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International

Perfect Steamed Rice

Vegetarian

Fluffy, separate grains of long-grain rice cooked by the absorption method on the hob — rinse, measure, simmer covered and rest.

Perfect Steamed Rice is an International rice dish, ready in about 28 minutes and made with long-grain white rice. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Close-up of steamed white rice in a stainless steel bowl on a wooden table.
Photo: makafood / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
3 min
Cook
15 min
Rest
10 min
Total
28 min
Serves
4
Level
Beginner
Calories
274

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold running water, swishing with your hand, until the water runs almost clear. Drain well.

    Rinsing removes surface starch so the grains don't clump.

  2. Step 2

    Put the rice, water and salt in a saucepan (opens in a new tab) with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to the boil uncovered over high heat.

  3. Step 3

    Stir once, cover, turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 12 minutes without lifting the lid.

    • 12 min
    • low heat

  4. Step 4

    Take off the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork until the grains separate.

    • 10 min

    Food safety: Cool leftover rice quickly and refrigerate within 1 hour; rice left warm can cause food poisoning.

About this dish

Origin
Not attributed to one place · Origin uncertainAn everyday home-cooking preparation made in many countries; it has no single documented origin.Also popular in China, India, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, United States, Nigeria
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Rice dishes · Side dishes
Cooking method
Steamed, Simmered
Taste
mild
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-fat · Low-sodium · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Budget-friendly · Meal-prep friendly · Child-friendly
Cook more with
Long-grain white rice
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Steaming

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

274 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 213 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 8%
  • Carbohydrate 90%
  • Fat 2%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy274 kcal129 kcal
Protein5.3 g2.5 g
Carbohydrate60 g28.2 g
Net carbohydrate59 g27.8 g
Sugars0.1 g0 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1 g0.5 g
Fat0.5 g0.2 g
Saturated fat0.1 g0.1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium6 mg3 mg
Salt equivalent0 g0 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
86 mg
Calcium
32 mg
Iron
3.2 mg
Magnesium
21 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
0 µg
Vitamin C
0 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
290 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: salt.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • The resting time finishes the cooking and firms the grains — don't skip it.

Common mistakes

  • Lifting the lid to check, which lets the steam escape and leaves hard grains.

Serve with

  • With stir-fries, curries, stews, chili or baked fish.

Food safety

  • Bacillus cereus spores in rice survive cooking; never leave cooked rice at room temperature for long.

Storage

  • Cool within 1 hour, refrigerate and eat within 1 day, or freeze for up to a month.

Reheating

  • Reheat only once, until steaming hot throughout, with a splash of water.

Variations

  • Basmati rice: Soak basmati for 20 minutes after rinsing and reduce the water to 1.25 × the rice weight.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in step 1

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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