Basic White Rice
Updated Feb. 19, 2025
- Total Time
- 1 hour 20 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes, plus 50 minutes soaking and resting
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1½ cups/300 grams medium- or short-grain white rice (see Tip)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
270 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 59 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 1 milligram sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a fine-mesh strainer, rinse the rice under cold running water for 30 seconds. Drain completely. Add the rice and 1¾ cups (400 milliliters) water to a heavy-bottomed small (2-quart) saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Set aside to soak for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours at a cool room temperature.
- Step 2
Place the pot over medium heat, uncovered, and heat until the water bubbles vigorously around the edges of the pot. Cover, reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cook, without lifting the lid, for 15 minutes.
- Step 3
Remove the pot from the burner and let the rice rest, still covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover and gently fluff the rice to let excess steam escape: Using a paddle or wooden spoon, turn the rice over so the rice on the bottom is on top. Cover and let the rice rest for a final 5 minutes before enjoying.
- When it comes to rice, “medium” and “short” refer to the length of the grain, but these terms also signal differences in texture, notably softness and stickiness. When buying white rice at the store for this recipe, look for Asian or Californian varieties, such as sushi rice, which comes in both medium- and short-grain, and Calrose rice, which is a reliable, easy-to-find medium-grain variety.
Private Notes
Comments
I have never had a stove that would go low enough to cook rice correctly on top. About 20 years ago I started to bake my rice at 250f and it turns out perfect every time. I turn on stove to 350. Start rice on stove top like normal. When rice/water is boiling I put in oven with tight lid and lower temp to 250. The rice can be left in the oven a long time without over cooking so you have time and room on the stove top to finish the mains. White rice 20 to 30 minutes, brown rice 1 hour.
I am not spending an hour and 20 minutes to make rice.
Amazing rice — fluffy, delicate flavor, heavenly. Not such a unique method, however. It's very similar to what's described in "Japanese Cooking," by Shizo Tsuji. I've never had the patience to make it this way, so have always just rinsed and rinsed, then cooked, but this comes out so much better. That said, I have to laugh at the typical Cooking comments, which run along the lines of: "I didn't try this method/recipe at all, and made something completely different, but I'll comment anyway."
This recipe does not make sense to me. I made it and by the time the time the rice had soaked for 30 minutes most of the water was absorbed. I added more, but the rice was still undercooked and crunchy at the end. Most rice recipes that I've always used call for AT LEAST twice as much water as rice. So for the 1.5 cups of rice you'd need more like 3 cups of water, not 1.75 cups ... ?
I must be the only person for whom this recipe was a disaster. I followed the instructions to a tee and it turned out both still wet and mushy but oddly also kind of crunchy. I was using long-grained white rice.
I had some shocking things to say after seeing this but I will refrain. I would seriously recommend to anyone who loves rice to get a Japanese or Korean brand rice cooker. They're tiny on your counter and they do the job they're given to perfection. They last ages (10+ years) - I have a Zojirushi and it's the rolls-royce of rice cookers imo. Cuckoo is not bad as well. Best part is, you don't have to watch what's going on and the result is nearly always better than stove-top rice.