Cooking rice is easy, there is no need for fancy gadgets or pressure cookers, in just 15 minutes fluffy rice can be made perfectly on your stovetop with the magic foolproof ratio of rice to water.
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Cooking Rice
With the new baby here we have been eating a lot of stir fry’s and a lot of rice bowl style meals. They are easy and all inclusive (aka no extra side dishes). These types of meals all have one thing in common, Rice. It has also come to my attention lately that most people don’t know how easy it is to cook regular rice on the stovetop. There is no need for fancy gadgets or pressure cookers, in just 15 minutes it can be made perfectly on your stovetop with the magic foolproof ratio of rice to water, so what is my foolproof method for cooking rice on the stovetop?
1 PART RICE to 1.5 PARTS WATER
It is truly that simple.
So ditch what the instructions on the bag and follow this simple ratio. So 1 cup of rice is cooking with 1 1/2 cups water, 2 cups of rice is cooked with 3 cups of water, 3 cups of rice is cooked with 4 1/2 cups of water, and so forth (although why you need more rice than that is beyond me). So easy to remember right!?
So now that we have the ratio down the next thing you need is a pot with a good tight lid, it is important when cooking rice to keep the lid on so no steam escapes.
So once you have your pot add your rice and cold water to the pot. Note, you will start with cold water unlike a lot of instructions will have you boil it first. Once you have the water and rice in the pot, cover and heat on the stove over high heat.
The water will start to boil, LEAVE THE LID ON. Don’t peek (also a glass lid is clutch here (do kids still use the term ‘clutch’?)), anyway once the water is to a full boil turn the heat down to the lowest setting on your stove. Set a timer for 10 minutes and leave your rice alone.
Do NOT peek at your rice, no stirring, it’s almost best if you forget about it, the best kind of cooking right!?
So after the 10 minutes are up you can now take the lid off and fluff it up and serve. Alternatively if you still have a few minutes before it is time to eat, just turn the stove all the way off and continue to let it sit there until you need it, seriously no fuss.
And that is the Foolproof Method for Cooking Rice on the Stovetop.
TIPS & TRICKS:
• please note that this is the best method for cooking white rice varieties, any brown or wild rices might need some adjustments
• dress up your rice by adding spices before cooking, a bay leaf, star anise, or black peppercorn will add a flavor punch, also you can substitute broth for water
• a rookie mistake when cooking dinner that includes rice is to forget about the rice or start it too late, so get ahead of that problem and get used to always starting the rice first especially when making quick dinners like the 20 Minute Chicken Stir Fry, Korean Ground Turkey & Rice Bowls or my Shrimp Stir Fry
Foolproof Method for Cooking Rice on the Stovetop Recipe
a simple method for cooking rice on the stove without any fancy equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup white rice
- 1 1/2 cups cold water*
Instructions
- Add rice and cold water to a pot and cover with a well fitting lid.
- Bring to boil over high heat on the stovetop.
- Once boiling reduce heat to the lowest setting. KEEP LID ON, no peeking.
- Let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff rice and serve.
Notes
*tap temperature water is perfect here, no need to cool the water down more
Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Amount Per Serving: Calories: 175.5Total Fat: 0.28gSaturated Fat: 0.08gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 4.04mgCarbohydrates: 38.68gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 3.22g
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Thank you for sharing! Seriously! I may have gone the rest of my life buying the Boil-In-The-Bag Minute Rice!
You didn’t mention how long to simmer the rice after lowering the heat??
I apologize, I should have read your whole post,not just the recipe itself …. the rice was perfectly cooked after 15 minutes. I always boiled the water first and was never really satisfied how it came out in the end. This is the way way I will cook it from now on, THANK YOU.
Best rice I have ever cooked and I have been cooking rice for over 50 years. I never knew to start with cold water. I always brought water to a boil before adding rice. A big difference. I learn new things all the time.
Glad you enjoyed it this way! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Do you wash the rice before cooking?
Yes you can rinse the rice before cooking but it isn’t absolutely necessary.
If doubling or tripling the recipe, how would you adjust the cooking times?
Great question! Cooking time should stay the same!
Thanks for the recipe, Lauren! Worked perfectly first time 😀 What more can you ask from a recipe, right?
I still messed this up, lol! Do have one question, are you using an electric or gas stove?
Hi Michelle, I personally have a electric stove although the method shouldn’t change depending on stovetop. How did your rice turn out? Was it too soggy? Too dry? Not cooked through? Most people have great success with this method, it could be as simple as maybe your lid not fitting tight enough, or starting with hot water that could have made it not work. -Lauren
I used white long grain rice. Brought it to the boil then turned it right down. No peeking. Water had evaporated but rice kernels were hard in the center. Do you know why
Oh no I am sorry that happened. It could have been a few things, something could have accidentally been measured incorrectly or it could be as simple as that brand of rice maybe just needed another few minutes to cook. Were you cooking a large or smaller batch? Because maybe if you were making a lot of rice that could have affected it as well.
Sounds like a method I discovered long ago, similar proportions, but leave it boiling low until there’s just enough water left that you can stir it, a consistency about like pancake better. Then — cover it, take it off the heat, and let it set about 10-15 minutes.Best part of that is that since its off the heat it CAN’T burn!
Just tried it! I wanted rice for red beans and rice, it worked perfectly! First timers just be aware — or maybe this was just me — that when you take off the lid it looks like it turned into a solid block! This is just the liquid floating on top. Give it a good stir-up and it should be fine.
Thanks for the awesome feedback Robert!
I just made it and it’s sticky not fluffy I re re-read your directions 4 times you did not specify whether to presoak rice prior to boiling. I will retry with presoaking