How to Make Perfect Rice on the Stove

Easy and foolproof, my tutorial on how to make perfect rice on the stove takes all of the guesswork out of making the staple dish, y’all. This recipe isn’t fancy at all. And it uses just four ingredients that you’re bound to already have on hand. From the right measurements to the exact temperatures I use to first soften and then slow-cook the rice, this method takes you from rice-fearing home cook to perfect rice cooking champ in about 30 minutes flat. Yep and yay…

It’s Often the Smallest Kitchen Things That Cause The Most Stress. Yep.

Whipping up a batch of rice is honestly one of the easiest kitchen tasks that I have. Now, that is…Because once upon a time I couldn’t make a decent pot of rice if my life depended on it.

I used to have a small rice pot that did a pretty good job of making the beloved south Louisiana staple. But, one day it broke down. And so did my ability to make the customary topping for my gumbos and stews. 

That day was a real humbling eye-opener for me, y’all. So, I decided then and there that I had nothing else to do with my life that was more important than learning how to make perfect rice on the stove.

I finally settled upon this method that I’m about to share with y’all after much trial and error. It’s easy and it’s quick. And, it’s foolproof, too. Because I even took pics of my electric stove dial so that you can use them to nail the perfect stovetop rice recipe time after time. 

How to Make Perfect Rice on the Stove

In my opinion, learning how to make perfect rice on the stove starts with abandoning the notion that you have to rinse the rice. Yep, you read that right. Many rice recipes start out by telling you that you have to ‘wash’ the rice.

But, I’m here to tell you that you’ve been misled. And I was, too. After rinsing my rice for several test batches back in the day, I grew frustrated with the rinsed rice. Running water over the rice just seemed to waterlog each grain. This over-saturation would just make my finished rice look days old. So, not only was my rice ugly and used-up in appearance, but each grain of rice turned out too hard and too grainy.

I decided then and there that I would no longer rinse my rice. But, that I would keep this fact to myself. You know, in case my confession grew scorn and ridicule from any outsiders. Yep. But recently, I did a Google search to see what the experts had to say about it. And, to my surprise and delight, heavy-rice-hitter Mahatma shamelessly backed up what I knew all along. 

According to their website, Mahatma says that the dusty layer on most of the rice that we buy is actually added vitamins and minerals, not dirt. And that long-grain white rice does NOT have to be rinsed at all before cooking. So, yay Mahatma. Not only do I love, love, love your rice and use it all of the time, but now you’ve un-shamed me from my usual best rice-making practices. Super yay!!

So, let’s start this tutorial on how to make perfect rice on the stove by grabbing unrinsed rice, water, butter or oil and salt, shall we? 

And then pour it into a small pot. This very aged small pot shown below once belonged to Mark’s grandmother. This is my go-to rice pot. However, sometimes I also make rice in my small cast iron Dutch oven. It’s already seasoned perfectly, and I know just how much oil to grease it with. But, some of y’all may not be as confident cooking white rice in cast iron. And honestly, if your cast iron pot is not seasoned right, you may end up with blackish-grey rice. And I don’t want to overwhelm you. So, I’m just going with an old aluminum pot at this time: 

So, now turn your stove dial to setting 8: 

And give all of the ingredients a good stir: 

Now, stir the pot occasionally until a rolling boil is achieved, then let it hard-boil for 2 minutes. Oh, and keep stirring so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot: 

Now, turn the dial down to setting number 2: 

And, wait a full minute after turning the dial to 2 before covering. If you don’t you could risk the cover literally blowing off the pot, and you don’t want that. So, be patient and wait the full minute. Then, cover the pot. And keep it covered without touching it all this time: 

Finally, set a timer for 20 minutes. When done, remove the pot from heat. And, rest the cooked rice covered for at least 5 to 10 minutes, but preferably 15 to 20 minutes. This gives the steam in the pot the chance to fully escape. So, you won’t have watery, mushy rice. And it’ll look this amazing when you take off the lid:

And that’s it, y’all!

What you’ll get each and every time is fluffy, uniform rice that you’ll be proud to serve anyone. The bit of salt seasons the rice delicately. And, the butter or oil keeps the rice grains from sticking together. Or worse, to the bottom of the pot. 

Then, when you mix the rice into soups and gravies, it falls apart perfectly to become a part of your dish instead of its own sticky, messy mound. I totally stand behind this method on how to cook the perfect rice on the stove. Because truth be told, it really is a labor of love that I’ve personally created over the last couple of years. 

I’m really confident that it will lift you right up out of every cooked white rice jam that you find yourself in. So, please drop me a line if you try it, as I would really love to hear your thoughts. 

Share this method on how to make the perfect rice on the stove with those who drop everything to help you when you need them, too. And see y’all on the yum side…

How to Make Perfect Rice on the Stove

This easy, foolproof method uses just four ingredients and takes you step-by-step to make soft, fluffy rice you'll be proud to serve your friends and family.

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: how to make perfect rice, how to make perfect rice on the stove, how to make rice, how to make rice on the stove, how to make stovetop rice

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 23 minutes

Servings: 6 people

Author: Lyn Corinne Liner | A Sprinkling of Cayenne

Ingredients

• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons butter or oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Pour all of the ingredients into a small pot set over high heat, electric stove setting 8.
• Bring to a rolling boil, stirring often.
• Let boil over high heat for 2 minutes.
• Turn the heat down to low, electric stove setting 2.
• Continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring often.
• Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Do not lift the lid at all throughout these last 20 minutes of cooking time.
• Remove from heat, and let sit for at least 5 minutes, but up to 20 minutes. This allows all of the steam to escape, resulting in perfect rice that's soft and fluffy.
• Uncover, and stir gently around the pot to loosen the rice before serving.
• Serve immediately, or let cool completely and cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Notes

You can also use chicken, vegetable or beef broth to make perfect rice on the stove. However, it may be too salty for your tastes and the extra additives in the broth may leave an unpleasant taste in the finished rice. That's why I always think it's best to just use plain water when making rice. 

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