Have you wondered how to cook rice so that it turns out perfect? This easy recipe will help you make white rice that’s not too dry or sticky! You can find this recipe in volume 1 of our Dining On A Dime Cookbook.
Have you wondered how to make rice that is perfectly tender? Have you made rice but it turned out to be sticky blob or so dry you thought it was made in the desert?
Rice is an important and versatile staple that works well with so many different kinds of meals, so learning how to cook rice will make your life easier. Rice is great with chicken, beef, pork and more!
You can make perfect homemade rice. It’s easy to make with ingredients and pans you already have at home. No need to buy a rice maker and have another appliance hanging around the house, but if you prefer to use one, you can use this same recipe with your rice cooker.
The one big secret to perfectly cooked white rice is to not take the lid off at all while it’s cooking! The steam is what helps it cook so you don’t want to let that escape.
How To Cook Rice Recipe
| Servings | 1 cup | 4 cups | 6 cups |
| Water | 1 cup | 3 cups | 4 cups |
| Salt | 1/4 tsp. | 1 tsp. | 1 tsp. |
| Rice | 1/3 cup | 1 1/3 cups | 2 cups |
Use the given amounts of water, salt and rice to make the number of servings you need. To retain vitamins and minerals, do not rinse the rice.
Heat water and salt to boiling. Stir in the rice. Cover tightly and cook slowly for about 25 minutes, until rice is tender.
Add a little water during cooking if the rice becomes dry. Gently stir only if needed to keep the rice from sticking.
Even though this white rice recipe is for how to cook rice in a pan, you can feel free to use a rice cooker if you prefer and it will still turn out great!
Since we have a larger family, we always make extra rice and keep it in a plastic container in the refrigerator so we can just microwave it at dinner time and serve with whatever meal we’re eating that day.
We often use this cooked rice as a shortcut for recipes like our easy Spanish rice recipe.
Keeping a little pre-cooked rice in the refrigerator is also great for quick lunches for one.
- You can warm up leftover meat from last night’s dinner along with the rice and a vegetable.
- Throw 1/2 cup of black beans or pinto beans in a container with 1 cup rice; Add some salt, garlic powder and cheese and microwave for an easy lunch. If you like taco bell, you can pick up jars of taco bell sauce at the grocery store and use them with this easy lunch.
- Add a little rice to a can of soup for a heartier quick lunch.
How to restore dried out rice
If your rice gets a little bit dried out in the refrigerator, no worries! It hasn’t gone bad unless you’ve left it in there for a long time and it smells funny. Just add a little water, cover and microwave for a few minutes. This will restore the rice and you won’t have to waste it!
Once you’ve learned how to cook rice, here are some recipes that go well with it!
The BEST EVER Roast Sticky Chicken Recipe!
This easy white rice recipe and instructions for how to cook rice is from volume 1 of our cookbook:
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That’s super easy! Is this ratio good for both white and brown rice? I usually use brown and find that it takes a little longer to cook, and I need more water.
No it does not work for brown rice because brown rice has an outer shell and a longer cooking time so it needs more water. For that you need to check the package for the brand of rice you are making.
Help! If we’re not supposed to open the lid, how can we tell if water needs to be added or the rice needs to be stirred??
Usually with these measurements you shouldn’t have to but it is ok at about 15 mins to take a quick peek to see if all is ok if you want.
My kids love me to have leftover rice. They reheat it in the microwave and add sugar and vanilla and/or cinnamon for an easy breakfast.
Here is a really good electric pressure cooker site to check out,https://www.facebook.com/PressureCookingToday/?hc_ref=ARSEwFJnjKA0bH0esJUKiYHd2H02hvLbXK64sl21cFVizJ9m7yt-oD2aTQqVGd5tLkQ&fref=nf
I myself am partial to the Instant Pot brand of electric pressure cookers. I actually own 2. I love mine and it does take some time getting used to. But all in all I find it pretty easy to use.
Wish I had this recipe when I started making rice for the first time! It was not easy to do it right at all! A little too much water, and the rice will end up being too wet (almost like a thick porridge), too little water and the rice will be very hard to eat.
Today its my mother’s birthday, and i decided to make rice for the first time. I cook a lot, but i have never made rice before. My mom literally cried after the first bite, she was astonished, and i was really freaking happy and grateful. Thank you, you are definately an inspiration to me. Greetings, and again, thank you.
Way to go Heloise. I understand about having cooked for years and having not cooked a common thing like rice before. I was like that with coffee.
The way I cook my rice is to get the water boiling put salt and rice into the water and stir then cover with lid turn off and let it finish cooking. Perfect for me every time. It is ready when I finish rest of meal😊