medium heat, then cover and cook on the lowest setting for another 15 minutes.
  • Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork and serve.

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 4oz | Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg