How to Make Fluffy Rice Perfect Every Time

If you're struggling to get consistently light and fluffy rice when cooking at home, fret no longer. We'll show you how to make perfect fluffy rice every time. Let's get started!

Rice is delicious and nutritious, but it can be challenging to cook properly, especially if you don’t do it very often. We’ll share our best tips and tricks for how to make fluffy rice, so you can get that perfect texture every time. 

How to Make Fluffy Rice: Step-By-Step Instructions

Preparation Time: {25 -30 mins} 

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of white or basmati rice*
• 2 cups of water or homemade vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon of certified organic olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
• Optional: a pinch of herbs or spices, or even lemon zest if desired. Season according to taste.

Instructions: 

1. First things first, wash the rice, then drain it and pat it dry with a towel. The rice should be thoroughly rinsed in a kitchen strainer until the water is clear for optimal results (this will stop the grains from sticking together later).
2. Using a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot, gently heat the olive oil. Put the rice in the pot and stir it around with a spoon evenly and gently so that your rice gets completely coated with the oil. In order to bring out their aroma, let the grains toast for 5-10 minutes. 
3. Add the salt to the rice, then stir in the water or vegetable broth. If you want to flavor the rice with extra spices and herbs, now is the time to do so.
4. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil. Next, give it all a good stir, and cover it. Turn the heat down low and let your rice simmer for 20 minutes without stirring it with your spoon.
5. Almost there! Take the pot off the heat, but keep your pot of rice covered. After 10 minutes, you can use a fork to gently fluff the rice.
6. Serve and enjoy!

* For basmati rice, add an extra 1/4 cup of water or broth to your pot. Also allow some extra time for your basmati rice to cook properly.

Tips for Making Consistently Fluffy Rice

• A great rule of thumb to follow is; two cups of liquid (broth or water) should be used for every cup of rice. Partially cooked rice will stick to the bottom of the pot if there isn’t enough liquid to cover it, and this will happen frequently. When there’s too much liquid, the rice becomes sticky and mushy.

• There are several reasons to rinse your rice before cooking. Not only will this help reduce the arsenic content of your rice, but it also aids you in the attempt to make consistently fluffy rice. It is also possible to lessen the starchy, gummy texture of rice dishes by soaking the uncooked rice grains for 30 minutes before cooking and then rinsing them thoroughly. However, you’ll need an extra 30 minutes in your schedule to be ready for it, which might not be possible for all occasions.

• Toss the rice with a fork after letting it rest for 10 minutes after you have removed it from the heat. This allows the rice’s moisture to disperse more uniformly. If you don’t do this, the top layer of rice will be brittle and almost flaking, while the bottom layer will remain wet.

• Once the broth or water has been incorporated into the rice, that’s when you want to season it with salt. There’s no real benefit to waiting for the rice to finish cooking before salting it. Doing it earlier guarantees that all grains of rice will have the same delicious flavor and consistency. 

Fluffy Rice Recipe Ideas

Now that you’ve mastered the subtle art of how to make fluffy rice, you can start thinking about what to serve it with. Your taste buds will thank you for trying these delicious dishes. 

• Quick and Easy Mango Sticky Rice Recipe 
• Congri Rice: How to Make Vegan Arroz Congri 
• Puffed Rice Recipe: How-To With Plain Rice & 5 Flavoring Ideas 
• Poha: How to Prepare the Vegan Breakfast Rice From India 
• Easy and Delicious Vegan Curry Recipe
• Mujadara: Lebanese Recipe for Lentils With Rice

Read more: 

• What to Do With Leftover Rice: 3 Simple Recipes 
• How to Make Rice Water for Hair: DIY Rice Shampoo for Hair Growth
• 20 Rice Alternatives for Any Diet or Dish 

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Tags: Cooking Dinner Food Guide Recipes