How To Make White Rice On The Stovetop

Learn how to make white rice on the stove with extra protein! This easy tip will help you add protein to your favorite side dish – perfect for kids and for adults looking to increase their protein intake.

Learning how to make rice is a basic kitchen skill that all kids should learn. It requires very little hands-on time and once you’ve perfected the cooking method, you’ll always be able to make it when needed.

Today we’re sharing one simple swap you can make that will actually add a decent amount of protein to your white rice which can be great if you have kiddos who don’t love to eat meat and other common sources of protein.

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What is the ratio of white rice to water?

The ratio for white rice is highly debated. If you google it and look at several posts, you’ll find varying answers. In general, for long grain white rice, the recommended ratio is 1 cup rice to 1.5 cups water (although some people will say 2 cups water).

After experimenting, we’ve found that we prefer 1 cup rice to 1.5 cups water for long-grain white rice. Or you can double it to 2 cups rice and 3 cups water.

What ingredients do you need to make white rice?

To make white rice all you need is rice and liquid. We use long-grain white rice and our secret trick is to swap the water you would normally use with bone broth! Since the rice absorbs the liquid it cooks in, this will add protein to your white rice, which typically does not offer much protein. It will also help add flavor to the rice.

When cooking white rice you can also add butter and salt. Again this is highly debated and some people prefer to add seasonings after cooking, while others add them during the cooking process.

How to make white rice step-by-step

Everyone has their own way of cooking rice so our method is definitely not the only way to do it. The great thing about cooking is you can play around in the kitchen and experiment to find out which way you like it best!

Here’s how we do it:

• Optional – rinse rice. For basic long-grain white rice, we don’t rinse it first. But some people do!
• Put rice and water in a pot with a pinch of salt and put the lid on.
• Bring just to a boil.
• Reduce and let it simmer.
• Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. This steams the rice and helps make it fluffy!
• Fluff it up with a fork and serve. Add butter if you want to!

Watch my 4-year-old show you how we make white rice with bone broth.

https://youtu.be/nWNT6gdnuy4

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Here are the written directions:

Print

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FAQ’s about how to make white rice on the stove:

What are the different kinds of white rice?

Rice grains have varying lengths. Long (even extra-long), medium and short. In general, the shorter the rice, the stickier it is. Short grain rice like sushi rice is often used in Asian cooking whereas long grain rice like basmati is more commonly used in Indian dishes.

We most often cook with long grain white rice.

How long does cooked rice last?

Cooked rice is safe to eat for 3-4 days if kept in the refrigerator.

How much does 1 cup dry rice make?

1 cup dry rice makes about 3 cups of cooked rice. The serving size for rice is 1/2 cup cooked rice.

Should I boil water before adding rice?

To properly cook rice, you should add the rice to the water and bring them to a boil together. Do not wait until the water is boiling to add the rice.

Is brown rice healthier than white rice?

Brown rice and white rice are different in more than just color. Brown rice is rice in its intact form. It contains all 3 parts of the rice – the bran, the germ and the endosperm. It takes longer to cook than white rice and typically has a nuttier flavor and is chewier than white rice.

White rice is rice with the bran and germ removed. This can cause the loss of some nutrients but B vitamins and iron are added back in afterward.

White and brown rice contain similar amounts of protein but brown rice has significantly more fiber. This can aide in keeping blood sugar levels stable and help you feel fuller longer.

How to make brown rice

For directions on cooking brown rice, here are some options:

• How To Cook Brown Rice
• Perfect Brown Rice Recipe
• How To Cook Brown Rice

Can you freeze rice?

Yes! You can freeze rice and reheat as needed. I find it easiest to scoop into pre-portioned servings before freezing. Then I can just grab the amount I need. To thaw, transfer to a bowl, add a splash of water and cover with a damp paper towel and microwave until warm.

Rice will keep in the freezer for about one month.

Other ways to cook white rice

If you don’t want to cook white rice on the stove, here are a few other options:

• Easy Oven Baked Rice
• Instant Pot Rice

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Will you try our bone broth trick? Let us know!