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
- This rice is a staple in Cuban cuisine and is the perfect side dish to almost any protein.
- It only requires 4 ingredients and it's cooked in 15 minutes.
- It's simple, delicious and good any time of the day.
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
Place leftover Cuban white rice in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for upto 5 days.
To reheat, place your white rice in a microwave safe dish and cover with a wet paper towel. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Stirring occasionally to break up any clumps.
More Recipes To Try
More Cuban Recipes
Cuban white rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups of long grain white rice
- 2 ⅛ cups of water
- 3 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon of salt
Instructions
- Begin by rinsing 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 stir your rice. Turn off the heat and cover the rice again. Keep the rice covered for another 5-10 minutes until rice if fully cooked
Nunzio Santuccio says
Please send me more recipes thank you
M Leticia ALVAREZ says
This is not " cuban rice"...this is basic ...for any kind of meal...rice...: cuban rice is " "congri".... arroz amarillo... arroz con pollo... arroz a la milanesa"!!
Cari says
Thank you for your comment! This is Cuban white rice to differentiate it from Japanese white rice, Mexican white rice or Chinese white rice. Different cultures make white rice differently. What might be basic for you may not be basic to different cultures. I have recipes for congri and arroz con pollo a la chorrera, you're welcomed to check those out as well.
Gladys says
I was following Nitza Villapol’s recipe with the garlic, not everyone in the house likes it - including the roosters..lol Your recipe is my go-to! Thank you!