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    Home / Recipes / Course / Side Dish

    340 Mar 11, 2015 Easy  |   Jump to Recipe

    How to Cook Rice Like Pasta

    Today, I’m going to show you how to cook rice like a chef.

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    How to Cook Rice Like Pasta

    The process is simple really: cook rice like pasta.

    First, let’s talk about the more standard method for cooking rice.  You start by adding water and rinsed rice to a pot in a certain ratio depending on what type of rice you are cooking.  Sometimes you add salt and fat to flavor the rice as it cooks.  The water comes up to a boil, you clamp a lid on, and then cook for a specified time period.  The rice soaks up all the water, and you finish with a fork fluff.  Simple enough.

    Now, let’s go over the new process.  You fill a large pot with water, and salt it so it tastes like the sea.  Once the water comes up to a boil, you drop any amount of rice in and cook until al dente (soft on the outside, but a little bite left on the inside).  You then drain the rice and return it to the pot over the lowest heat possible.  After flavoring with some fat and additional salt, you let rice rest for a few moments before fluffing and serving.

    I’ve been cooking rice using the standard method for over 10 years now, so when I first read about this new technique (new to me) in Cal Peternell’s Twelve Recipes, I was a little skeptical.  But after initial testing, I was all like this.  And now after extensive testing, I can confidently say that I will be cooking rice like pasta all the damn time.  Continue reading for the recipe.

    Rice

    Rice 2

    I don’t want to claim that this new technique is easier or faster.  Cooking rice like pasta requires about the same amount of time and effort as the standard method.  This new technique excels in the areas of taste and versatility.

    In regards to taste, the finished rice is incredibly fluffy with a pleasant al dente bite.  I was amazed at how separate the grains remained after cooking.  Almost no clumping or sticking.  As for versatility, the amount of water used remains the same no matter what type of rice you are cooking (brown, white, wild, jasmine etc.).  There’s no need to keep water ratios in mind!  You can also cook any quantity of rice this way without worry of an exact water amount needed.

    Timing will vary based upon the type of rice, the quantity of rice, the pot used, the size of the burner, and many other things I’m sure.  The key here is to figure out doneness based on taste, not time.  I’ve outlined timing guidelines for white and brown rice below, and the technique I used to figure out this timing.  Once you learn this technique, you can apply it to any rice or grain that you want to cook, so you can consistently get outstanding results.

    Cooked Rice

    How to Cook Rice Like Pasta

    How to Cook Rice Like Pasta

    by Brandon Matzek
    Adapted from here.
    4.58 from 28 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings 3 cups cooked rice

    Ingredients
      

    • Water
    • Kosher salt
    • 1 cup rice, thoroughly rinsed
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter

    Instructions
     

    • Fill a large pot with water 3/4 full, and bring to a boil over high heat. Season the water with a few big pinches of salt. It should taste like sea water. Stir in the rice, drop the heat to medium, and cook uncovered until al dente, stirring occasionally. For white rice, start checking for doneness (tasting) at 7 minutes. For me, white rice is usually done around 8 minutes. For brown rice, start checking for doneness at 25 minutes. For me, brown rice is usually done around 27 minutes.*
    • Drain the rice and return it back to the same pot set over the lowest heat possible. Stir in butter and a pinch of salt. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes, stirring once after 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and season to taste with additional salt.

    Notes

    * I'm not giving specific cooking times here, because cooking times will vary based on the type of rice you use, the quantity of rice, the type of pot, the size of your burner, etc. The big takeaway is to learn how to judge doneness based on taste. This is how I cook pasta as well.
    Tried this recipe?Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can check it out!

    Reminder!!  I’m giving away a copy of Twelve Recipes by Cal Peternell here.  The giveaway ends on Friday, so enter to win while you still can!

    Twelve Recipes Cookbook

    340
    Brandon and Federico
    Brandon

    I’m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!

