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White Rice, Our Guide to the Cooking Methods

How to cook white rice well: the right varieties, times and quantities that work, from our supply chain in Lumellogno.

Total time 20-30 min
Methods 3
Servings Serves 4
Difficulty Easy
Reading 7 min
In short

Acqua e Sole white rice is cooked with three methods: oven pilaf (absorption, ratio 1 to 1.5, 18 minutes at 180 degrees), English-style boiled rice (ratio 1 to 10, drained), risotto (traditional mantecatura, the off-heat creamy stir). Two varieties from our supply chain cover every use: Arborio (16 minutes, pilaf and salads) and Carnaroli Classico (18 minutes, risottos). Closed supply chain, ISO 9001 certification, grown in Lumellogno on the Novara plain.

The pillar guide

Cooking white rice well

Cooking white rice is the simplest thing in Italian cuisine, and also the most botched. Here on the Novara plain we grow the rice ourselves, we dry it and we pack it, from seed to grain, and we know well that the difference between a grain that comes out right and a mushy one comes down to three things: the right variety for the dish, the ratio between water and rice, and respect for the cooking time of the variety you have in your hands.

White rice is not a single dish, it is a family of preparations. The pilaf for a side, dry and loose, is made in the oven. English-style rice, boiled in a large pot and drained, is the base for salads. Risotto proper is yet another thing, it has its own rules, and for those after our risottos we point you to our Paniscia Novarese. For pilaf and for salads we recommend Arborio, sixteen minutes of soft cooking without turning to mush. For risottos, Carnaroli Classico, eighteen minutes, superior al dente hold, the rice that in Novara has always been called the king. Two different characters from the same closed supply chain.

“At home we say that rice wants three things: the right water, a lively flame and a light hand. It holds for pilaf, for boiled rice, for risotto. The variety changes the dish, but these three rules are always the same.”

From the kitchen of Acqua e Sole, Lumellogno
Which variety to choose

Arborio vs Carnaroli, two varieties compared

Arborio

The grain for salads, for pilaf and for rice pudding.

Time
16 min
What for
Cold salads, pilaf rice, side dish, supplì, arancini, rice pudding
Grain
Large, softer cooking, generous surface starch, creamy
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Carnaroli Classico

The king of risottos, the superior al dente hold.

Time
18 min
What for
Traditional risottos (alla milanese, with mushrooms, paniscia), Italian-style paella, home-made sushi
Grain
Structured, superior al dente hold, tidy mantecatura
Buy ›

An honest note: for real sushi you would need a specific Japanese rice. But if you make home-made sushi for a Saturday night, the Carnaroli with a splash of rice vinegar and sugar holds the roll and does not stick. It is not orthodox, but it works.

Step by step

The 3 cooking methods for white rice

Three different ways to cook white rice, for three different results. You choose them based on the dish, not on preference.

Method 1

Oven pilaf

Dry, loose rice, every grain separate. Cooked in the oven by absorption.

Time
18 min
Difficulty
Easy
See method › Method 2

English-style boiled

Boiled in a large pot and drained, the base for summer cold salads.

Time
16-18 min
Difficulty
Easy
See method › Method 3

Creamy risotto

Tostatura, the dry-toast of the rice, boiling broth two ladles at a time, mantecatura all’onda with butter and Parmesan.

Time
18 min
Difficulty
Medium
See method ›

Method 1. Pilaf rice, cooking by absorption

Pilaf is the classic white rice of Italian home cooking: dry, loose, every grain separate. It is made in the oven, and it is the method we teach to anyone who has never cooked rice.

Quantities to serve 4

  • 320 gArborio Acqua e Sole rice
  • 480 mlboiling water (ratio 1 to 1.5)
  • 6 gfine salt, a level teaspoon
  • 20 gbutter, or 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • to tastebay leaf or cinnamon stick, optional
1

Preheat the oven

We heat the oven to 180 °C, conventional. We keep the already salted water ready in a separate small pan, ready to bring to the boil when needed.

2

Toast the rice

In an ovenproof pan with a lid, we melt the butter over medium heat. We add the rice and toast it for two minutes, stirring, until the grains are glossy and warm to the touch.

3

Add salted boiling water

We pour in the already salted boiling water all at once. We stir just once, only to spread the grains.

