How to Cook Rice on the Stove

Published: July 9, 2026·Updated: July 9, 2026

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, add it to a pot with the right amount of water, bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer on low without lifting the lid — about 10–12 minutes for white rice — and rest it off the heat for 10 minutes before fluffing. Rinsing, a tight lid and the resting step are what give separate, fluffy grains instead of a sticky or scorched pot.

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Rinse well, use the right water ratio, simmer covered and low without peeking, then rest 10 minutes and fluff — Stovetop rice is the absorption method — the rice cooks in a measured amount of water until it's all soaked up — and no rice cooker is needed. First rinse the rice in a sieve or the pot under cold water, swirling and draining until the water runs almost clear, which washes off surface starch so the grains don't clump. Use the right ratio for the rice: about 1 cup of white long-grain (or jasmine) to 1.5 cups of water, basmati similar after a soak, and short-grain Japanese rice a little less at roughly 1 to 1.2. Combine rice, water and a pinch of salt in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, bring it to a boil uncovered, then turn the heat right down to low, put the lid on, and let it simmer undisturbed for about 10–12 minutes — don't lift the lid or stir, because that lets out the steam that's doing the cooking. When the time's up and the water is absorbed, take the pot off the heat and leave it, still covered, to rest for 10 minutes: the grains finish steaming and firm up so they separate. Then fork them through gently to fluff. If it's still firm with no water left, add a splash and give it a few more minutes; if it's wet, cook uncovered briefly to drive it off. Brown rice needs more water (about 1 to 2.5) and 40–45 minutes.

Step	Do	Why
Rinse	Rinse until the water runs almost clear	Removes surface starch, stops clumping
Ratio	~1 cup white rice to 1.5 cups water	Right water for tender, not mushy, grains
Simmer	Boil, then low with the lid on ~10–12 min, no peeking	Trapped steam cooks it evenly
Rest	Off the heat, covered, 10 min, then fluff	Grains firm up and separate