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    Categories: Easy Tags: butter, rice, salt

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cynthia/What A Girl Eats says

      March 11, 2015 at 11:40 am

      Love it! All my Indian friends make their rice this way! I love butter on rice too!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        March 11, 2015 at 11:55 am

        Interesting! This is the second time I’m hearing this now. It must be a thing 😉

        Reply
      • Joyce Williams says

        March 31, 2023 at 11:17 am

        5 stars
        Wonderful fluffy rice and much faster! I cook rice this way all the time now! Thank you!

        Reply
        • Brandon says

          April 3, 2023 at 3:07 pm

          Glad you enjoyed it Joyce! Thanks for sharing.

          Reply
    2. Debi @ Life Currents says

      March 11, 2015 at 12:29 pm

      This rice looks fabulous! I usually just use the rice cooker, but will have to try your recipe soon!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        March 11, 2015 at 12:34 pm

        Thanks Debi! I haven’t had the best of luck with rice cookers. Perhaps I just haven’t found the right one! I just like cooking rice on the stovetop 🙂

        Reply
        • Mirlandra @ Mirlandra's Kitchen says

          March 11, 2015 at 1:31 pm

          The best rice makers are made by Zojirushi. You need one with fuzzy logic technology and they don’t come cheep. Expect to pay about $150 but they last forever. Though, with this recipe I’m not sure you need one if you don’t have an Asian cooking style.

          Reply
          • DD75 says

            August 3, 2020 at 12:25 pm

            *cheap

            Reply
      • Jen Holliday says

        May 19, 2015 at 10:04 am

        5 stars
        I love this, Brandon! Definitely will try. I’m not a fan of that crispy layer on the bottom of my rice (although I know some people prize it), so this sounds much better. Also, for people like me, it means saying goodbye to a large, single-use appliance — bravo!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          May 19, 2015 at 10:07 am

          Thanks Jen!! I never was a fan of the crispy layer either, but I feel like I should like it :P. We recently got rid of our rice cooker. It was sitting on a shelf for a few years :P. I always cook rice in a regular pot now!

          Reply
    3. Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories says

      March 11, 2015 at 12:32 pm

      What a revelation!!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        March 11, 2015 at 12:34 pm

        Thanks Karen!

        Reply
    4. Mirlandra @ Mirlandra's Kitchen says

      March 11, 2015 at 1:29 pm

      5 stars
      Wow. This is so ingenious! My husband is Korean and we make a LOT of rice. But if somebody forgets to start the rice cooker or the rice in the rice cooker is older than I thought it was there is a total dinner tragedy. (Never separate a Korean from his rice). I’m hanging unto this idea for sure! What a practical dinner save!

      Reply
    5. The Food Hunter says

      March 11, 2015 at 3:11 pm

      very cool! I don’t make much rice but I would try this method

      Reply
    6. Medha @ Whisk & Shout says

      March 11, 2015 at 3:20 pm

      I will definitely be trying this! So interesting and I can totally picture in my mind how it would work 🙂

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        March 11, 2015 at 5:26 pm

        Yes! Give it a go and let me know how it turns out 🙂

        Reply
    7. Laura says

      March 11, 2015 at 8:25 pm

      I love the pasta method for rice! I only use it with biryani, because I find that it produces a fluffier rice, which I do not want with jasmine (those are the 2 rices I use most).

      Reply
    8. Katalina @ Peas and Peonies says

      March 12, 2015 at 8:25 am

      I usually use this method, for white and for brown rice and its delicious every time!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        March 16, 2015 at 2:06 pm

        Excellent!! Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    9. Nutmeg Nanny says

      March 12, 2015 at 8:38 am

      This is so cool! I don’t make a lot of rice but this handy little trick just might change that.

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        March 16, 2015 at 2:07 pm

        Go for it :)!

        Reply
    10. TSA says

      March 16, 2015 at 9:01 am

      Yup, I am Indian and never knew another way to make plain basmati rice aside from this one until I was like 16! My family has always made it this way, boil the water then drain!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        March 16, 2015 at 2:10 pm

        Awesome! Thanks for sharing. I am definitely a big fan of this method now.

