If you’ve ever felt like cooking rice on the stovetop is too hard, you aren’t alone. I’ve been there myself. My first few attempts resulted in everything from undercooked, crunchy rice to soggy, burnt rice. It took some practice, but I eventually got the hang of it. I’m excited to share my best tips with you so you can get it right the first time – and avoid all the mistakes I made along the way! 😅 Probably the best part of mastering how to cook basmati rice is all the ways you can use it! It’s the perfect side dish for…well, literally anything. Plus, it has the most beautiful aroma that will make your kitchen smell absolutely cozy. Trust me; your family will gravitate toward this pot of rice.
Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Basmati Rice
Wash – Place the rice in a bowl and fill it with water. Wash and rinse it gently by hand. Repeat this 2 or 3 times until the water is not too cloudy. Drain the rice in a colander, then transfer it to a saucepan. Combine – Add butter, salt, and 1⅛ cup of water to the saucepan with the already rinsed rice. Heat – With the lid off, heat to medium-high and bring the rice to a boil. Simmer – Then, turn the heat to low and put the lid on the pan. Cook rice for 12-15 minutes or until the water has been absorbed by the rice. Rest – Next, take the pan off the heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Serve – Finally, fluff the rice with a rubber spatula or rice paddle and serve warm.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few variations to try with your Basmati rice:
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead Instructions
I think you’ll find this rice tastes best straight off the stovetop, and it’s so easy you won’t mind making it fresh. That said, you can make it ahead of time if you need to. You can store portions in the fridge or freezer. It will keep refrigerated for 3-5 days or 3 months frozen in an airtight container. To reheat it, add a tablespoon of water per cup of rice and reheat it in the microwave or stovetop. If you use the stovetop, keep the burner on the lowest heat setting while it warms back up. You can follow these instructions to heat up leftover rice too!
What Goes With Basmati Rice
This rice is the favorite pick for curries, with good reason. It soaks up so much of the curry flavor and really rounds out the dish. Therefore, I’d make this rice as a side to complement chickpea curry or a saucy dish like chicken roti. It also works great in soups and stews if you want to make them a little more hearty. Try cooked basmati rice in slow cooker oxtail soup or African yam soup. Yum!
More Rice Recipes to Rave About
Conclusion
Enjoy perfectly cooked basmati rice for a pantry staple side to whatever you please! Got some fantastic stovetop rice tips for basmati or another variety of rice? Drop your best advice in the comment section below! 🙏
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”sCF4pQeR” upload-date=”2023-06-16T14:25:31.000Z” name=”HOW TO COOK BASMATI RICE.mp4″ description=”How to Cook Basmati Rice – Fluffy, aromatic basmati rice ready in half an hour – what could be better?” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]
