Basic Stovetop Steamed White Rice Recipe - Chowhound (2024)

Miriam Hahn/Chowhound

One might argue that rice is the most universal side dish on the planet. Rice has been cultivated in many cultures for centuries and has become deeply ingrained in culinary traditions. It often plays a central role in everyday meals, in cultural rituals, and in celebrations. While there are many types of rice, white rice is one of the easiest and quickest rice types to pull together for a meal and you don't need any fancy equipment.

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Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for basic stovetop steamed white rice and says, "I love all types of grains, but rice is definitely my weekly go-to. It's easy to make and I know everyone will enjoy it, even the pickiest of eaters. I also love that rice is gluten-free and easy to digest.

Keep reading to learn how to make foolproof white rice on your stovetop. No fancy rice cooker needed!

Miriam Hahn/Chowhound

To make this recipe, it might not even involve a trip to the store. We just need long-grain white rice and water. "Some rice packages say to add oil and salt while cooking but I have never found that necessary. I prefer to leave out those extras and I've never noticed a difference," Hahn shares.

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"For the water, if you have a filter on your sink faucet or a reverse osmosis system, this is ideal. You can use tap water as long as the tap in your area doesn't have a strong chlorine taste," Hahn goes on to say.

Miriam Hahn/Chowhound

Rinse the rice under cold water for 2 minutes.

Miriam Hahn/Chowhound

Add the water to a large pot and bring to a boil.

Miriam Hahn/Chowhound

Add the rice to the pot.

Miriam Hahn/Chowhound

Reduce the heat to medium high and cook for 15 minutes uncovered.

Miriam Hahn/Chowhound

Drain the rice and return it to the pot.

Miriam Hahn/Chowhound

Cover and let the rice steam in the pot for 15 minutes with no heat.

Miriam Hahn/Chowhound

The rice is ready to serve.

Miriam Hahn/Chowhound

White and brown rice have different cooking times because brown rice has an outer bran layer which adds to the time it needs to cook. The method will be pretty close to our method for the white rice with just a few modifications. First off, when making brown rice, you'll need to start with 8 cups of water instead of 6. This is mainly because it will be cooking longer and more of the water will evaporate during the process. "I usually use 8 cups of filtered water when making brown rice," Hahn shares.

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In this method, you will still rinse the rice and add it to a pot of boiling water. You'll want to cook it for 30 minutes uncovered before draining it and returning it to the pot. The next step is the same — just cover and let the rice steam for 15 minutes off of the heat.

Miriam Hahn/Chowhound

Steamed white rice goes with a number of meals. You can serve with any type of protein whether it's baked or grilled chicken, pan-fried steak, or steamed salmon. You can serve it on the side, or place your protein on top of a bed of rice.

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"The way that I use rice the most is with stir-fries. At least once a week I grab a variety of vegetables from my fridge and sauté them up with Asian seasonings and add in some air-fried tofu. It's a quick dinner that you can whip together in less than 30 minutes and is especially easy if you have meal-prepped some rice ahead of time and can quickly reheat it," Hahn shares.

If you have hopped on the buddha or grain bowl trend, this is another nice option for using rice. You can use any form of protein like tofu or chicken, add in some roasted vegetables, some raw veggies like scallions and shredded carrots, and top it with a great sauce.