Cuban White Rice (Arroz Blanco)
White rice is my love language. Spoken like a true Cuban girl. Ha! ❤️ No, but seriously, arroz blanco is one of my favorite traditional Cuban side dishes.
I make so many Cuban dishes with rice, it might as well be in my DNA. And it’s probably because Mami made it EVERY SINGLE DAY growing up. Why? Because no meal is complete without fresh, fluffy Cuban white rice.
She’s not wrong.
I love when it’s moist, slightly shiny, and cooked with fat, originally lard (que rico!) or butter, but these days, vegetable oil is my go-to. Not a fan of olive oil (sorry not sorry – it tastes like metal to me 😝).
Anyways, get the Cuban picadillo ready, because this easy weeknight Cuban rice recipe is about to be your new staple!
5-star review
“This is hands down the best rice I’ve ever had. I’m not from a culture that uses a lot of rice as a base for anything, so I never had any motivation to improve it beyond the occasional boil-in-a-bag laziness. This is a game changer. I actually went back for more rice instead of just using it as a base for the main item. Kudos, Jamie!”
—Lisa B
Quick Stovetop Method
Mami always made arroz blanco in the rice cooker, so naturally, that’s how I make it too, but this fluffy stovetop white rice recipe is pretty foolproof too!
Now, before cooking the white rice, you need to rinse it thoroughly. It not only removes any dust, debris, and starch, but it also doesn’t clump up while cooking. Just use a strainer and rinse it under cool, running water until the water is clear.
🍚 I’m often asked about the best rice for Cuban white rice, and my answer is always long-grain white rice. It’s firm, has less starch, and doesn’t clump up when cooked. It stays fluffy, which is the goal!
That’s it! Now you’ve got a simple arroz blanco recipe ready for whatever you’re serving.
Personally, I enjoy it under slow-cooked ropa vieja, next to a scoop of creamy Cuban black beans, or with saucy camarones enchilados on top.
Cuban White Rice (Arroz Blanco)
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Serving Suggestions
Instructions
- First things first, you must rinse the rice thoroughly. This will remove any dust, debris, and starch so it doesn’t clump up while cooking. Using a strainer, rinse the rice under cool, running water until the water is clear.
- In a large saucepan, add 1 cup of rinsed rice to 2 cups of water. Add the vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed.
- Don't remove the lid while cooking or the steam may release too early and cause the rice to dry out. You don't want to risk it becoming hard or crunchy. So, no peeking! Just let it cook, undisturbed, until all the water is absorbed.
- Remove from the heat, but do not open the lid for 5 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork. When you use a spoon, you run the risk of the rice getting mushy. Using a fork releases the rest of the moisture and steam, which is how it retains its fluffiness. Also, I wouldn’t mess with it too much. Don’t fluff the rice for more than 30 seconds.
- The result is soft, fluffy white rice, not mushy nor wet. It's perfect!
- Using a 2:1 water-to-rice ratio should result in approximately 3 cups of cooked rice because long-grain rice triples in volume when cooked with enough water. Enjoy!
Notes
- Add the rice, water, oil, and salt to the rice cooker. Cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Fluff with a fork when cooked.
- Not enough water was used. The water is necessary for the rice to absorb and achieve that fluffy consistency.
- Too much water was used. Make sure to use exact measurements and use a fork to fluff the rice (not a spoon).
My white rice is now perfect every time.
Yasss! What a great feeling, huh? Thank you for sharing!
This is hands down the best rice I’ve ever had. I’m not from a culture that uses a lot of rice as a base for anything, so I never had any motivation to improve it beyond the occasional boil-in-a-bag laziness. This is a game changer. I actually went back for more rice instead of just using it as a base for the main item. Kudos, Jamie!
The fact that you went back for more is a great sign! So happy you enjoyed it, Lisa. Thank you!
This is an easy recipe and tastes delicious. For a fun variation to make the rice more interesting with virtually no extra effort, add 1 tsp. Cuban Complete seasoning (described elsewhere on this sit and 1/4 tsp. Bijol. In place of vegetable oil, use olive oil. Before adding the water to the saucepan, sauté the rice in the oil for a few minutes until it is evenly browned. Add the water, spices, and cook as directed. It makes a really quick and easy but quite tasty yellow rice.
This is exactly how I make my rice with one exception: I use butter instead of oil.
Always comes out amazing.
try using both olive/regular oil AND butter… :)
Very helpful. I am 76 years old and just recently learned how to cook rice.
That’s amazing news! So happy to hear, Jean, congrats!
We lived in Caracas for two years then Miami for almost twenty years. I miss the food so much! Cuban food I have found in restaurants here comes via California, not the same Miami taste. Different fish and soil, of course, but also different influences through the years.
But what rice do you use?
The recipe states long-grain rice. :)