Learn how to make perfectly delicious rice that will be fluffy every time. This Puerto Rican White Rice is made in only 30 minutes!
I will teach you how easy it is to make fluffy Puerto Rican White Rice on the stovetop and even in a rice cooker.
As a Puerto Rican, I think arroz blanco is one of the first things we learn to cook along with beans in a Puerto Rican style of course. With these two you can make arroz mamposteao.
White rice is a typical everyday dish in many Asian, African, and Latin countries. Puerto Rico is no exception!
It is very typical to serve it with any soup like a beef sancocho but also served with anything with caldito like a Puerto Rican carne guisa or Puerto Rican stewed corned beef.
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Why This Recipe Works
- You will learn how to make arroz blanco perfectly every single time even without measuring cups!
- It’s a rice recipe that you can make ahead and even freeze!
Ingredientes
- Oil- I always like to add oil but only if am making this rice in a caldero.
- Water- For white rice, I don’t like using the standard 2 to 1 ratio. I rather use 1 ¼ cups of water per cup of rice.
- Salt- I like to add salt a little bit of salt but if for some reason you must limit your salt intake you can leave it out.
- Rice- I always use medium-grain rice which is the type we typically use in Puerto Rico. The brand is really not important but my personal favorite is Arroz Rico.
Water Ratio For Rice
2 cups of water + 2 cups of rice
- Result: With this ratio, you get rice that is very grainy and can be hard in some parts.
- Uses: Unless you like hard rice it is best to fix it. All you have to do is add more water and cook a little longer!
4 cups of water + 2 cups of rice
- Result: This ration makes a more lumpy and stickier rice almost like an Asian style.
- Uses: Make delicious recipes like sushi rolls, burrito bowls, or rice croquettes.
2 ½ cups of water + 2 cups of rice
- Result: This is the ratio used to make white rice in a Puerto Rican style.
- Uses: Use this as a side to any dish. It is very good with dishes with a lot of sauce like the stewed pork chops and vegetables.
How To Cook Arroz Blanco Puertorriqueño
- Photo 1: There’s always a controversy around if you need to wash your rice before cooking. You don’t need to wash your rice but is a good practice to remove any dirt it may have. So if you do wash your rice, rinse until your water runs clear. If you don’t wash your rise then skip this step.
- Photo 2: Add your oil, water, and salt to your caldero, and once the water boils add your rice. Stir and cover.
- Photo 3: Let your rice cook until almost all the water evaporates. A little trick I like to do to know if there’s any water left without removing the lid is to hold a spoon on the lid. If you don’t feel any vibrations it means most of the water is gone.
- Photo 4: Once almost all the water is gone stir or fluff your rice. I like making a little dome in the middle so less rice sticks to the sides and it cooks better. Cover again and finish cooking.
How to Make Pegao?
Pegao is not something that you purposely make but pegao is made by cooking rice in a caldero. The rice with stick to the bottom of the pan resulting in a hard and crispy brownish color. In Puerto Rico, we call it pegao while in the Dominican Republic is known as concon.
Puerto Rican White Rice In Rice Cooker
- Photo 1: The first crucial step in making this recipe in a rice cooker is to heat the water. I like to heat it for 3 minutes. This helps the rice to cook through.
- Photo 2: Add the rice, and salt, stir, and let it cook. When using a rice cooker I never add oil because am not making any pegao because rice doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Photo 3: Let the rice cook for 15 minutes then fluff it. You don’t have to fluff the rice but I like to do it.
- Photo 4: Finish cooking for 10 minutes and you’re done!
Recipe Tips
- Make sure you use a pot that is big enough because rice doubles while cooking. For 2 cups of rice, I like to use my 2.3-quart caldero.
- If you rinse your rice, make sure to strain it well before adding it to the pot to avoid adding any excess water.
- Always taste the water after seasoning and stirring so you can adjust the saltiness to your taste.
- If you don’t have measuring cuts just use regular cups and add equal parts rice and water then a little more water. The water should be bout 1 inch above the rice.
What to serve arroz blanco with?
A perfect way to serve white rice is with a Puerto Rican pollo frito and a few delicious tostones or with sweet fried plantains. Just as delicious will be serving it with eggplant with salted codfish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Puerto Ricans usually use a caldero to cook rice. A caldero is are cast aluminum pan that is great for cooking on the stovetop and oven. Not only used by Puerto Ricans but almost in all Latin America.
In short, you don’t need a special pan to make arroz blanco. The only thing you must have is a lid so you can concentrate the steam inside. The only difference is that if you don’t use a caldero to cook your rice, you won’t get any pegao.
First, let the rice cool and then store it in an airtight container. I like to store it for no more than 3 days in the fridge. Freeze it for up to 3 months.
It doesn’t matter where you reheat your rice, the important thing is to add moisture back. If heating in the microwave, add a damp paper towel on top. If heating on the stovetop, add 2 tablespoons of water and stir.
More Easy Rice Recipes to Make
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Puerto Rican White Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cup medium grain white rice
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Wash your rice to remove any dirt.
- In a caldero with a lid add your water, oil and salt. Set to high heat and bring to a boil.
- Once your water is boiling add your rice, stir and put on the lid. Cook the rice for 10 minutes or until there is no liquid left around the rice.
- After the water has evaporated fluff your rice. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat , serve and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
- Make sure you use the correct size pan for the amount of rice you’re making. Remember that rice doubles in size.
- Don’t lift your lid while cooking your rice. The steam inside is very important to guarantee the rice fully cooks.
- Very important that you do not leave your rice for too long after all the water evaporates because it will have an (ajumao taste) smoky flavor. Trust me, not the good kind. It will make it taste bad.
- If you find your rice is hard you can fix it by adding 2 tablespoons of water at a time and leaving it over medium heat for 4 more minutes.
Stephenie says
Hola Slyvia, you can use jasmine rice.
slyvia says
Hi. Can you use Jasmine rice instead?
Stephenie says
Thank you Rita for taking the time to read ☺️.
Rita Vigilante says
Thanks ❤️ I love your recipes so much detail.. it’s great 😃
Rita Vigilante says
Thanks ❤️ I love your recipes