Barley Free Buttery White Rice
Simple, satisfying, and endlessly versatile, this buttery white rice is the kind of side dish that quietly steals the show. Long-grain white rice is naturally free of barley and any of its derivatives, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or worry about hidden grains sneaking into your bowl. The technique here is what sets it apart — toasting the rinsed rice in a little butter before adding water coaxes out a faint nuttiness that makes the finished dish taste far more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Cooking it low and slow with the lid firmly on, then letting it rest off the heat, gives you perfectly separate, fluffy grains every single time. The finishing move of folding in the remaining butter while fluffing is genuinely transformative, coating each grain in a rich, glossy layer that makes this feel indulgent rather than plain. A scatter of fresh parsley adds a pop of color and brightness if you want it, though the rice is absolutely worth eating on its own.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 1 ¾ cups water
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water, stirring with your hand, until the water runs mostly clear, about 30 seconds. Shake off the excess water.
- 2
Melt 1 tbsp of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the rinsed rice and stir to coat, cooking until the grains look chalky and opaque and smell faintly nutty, about 2 minutes.
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