White Rice Recipe

Rinse the rice

Place the 1.5 cups of rice in a fine-mesh sieve or bowl. Rinse under cold running water, stirring with your hand, until the water runs mostly clear (about 20–30 seconds). This removes excess surface starch and prevents gummy rice. Drain well.

Measure water and combine

In a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, combine the drained rice, 2.25 cups cold water, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp butter or oil (if using). Give it a quick stir to distribute the rice evenly and dissolve the salt.

Bring to a simmer

Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the water to a gentle boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce heat to low so the surface is barely simmering. Cover the pot with the lid.

Cook gently

Let the rice cook, covered, undisturbed for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time — steam is what finishes the rice. If your stove runs hot, you can reduce to the lowest simmer to avoid burning on the bottom.

Steam rest

After 15 minutes, turn off the heat but keep the lid on. Let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes. This allows residual steam to finish cooking the rice evenly and makes it fluffy.

Fluff and serve

Remove the lid and use a fork to gently fluff the rice, separating the grains. Transfer to a serving bowl or plate.

If desired, sprinkle the chopped parsley and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper over the fluffed rice and gently toss or fold to combine. Adjust salt to taste and serve warm.