        Reply
    11. Heather Mason @NuttyNutrition says

      March 17, 2015 at 6:56 pm

      Interesting! I never knew about this technique, I don’t like measuring the water so it seems good to me! I will have to try!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        March 17, 2015 at 6:58 pm

        Thanks Heather! Definitely give it a go.

        Reply
    12. dedietrich says

      March 18, 2015 at 6:56 am

      Well, I think it is worth to try this way of cooking rice.

      Reply
    13. Sippitysup says

      March 18, 2015 at 3:50 pm

      I usually return cooked boiled potatoes to the pot to “dry” why not rice, right? GREG

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        March 18, 2015 at 4:12 pm

        Exactly! I do the same with potatoes as well.

        Reply
    14. Kay says

      March 20, 2015 at 3:16 pm

      thanks for this idea!
      always fun to try a new method after using the same one for upteen years….even if it is tried & true it’s great to continue experimenting.

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        March 20, 2015 at 3:21 pm

        I agree! I love trying new techniques.

        Reply
    15. Anne says

      April 5, 2015 at 11:54 am

      I love rice when it was cooked this way! But I’d say it’s the standard version of cooking rice here in Germany, so it’s definetly not knew to me 😉 I rather heard about the other method for the first time now, at least that it works for any kind of rice because I only cook my Jasmine rice with the “soaking technique” 😀

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        April 7, 2015 at 2:19 pm

        Interesting! Well I’m glad I’m getting all caught up on the rice front 🙂

        Reply
    16. Vicky says

      June 18, 2015 at 2:35 pm

      I’ve been using this method for years, and the rice always cooks up perfectly. I start tasting around 8 minutes, and by 10 to 11 minutes it’s done.

      Reply
    17. George Petridis says

      November 28, 2020 at 12:26 pm

      My folk’s rice was the talk of the neighbourhood. They always cooked it the way you describe. For me it’s easier and there’s no risk the rice sticks or clumps together. Thanks for the well written article.

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        December 13, 2020 at 4:10 pm

        So happy to hear this and thanks for sharing!!

        Reply
    18. Uncle Bird says

      February 13, 2021 at 11:48 am

      5 stars
      Best way ever to cook the rice! No more gummy mess. I love it.

      Reply
    19. Ciara Roots says

      July 5, 2021 at 6:41 pm

      5 stars
      I just made the best brown rice ever using this recipe. I will never worry again about whether my rice will turn out right.

      Thank you!!!!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        July 6, 2021 at 7:35 am

        So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for sharing 🙂

        Reply
    20. Diane says

      October 22, 2021 at 5:47 pm

      The best foolproof method for cooking spaghetti is after the salted water boils add spaghetti and bring to a boil again. Then turn off heat completely and 15 minutes later your spaghetti is done.
      I was trying to find a way to cook rice without having to measure and simmer and hope the water doesn’t boil out and burn the rice. I generally just use the microwave to cook my rice but want to make fluffy white rice.

      Reply
    21. Vince says

      January 25, 2023 at 9:37 am

      Have you ever tried the pasta method of cooking with parboiled rice? How did it turn out ?

      Reply
      • Brandon says

        April 3, 2023 at 3:08 pm

        I haven’t! If you do try it, please let me know how it turns out.

        Reply
    22. Linda says

      February 20, 2023 at 3:11 pm

      We didn’t eat much rice in my house growing up but when we did it was always boiled.

      Reply
    23. diane says

      March 24, 2023 at 10:59 am

      This is how my mother ALWAYS cooked rice. I never knew there was another way until I was in my 20s (we are talking back in the 1960s here). I tried because I was thinking the absorb all the water way was the “right” way to do it. After several burned pots I reverted but felt a failure at rice cooking. Then seeing James Beard recommend the “cook rice like pasta” method in one of his cookbooks I was elated!! All is good. Should have listened to my mother in the first place.

      Reply
    4.58 from 28 votes (23 ratings without comment)

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    I'm Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Read More…


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