Butter Rice

This butter rice recipe is a simple side dish that elevates any meal. The garlic, butter, and onion make it so flavorful and rich!

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Brazilian, Global

Keyword: butter, easy side dish, garlic, rice

Servings:

Calories: 279kcal

Place rice in a fine-mesh sieve or colander and rinse it in cold water. Rub them with your hands to remove excess starch. Drain and set aside.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium pan over medium heat, and saute onion and garlic, until onion is soft and translucent.
Add the rice, and saute for one more minute.
Add water, salt, and stir. Taste the liquid. It should taste good already, but if needed, add more salt.
Let it come to a boil, then lower the heat and close the lid halfway through, leaving it slightly open. Let it cook undisturbed. Don't stir.
Close the lid entirely once the water above the rice evaporates, but you can still see water inside the little holes that form in the rice.
Once all the water evaporates, but the bottom of the pan is still slightly wet, remove the pan from heat, keep it completely closed, and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Then open the pan, add the last tablespoon of butter, and fluff the rice with a fork or rice paddle. Rice will become looser as you give it a few minutes to dry.

You can use hot water to speed up the cooking process.
Never stir your rice once the water has started boiling. Let it cook undisturbed until the rice is done, including the resting time. If you stir it, it will become gummy and sticky.

Don't skip the 5 minutes of rest. This time is crucial for the rice to finish cooking with the steam trapped inside.

If you like fluffy rice, don't skip the rinsing. The more you wash the rice, the more starch will be removed, and the less sticky it will be.