Stovetop Rice Recipe

By
Katie Workman
Katie Workman
Award-winning food writer, blogger, and author of two cookbooks. She frequently appears on broadcast media sharing her expertise.
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Updated on 05/11/22
Fool proof stovetop rice recipe

The Spruce

Prep: 0 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
51 Calories
0g Fat
11g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 51
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 269mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 8mg 1%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 14mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Even really seasoned and confident cooks get intimidated by plain old rice, so if cooking rice makes you nervous, know that you are not alone. In reality, making a successful batch of rice on the stove depends greatly on the type of rice that you are using. By simply following the package directions you are 90 percent there, as not all rice types cook at the same rate nor need the same water-to-rice ratio. The remaining 10 percent lays in the seasoning and the right amount of heat during the various stages of the cooking process. Sounds like a lot, but it isn't, because once you get the hang of it, making rice is very easy and takes little time. Our recipe consistently makes fluffy and delicious white rice, and this ingredient is the perfect side dish—ideal for soaking up sauces and balancing out spiced or spicy main dishes.

American long-grain white rice is the most familiar rice in the United States, and it's one of the easiest to cook. It's usually cooked in a tightly covered pot with a measured amount of water, which gets completely absorbed by the rice, resulting in a dry, fluffy texture with distinct grains. The basic recipe ratio is 2:1 water to rice. You can easily double and even triple the recipe—the more rice you use, the bigger the pot should be to hold the rice as it expands while cooking.

Rice keeps well in the refrigerator for up to five days, so it's perfect for meal prepping. Stir-fries, fried rice, frittatas, burritos, stuffed peppers, casseroles, rice pudding, ohagi, or soup are just a few of the hundreds of dishes you can make sing with this delicious white rice recipe.

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Click Play to See This Perfect Stovetop Rice Recipe Come Together

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, or oil, optional

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup long-grain white rice

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for foolproof stovetop rice
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  2. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the butter, if using, and salt, stir well to combine, and allow the butter to melt.

    Bring the water to boil
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  3. When the water has returned to a boil, stir in the rice. Let the water return to a light simmer.

    Stir in the rice
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  4. Stir again, cover the pot, and turn the heat down to low. Keep the rice simmering slightly and keep the pot covered.

    Turn down heat
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  5. Start checking about 17 minutes later to see if the rice is tender and all of the liquid is absorbed. It may take up to 25 minutes, especially if you are making a larger quantity of rice. You will see small holes appearing on the surface, and this is a good indication that the rice is close to being done or is already done.

    Stir
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  6. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and let it sit for another couple of minutes to finish absorbing any liquid.

    Rice cooked
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  7. Take off the lid, fluff the rice with a fork, and let it sit for another 2 minutes so that some of the excess moisture in the rice dries off.

    Take off the lid
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  8. Serve hot and enjoy.

Which type of rice is the best?

There are so many different varieties of rice to explore these days, and they are all so easily available that choosing one type over another is very hard. It all depends on your palate, your needs, and perhaps your dietary requirements. White rice is very easy to find and cook, which makes it the default rice in most pantries. The best one is the one you like the most and is priced according to your budget.


Companies like Bob’s Red Mill and Lundberg offer great rice options, but many other brands offer varied types of rice, so once you get the hang of making basic white rice, you’ll have plenty of other versions to explore and experiment with. The colors, shapes, textures, and flavors can be very different, and the type you choose will depend on whether you plan to serve the rice as a side or as a main dish, as in the case of paella or risotto—which should be made with bomba and Arborio rice, respectively.


Brown, wild, jasmine, sticky, and sushi rice are just a few of the varieties worth trying, as are parboiled, long-grain, basmati, black, red, and Valencia.