How to Perfectly Season White Rice

Cook and season white rice in just 20 minutes! All you’ll need is bouillon, garlic, onions, salt, bay leaves and any variety of white rice!

Once you master perfectly seasoned white rice, you’ll need to try Cape Verdean rice with tuna and white rice with lima beans!

In Portuguese-speaking cultures, we eat plain rice with just about anything. Most of our dishes already have ample spice and seasoning so plain rice is usually served as a side dish to complement our foods. There are instances though when your rice just needs something.

This recipe is based on how my grandmother seasons her rice. It’s still very much white rice, but she always adds a something for flavor. Bouillon cubes, onions and garlic are staple ingredients that she always has on hand in her pantry.

Commonly asked questions

Ingredients you’ll need

Here are just a few very basic things you’ll need:

• Any long-grain white rice – I like to use jasmine rice but any long-grain variety will do.
• Chopped onion
• Crushed garlic
• Large bouillon cube or chicken broth
• Bay leaves
• Salt and black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil

See recipe card below for quantities.

Cooking Instructions

Follow these instructions for perfectly seasoned rice!

Step 1: Prepare the base

Heat the olive oil in a deep pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, bouillon cube and black pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the onions are fragrant. Use a wooden spoon to break up the bouillon cube.

Step 2: Add the cooking liquid and bring to a simmer

Add 2 and ½ cups of water and the bay leaves to the pot. Once the water starts to simmer, taste it and add more salt if needed.

Step 3: Add the rice

Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold running water. Drain the rice and add it to the pan. Stir the rice, cover the pot with a lid and turn the flame down low.

Step 4: Let the rice cook

Cook the rice for 20 minutes. Don’t lift the lid or mix the rice while it’s cooking! After 20 minutes, lift the lid and check the texture of the rice. For softer rice, add an additional 5 minutes to the cooking time.

All of the water should be absorbed by this point. The onions and bay leaves will have floated to the top. This is perfectly fine because we are going to fluff the rice in the next step, which will distribute the onions.

Tip: Rice should be fully cooked but slightly firm. For softer rice, place a damp paper towel over the rice, cover with a lid and let cook 5-10 minutes more.

Step 5: Fluff your rice

Turn the flame off and let the rice rest covered for 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and fluff rice with a fork before serving.

Substitutions and Variations

Here are a few substitutes and alternate ways of serving the rice:

• Substitute the water for chicken broth and omit the bouillon cube. This will result in the the same taste and will save you from having to break up the bouillon or wait for it to dissolve.
• For vegetarian/vegan rice, use vegetable bouillon or vegetable broth.
• Alternate herbs and spices you can use are adobo, sofrito, chopped parsley or cilantro.
• Omit the onions if you don’t like them.
• No fresh onions or garlic on-hand? Use 1 teaspoon of onion powder and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
• Add your choice of canned beans, but drain the liquid first and add another ½ cup of cooking liquid

Tips for cooking perfect rice

Here are some tips and troubleshooting ideas if you need them!

• Always wash your rice! It’s so important to rinse off any dirt, debris and extra starch from the rice! Make sure to rinse under cold water and drain just before adding the rice to the pot.
• Don’t use more water than the recipe tells you. Too much water = mushy rice! generally I use 1 and ¼ cups water for every 1 cup rice.
• If you’re adding beans, you can add slightly more water – no more than ½ a cup though!
• Always let your rice rest for 10-15 minutes after cooking. Leave the pot covered to keep the heat in.
• Fluff your rice with a fork before serving.
• If your rice isn’t cooked after 20 minutes, lay a damp paper towel over the rice and cover the pot with a lid. Let cook over low heat for 5-10 minutes more.

Storing and reheating leftovers

Store any leftover rice in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat by microwaving, steaming or heating it in a frying pan.

Serve this rice with

• Carne de Porco à Alentejana (Portuguese Pork and Clams)
• Traditional Shrimp Mozambique
• Feijoada-Cape Verdean style

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Food safety

Here are some basic food-safety tips

• Always rinse your rice to get rid of any dirt, debris and chemicals
• Don’t leave rice sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking rice unattended
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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