Pair our fluffy, steamed white rice with vibrant stir-fries, creamy curries, savory bowls, or your own unique creations. The possibilities are endless, and the journey begins with each fluffy grain.
This foolproof white rice recipe will solve the sticky, soggy rice problems you may be having. There's a little secret to getting fluffy steamed white rice, and it's not on the box or bag of rice!
Why You'll Love Recipe
If you're like me, consistently getting fluffy steamed white rice has been a struggle.
You will love this simple approach to making steamed white rice on your stovetop. This method is foolproof, resulting in fluffy, tender long grain white rice every time.
Ingredients You'll Need
There are several varieties of white rice available, and these instructions are for the long grain type of white rice.
You can use regular long grain white rice, long grain basmati rice, and even long grain jasmine rice. The cooking time will be the same for all off these long grain varieties.
- Long grain rice - uncooked. You can use Mahatma, store brand, or even Jasmine or Basmati long grain white rice.
- Water
- Sea salt
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Fluffy Steamed White Rice
The secret to making fluffy, perfectly steamed white rice is using less water. Yes, by not following the rice package instructions, you will get a much better steamed rice.
Measure And Rinse The Rice
- Measure your rice and put it in a sieve.
- Next, rinse the rice under cool or cold water for about 30 seconds. Long grain rice does not have much of a starchy coating, so 30 seconds is usually enough. Shake to drain excess water.
Bring To a Boil - Then Cover
- Add the water and the salt and the rinsed rice.
- Bring saucepan with rice and water to a quick boil for 1 minute. Cover with a lid.
- Reduce heat and cook on low for 10 minutes.
PRO TIP: The instructions on most bags of rice call for 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. You are going to reduce the water by ⅛th. That would be 1 ¾ cup of water for each 1 cup of rice.
Fluff The Steamed Rice
- After 10 minutes, remove from the heat and set aside COVERED for an additional 10 minutes. Don't remove the cover during this unheated 10 minutes.
- After the 10 minutes have passed, remove the cover lid and fluff your perfect foolproof steamed rice with a fork.
- Serve steamed white rice with your favorite main dish that is best suited for fluffy white rice.
How Can I Jazz Up White Rice?
Looking for more than just white steamed rice? Here are some fabulous variations!
- Broth - For a dramatic difference, infuse your rice with flavored cooking water or use broth.
- Cheese - Adding grated cheese to the final 10 minutes of cook time will give you a creamy rice.
- Vegetables - A dry vegetable soup mix is a delicious option to make a rice pilaf.
- Herbs and Seasonings - Everything from Annatto, Saffron, Cilantro, and Chil powder make flavorful additions to your steamed white rice.
- Fried - Yes, make fried rice from your cooled, steamed white rice!
Serving Suggestions
Steamed White Rice is the perfect foundation for countless flavors and textures, eagerly awaiting your inspiration. From stir-fries to curries, from bowls of comfort to plates of elegance, it's ready to become your masterpiece.
Serve hot steamed white rice immediately with your meal. It's a perfect side dish to our Copycat Mall Teriyaki Chicken, Panda Express String Bean Chicken, or Easy Chicken Mozambique Stew also!
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- Chicken Dum Biryani
- Coconut Rice In Rice Cooker
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- Aroma Rice Cooker Instructions
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few scrumptious variations using this recipe as a base:
- Ghanaian Jollof rice is a mixture of tomatoes and vegetable all cooked up with white rice. Our recipe is easy to make also.
- Cilantro Lime rice is a flavor treat. See our Instant Pot Cilantro Lime rice for a great version of it.
- The popular Longhorn Steakhouse Rice Pilaf recipe!
- Chimichurri Rice - Argentinian rice with tons of flavor that's super each to fix
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this recipe for steamed white rice.
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Storage Options
- Cover and store leftover steamed white rice in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- To reheat, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- Microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Continue to microwave in 1 minute increments until heated through.
Tips for Success
- Choose a pot with a tight fitting lid.
- If your pot lid has a vent hole, cover with foil.
- If you like your rice buttered, add the butter when fluffing with a fork.
- Ignore the rice to water ratio on the rice package. Use 1 ¾ cups of water for each 1 cup of dry, uncooked long grain rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, just make sure you are using a pot large enough to accommodate the expanding rice.
Yes, this Steamed White Rice recipe is a basic recipe for many rice pilafs, or seasoned rice dishes. Add your spices, seasonings, and herbs to the water with the rinsed rice.
Yes, store it in the portion size you will want to use it. Freeze, and then defrost. Microwave and serve as a side, or add to soups.
Long grain rice makes the fluffiest rice. Long grain" is just a generic classification for rice whose milled grains are at least three times as long as they are wide. Common varieties are usually simply labeled "long grain," but you might know them as basmati, Carolina, jasmine or Texmati.
They are: American Rice, Doguet's Rice, Falcon Rice Mill, Farmers Rice Milling, Hoppe Farms, Louisiana Mill, Lowell Farms, Mars Food, Producers Rice Mill, Rice Tec, Riceland Foods, Riviana Foods, Sem Chi Rice Products, Specialty Rice, and Sunwest Foods.
More Delish Ideas
Fluffy Steamed White Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain rice Basmati, Jasmine, regular long grain, or brown long grain
- 1 ¾ cup water
- ½ to 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cool or cold water for about 30 seconds. Long grain rice does not have much of a starchy coating, so 30 seconds is usually enough.1 cup long grain rice
- Add the water into a 2 quart sauce pan.PRO TIP: The secret to making fluffy, perfectly steamed white rice is using less water than the package states.1 ¾ cup water
- Add the salt and the rinsed rice to the water in the saucepan.½ to 1 teaspoon salt
- Bring to a quick boil for 1 minute.
- Cover with a lid. Reduce heat and cook on low for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and set COVERED for an additional 10 minutes. Don't remove the cover during this unheated 10 minutes.
- Last, remove the cover lid and fluff your perfect fool proof steamed rice with a fork.
- Serve with your favorite main dish that is best suited for fluffy steamed white rice.
Notes
- Choose a pot with a tight fitting lid.
- The instructions on most bags of rice call for 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. You are going to reduce the water by ⅛th. That would be 1 ¾ cup of water for each 1 cup of rice.
- If your pot lid has a vent hole, cover with foil.
- If you like your rice buttered, add the butter when fluffing with a fork.
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