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Fluffy Stovetop White Rice

Rinse it, lid on, then hands off. The hardest part is not peeking. Really.

Hands-on
10 min
Hands-off
30 min
Total
40 min
Makes
6 cups cooked rice
Serves
6

Total = 10 min active (rinsing, bringing to a simmer) + 30 min hands-off (20 min covered on low, 10 min rest). The active split is our estimate.

  • easy
  • vegan
  • vegetarian
  • basics
  • side
  • budget

Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means

Illustration of Fluffy Stovetop White Rice
Amount
Units

Ingredients

You need: fine-mesh strainer · large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid · rubber spatula · fork

Contains: none of the 9 major allergens in the listed ingredients

Method

  1. Rinse the rice

    Put the rice in a fine-mesh strainer and run water through it, swishing it with your hand now and then, until the water coming out is almost clear. This takes about 1 1/2 minutes.

  2. Bring it to a simmer

    Put the rice, water and salt (if using) in a large saucepan and heat on high until it starts to simmer. Give it one stir with a spatula to free any grains stuck to the bottom.

    Ready when: Simmering, with small bubbles across the surface.

  3. Lid on, heat low

    Cover the pan, turn the heat down to low and cook for 20 minutes. You should see a steady wisp of steam from the edges. If water bubbles out from under the lid, turn the heat down a little.

    Ready when: A steady wisp of steam escapes at the edges; no water bubbling out from under the lid.

  4. Rest without peeking

    Take the pan off the heat and leave the lid on for 10 more minutes. The rice soaks up the last of the moisture in that time.

    Ready when: After the rest the grains are tender and separate, with no water left in the pan.

    Otto tried this firstOtto lifts the lid 'just to check' and lets the steam out. The rice has to stay covered while it rests.

  5. Fluff and serve

    Lift the lid away from you, then gently fluff the rice with a fork to break up any clumps.

Swaps

  • Instead of plain rice (more flavour): toast the rinsed, drained rice in 1 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring often, then add the water and carry on It's ready for the water when the edges of the grains look translucent. Butter adds milk, so the rice is then no longer vegan.
  • Instead of long-grain white rice: basmati rice, same amount Soak it in cool water for 30 minutes and drain it first, then cook it the same way.

Make ahead, store & reheat

Make ahead
Rice is best cooked fresh. If you do cook it ahead, cool it within an hour, keep it in the fridge and eat it within 24 hours.
Storage
Cooked rice needs extra care. Cool leftovers quickly, ideally within 1 hour; splitting a big batch into smaller containers helps it cool faster. Keep it in the fridge and eat it within 24 hours. Reheat it only once, until steaming hot all the way through. To freeze, get it into the freezer within an hour of cooking, thaw it in the fridge, and reheat until steaming hot.
Reheat
Reheat it only once, until steaming hot all the way through.

If something goes wrong

  • Water bubbles out from under the lid
    Turn the heat down slightly.
  • Gluey, sticky rice
    Rinse until the water runs almost clear, and keep the lid on during the rest.

Good to know

  • Rinsing washes off loose starch, which helps the grains stay light instead of gluey.
  • Keep the lid on for the whole cook and the rest; the trapped steam finishes the rice.

Safety

  • Uncooked rice can carry spores of Bacillus cereus that survive cooking. If cooked rice sits warm for too long, they can make toxins that cause food poisoning. Cool it fast and follow the storage times.
  • Lifting the lid lets out a puff of hot steam, so tip it away from your face and hands.