Steamed Rice Recipe

Rinse the rice

Place 1 cup rice in a fine-mesh sieve or a bowl. Rinse under cold running water, stirring and rubbing the grains with your fingers, until the water runs mostly clear (about 30–45 seconds). This removes excess surface starch and prevents gummy rice.

Drain the rice well and let it sit in the sieve for 1–2 minutes to remove excess water.

Combine rice, water, salt, and oil

In a medium saucepan, combine the drained rice, 1 1/4 cups cold water, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp oil or butter (if using). Stir once to distribute the rice evenly.

Bring to a gentle boil

Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the water to a gentle boil, uncovered. Watch carefully to avoid boiling over; this should take about 4–6 minutes.

Simmer covered

Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting so the liquid is barely simmering. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook undisturbed for 12 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time, as steam is what finishes cooking the rice.

Rest off heat

After 12 minutes, turn off the heat and keep the lid on. Let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes. This allows remaining steam to finish cooking and yields evenly textured grains.

Fluff and serve

Remove the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains. Transfer to a serving bowl or plate. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot.

Leftovers: cool quickly, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for longer storage.