White Rice Recipe

Rinse the rice

Place 1 cup of long-grain white rice in a fine-mesh sieve or bowl. Rinse under cold running water while gently swishing the rice with your hand until the water runs clear (about 30–45 seconds). This removes excess surface starch and helps prevent gummy rice. Drain well.

Combine rice, water, and salt

In a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, add the rinsed and drained rice, 1½ cups water, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir briefly to distribute the rice evenly.

Bring to a simmer

Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the water to a gentle boil. Once boiling, give the rice a quick stir to make sure it’s not sticking, then reduce the heat to low so the surface is barely simmering.

Cover and cook

Cover the pot with the tight-fitting lid and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time — escaping steam will affect the texture.

Rest off heat

After 15 minutes, remove the saucepan from the heat but keep it covered. Let the rice rest for 5–10 minutes to finish steaming and to firm up; this gives consistent, separate grains.

Fluff the rice

Remove the lid, and using a fork, gently fluff the rice to separate the grains. Do not stir vigorously or mash; just lift and separate the grains.

If desired, add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to the hot rice and gently fold it in until melted and evenly distributed. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste and sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or cilantro for color and freshness. Serve immediately.