Cuban White Rice

I have been eating this Cuban white rice my entire life, since I was a baby able to eat solid foods. This white rice recipe is the go-to side dish for most Cuban meals. It is one of the easiest dishes to make and the most versatile. It only requires a medium sized sauce pan with a lid, that's it. This recipe only calls for 4 ingredients and is ready in about 15 minutes.

A few years back, my 10 year old rice maker finally died and I decided I didn't want another kitchen appliance taking up space. So I reverted back to my mom's easy stove top Cuban white rice recipe.

Why You'll love this Cuban rice recipe

• Cuban Staple: This rice is a staple in Cuban cuisine and is the perfect side dish to almost any protein.
• The Perfect Fluffy Texture: Unlike sticky or mushy rice, Cuban-style rice is desgranado, meaning every grain is separate, firm, and perfectly tender.
• The Ultimate "Blank Canvas": Its clean, salt-forward profile makes it the perfect base for saucy dishes like Ropa Vieja, Picadillo, or a bowl of creamy black beans.
• Quick and Easy: It only requires 4 ingredients and it's cooked in 15 minutes.
• It's simple, delicious and good any time of the day.
• Naturally Budget-Friendly: Made with just four pantry staples—long-grain rice, water, salt, and oil—it is one of the most affordable ways to feed a large family.
• Kid-Friendly Comfort Food: Even the pickiest eaters love it. In Cuba, a simple bowl of white rice topped with a fried egg (huevo frito) and a side of ripe plantains is a beloved childhood comfort meal.
• Gluten-Free & Easy to Digest: It’s a naturally gluten-free carbohydrate that is gentle on the stomach and provides quick energy, making it a safe choice for diverse dietary needs.

Ingredients for this simple white rice recipe

• Long grain white rice
• Water
• Vegetable oil
• Salt

Directions for this long grain rice recipe

RINSE YOUR RICE! Using a fine mesh strainer, rinse your rice in room temperature water until the water comes out clear.

To a medium sized sauce pan, add your oil, salt, water and rice. Set your heat to high.

• Stir your rice so the salt becomes well incorporated through out the rice.
• The minute your rice begins to boil, quickly drop the heat to low and cover. Allow to cook for fifteen minutes without removing the lid.
• Once the fifteen minutes have passed, open the lid and fluff up your rice with a fork. Turn off the heat and cover the rice again. Keep the rice covered for another 5-10 minutes until rice is completely cooked.

Rice to water ratio

For every one cup of rinsed rice, you need one cup and two tablespoons of water. That's it. For every extra cup of rice you add, add an additional 5 minutes of cooking time.

What rice to use for this recipe

This Cuban white rice recipe is specifically for long grain white rice and can be used for medium grain white rice. I do not recommend this recipe for short grain, arborio, brown, basmati and/or jasmine rice.

Variations for this rice recipe

Garlicky white rice - I like to add a little bit of garlic powder to my rice sometimes, when I do I add ½ teaspoon. 

Vegetable white rice / Arroz con Vegetales - Make this by simply adding 1 chicken bouillon cube, ¼ cup of frozen peas, one minced carrot and ½ a minced onion to the saucepan. Adjust rice as needed. The vegetables will cook with the rice.

What to pair cuban white rice with?

Cuban white rice is a principle side dish in Cuban cuisine and it's served alongside almost every protein imaginable. Whether you pair it with Cuban picadillo, ropa vieja, vaca frita or something as simple as a fried egg, you can't go wrong with this rice.

Storage

Refrigeration

• The 2-Hour Rule: To avoid the growth of Bacillus cereus (a bacteria common in rice), you must cool and refrigerate your rice within 2 hours of cooking.
• Speed Up Cooling: Don't leave the rice in the warm rice cooker or heavy pot. Spread it out on a shallow tray or plate for 15 minutes to let the steam escape before putting it in a container.
• Container: Use an airtight container to prevent the rice from absorbing fridge odors and drying out.
• Shelf Life: Properly stored, it will stay fresh for 4 to 6 days.

Freezing

Freezing is actually the best way to preserve the "freshly cooked" texture of white rice.

• Portioning: Place cooled rice into freezer-safe bags. Flatten the bags to save space and allow for faster thawing.+1
• Storage Time: It can be frozen for up to 6 months.
• Pro-Tip: You don't even need to thaw it! You can reheat frozen rice directly in the microwave or on the stove.

How to Reheat (To Keep it Fluffy)

Cuban rice is known for being desgranado (individual, non-sticky grains). Reheating often makes it clumpy and hard, but these tricks will bring it back to life:

• The "Splash" Method: For every cup of rice, add 1–2 tablespoons of water or chicken broth.
• Microwave (Fastest): Place rice in a bowl, add your water, and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat in 1-minute intervals, fluffing with a fork in between. The damp towel creates a "steam room" effect.+1
• Stovetop (Best Texture): Add the rice and a splash of water to a small pot. Cover tightly and heat over low heat for 5 minutes. This gently re-steams the grains without scorching them.
• The "Fried Rice" Pivot: If your rice feels too dry or hard after a few days, it is actually perfect for making Arroz Frito (Cuban-style fried rice)! The dryness allows the grains to fry properly without getting mushy.

Food Safety Warning: Only reheat rice once. Repeatedly cooling and reheating rice significantly increases the risk of food poisoning.

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