Brazilian White Rice Recipe
Learn how to cook rice the Brazilian way. Hints of garlic in these fluffy white grains makes this Brazilian white rice recipe a must-try.
What is Brazilian White Rice?
We love rice in our household and this Brazilian method is one of the best we’ve tried! Using only 5 five ingredients and taking 35 minutes from prep to cook, it’s one to keep saved (did you know that you can save recipes on this blog by clicking the heart in the top, right corner?)
Arroz Brasileiro is so simple. All it requires is a little sautéing of garlic. That’s the added extra to a common rice recipe!
The Brazilian way of making rice guarantees the fluffiest results. No soggy rice granules around here! The method used is steaming on a low temp instead of boiling, which often can make rice overcooked and mushy. Here’s how to guarantee fluffy grains for your next dinner –
Another method to guarantee gorgeous grains is the South East Asian method using coconut milk. Try my Coconut Milk Rice for how-to.
Why should I make this white rice?
- An easy method to make the fluffiest of white rice.
- Super tasty with the added sautéed garlic!
- Learn how to make rice the Brazilian way.
- You’ll have fluffy rice in half an hour!
Timings
Prep Time
2 mins
Cooktime
35 mins
Total time
37 mins
Servings
2-3 people
Ingredients needed
- Olive oil
- Long-grain rice
- Water
- Garlic
- Sea salt
How to make Brazilian White Rice
(See the recipe card for ingredient quantities)
Step 1 – You start by heating the oil in a saucepan (the saucepan that you’ll use to continue making your rice). I used olive oil. Chop the garlic up fine or use frozen garlic like I did. I absolutely love the Waitrose Cook’s Ingredients Frozen Garlic.
Step 2 – Once the oil has heated up, you’ll fry the garlic in the pan. Keep the garlic moving or else it might burn. As soon as the garlic has started browning ever so slightly (it can change from a little bit brown to VERY brown in a matter of seconds) add the rice and stir quickly. This is called toasting the rice.
Step 3 – Next, add the water and salt and boil. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on.
Step 4 – The rice will need to sit for 5-10 minutes before taking the lid off. You can take the lid of very slightly to check if it’s cooked (you’ll know when as it will appear very flat and stuck together) but don’t leave it off for long as all the precious steam will evaporate.
Step 5 – Remove the lid and fluff the rice granules with a fork. See below if you wish to create a rice dome with a bowl when serving the rice.
How to make a rice dome!
Rice domes may look daunting and bit ‘cheffy’ but they’re actually SO simple. Here’s how you can create a rice dome the next time you make rice –
You’ll need: your cooked rice, a side plate and a domed bowl. I used a small ceramic pudding bowl which I usually use for small pies.
- When the rice is still warm, using a spoon, scoop up enough to fill the bowl to below the brim. Using the back of the spoon, push the rice down so it’s compacted.
- Next, place the side plate on top of the domed bowl and flip the plate around so the bowl is on top. Give the bowl a little tap. It should release and the rice will come out as the shape of a dome (hopefully!)
Equipment Needed
- Medium saucepan for cooking the rice
- Tea spoon
- A measuring cup
- A knife for chopping the garlic
- A domed bowl if trying to shape the rice.
- A side plate (if attempting the above).
Frequently Asked Questions!
Why is my rice soggy?
The most common reason for soggy rice is that the water to rice ratio is off. If you follow my recipe, you certainly shouldn’t go wrong. However if you have slipped in a cupful too much of water, your rice will end up soggy. The best thing to do with it is make another batch and use the soggy batch to make arancini!
Why has my rice burnt?
Your rice is burnt probably from overcooking or the temperature was up too high. Either one, I’d suggest scraping off the burnt bottom and eating the rest! The rest should still be good. I actually like the crispy bottom that rice sometimes gets (not burnt bottoms though!)
Can I use a rice cooker to make this recipe?
Absolutely! You would just need to cook your garlic separately in a pan and throw it into the rice cooker before adding your rice and water (same ratio as per this recipe). Put it on cook and let it be!
Do I need to wash my rice?
Not necessarily. A lot of rice has already been cleaned and rinsed in the production process (I hardly ever wash mine) and washing can remove a lot of the nutrients. However it is advised to wash rice to reduce the risk of consuming bad bacteria which can make you sick, plus removing all the starch it produces when cooking (but some recipes like rice pudding need this starch).
It’s your choice at the end of the day. A little rinse never hurts!
How can I store leftover rice?
I would store leftover rice In the fridge, in a sealed container. You must cool the rice as quickly as possible before storing. Never keep rice longer than a day and always reheat throughly. Never re-heat more than once.
What’s the best way to use up leftover rice?
A few ways to use up leftover rice would be to make arancini (as mentioned above) but also rice pudding and fried rice for a quick, easy meal.
Can I freeze rice?
Yes you can! Cool it quickly and pack it into a sealed container. Freeze for a month but no longer. Defrost throughly and re-heat until piping hot.
Brazilian White Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 cups long-grain rice
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp garlic chopped finely
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in the saucepan and fry the garlic (watch that it doesn't burn).
- Add the rice, stirring continuously so it can 'toast'.
- Add the water and salt and leave to boil. Once boiling, turn the temperature to low and leave to simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes (and maybe a very quick peek!) leave the lid on and let the rice sit for 10 minutes to settle. Fluff up with a fork or mould into shape with a bowl (see instructions above on how to!)
Notes
Nutrition
More recipes with rice –
Albanian Lamb Baked with Rice
Bahrain Fish Ragout
Chinese Cashew Chicken
Mexican Chilli Con Carne
West African Vegan Peanut Sweet Potato Curry
Bahrain Chicken Machboos
Coconut Milk Rice
