Pasta-method rice — the easiest beginner approach
4
Units:
Prep: 5 min Cook: 20 min
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 8 cup water (large pot, generously salted)
- 1 tbsp fine salt
The foolproof way to cook rice with no water-ratio math. Boil it like pasta in plenty of salted water, drain when tender, and let it steam dry. Grains separate cleanly — perfect for rice salads and pilafs.
Instructions
- Rinse: Rinse the rice in a fine strainer until the water runs clear.
- Boil salted water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (like cooking pasta).
- Add rice: Pour in the rinsed rice and stir once.
- Boil uncovered: Cook 12-15 min for white rice (25-30 min for brown). Taste-test — grains should be tender with no chalky center.
- Drain: Pour through a fine-mesh strainer.
- Steam dry: Return the drained rice to the empty pot, cover, and let steam 5 min off-heat.
- Fluff: Fluff with a fork and serve.
Tips
- Taste-test like pasta — tender with no chalky center means ready.
- Works for every type of rice with no adjustments.
- Slight flavor trade-off: some starch washes away, so the rice is fluffier but a touch less rich.
- Excellent for grain bowls, rice salads, and pilafs where separate grains are ideal.
Created: 3/23/2026, 2:34:21 AM diyfree
Large pot, fine-mesh strainer