4

Cooking in the covered oven

We cover with the lid and put it in the oven for 18 minutes without opening it again. The steam has to stay shut inside the pan, that is what cooks the rice.

5

Resting and serving

We take it out and let it rest, covered, for five minutes. We fluff it with a fork and serve. It keeps in the fridge, covered, for up to 24 hours and reheats well in a pan with a tablespoon of water.

The right result. Dry rice, loose, every grain separate and glossy. A base for braised meats, baked fish, curry, stews with sauce.

Method 2. English-style boiled rice, boiled and drained

English-style rice is the rice for cold salads, for summer one-dish meals, for light cooking. It is boiled in a large pot with plenty of water and drained. Nothing more, nothing less.

Quantities to serve 4

  • 320 gArborio Acqua e Sole rice, or Carnaroli if you prefer it more al dente
  • 3 Lplenty of water (ratio 1 to 10)
  • 30 gcoarse salt, 10 g per litre as for pasta
1

Bring the water to the boil

In a large pot, we bring the 3 litres of water to a brisk boil. We leave room: the rice has to be able to move freely as it cooks.

2

Salt, then add the rice

We salt the boiling water and wait for it to return to the boil. We pour in the rice in a steady stream and stir once. We let it cook over a brisk heat, without a lid.

3

Cook to the time of the variety

16 minutes for Arborio, 18 for Carnaroli Classico. We taste a grain a minute before the end: it should be soft on the outside and with a slight resistance at the heart.

4

Drain and cool

We drain in a fine-mesh colander. If the rice is going into a cold salad, we pass it straight away under cold running water to stop the cooking, then dress it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil so it does not stick.

The right result. Al dente grain, loose, slightly glossy if dressed cold with oil. A base for summer rice salads, cold rice with tuna and vegetables, cold buffet dishes.

Method 3. Risotto, the mantecatura

Risotto is another thing entirely: it is not white rice as a side, it is a dish in its own right. The rice is dry-toasted in the soffritto, the slow-sweat aromatic base, deglazed with wine, moistened with boiling broth two ladles at a time, then finished off the heat with the mantecatura, the off-heat creamy stir of butter and Parmesan. For the full traditional recipe we point you to our Paniscia Novarese, which is the risotto of our city. For risottos in general the rule is only one: Carnaroli Classico, always, because it holds the grain and withstands the mantecatura.

The right result. Risotto all’onda, the wave: a dish that flows slightly when you tilt it, with well-defined al dente grains held by a golden cream of starch, butter and Parmesan.

What not to do

The 5 most common mistakes when cooking white rice

  1. Washing the rice meant for risotto

    Risotto lives on the surface starch: if you wash the rice before toasting it, you wash away the future creaminess. Never wash rice for risotto. For pilaf, on the other hand, washing is optional, and for salads some do it for looser grains.

  2. Using cold water in absorption cooking

    Cold water means thermal shock to the grain, uneven cooking, the risk of a raw centre. The water for pilaf goes in already boiling, always. The same goes for the risotto broth: boiling, never lukewarm.

  3. Opening the lid during pilaf cooking

    Pilaf cooks in trapped steam. Every opening of the lid lets steam escape and lowers the internal temperature. Lid closed for the whole eighteen minutes, trust the timer.

  4. Salting boiled rice too early

    The salt goes into the water when it boils, before adding the rice. Salting with the rice already in means salt that does not dissolve and sticks to the grain. For risotto the opposite holds: the salt is adjusted at the end of cooking, because broth, Parmesan and ingredients may already have salted it.

  5. Choosing the wrong variety

    Putting Carnaroli in cold salads is a waste: cold, the grain turns hard and loses its quality. Putting Arborio in a Barolo risotto is a different choice, not a wrong one, but the result is softer, less structured. The variety is not a detail, it is the dish.

Our rices leave our farm in Lumellogno with the grain intact, because we dry them slowly, with solar heat. That is why, in cooking, they behave as they should, without sticking.
From the kitchen of Acqua e Sole, Lumellogno
The farmer’s tip

Why our rice cooks differently

One thing we do here at home that changes the cooking result a great deal: we dry the rice at low temperature in the drying barn at Lumellogno, with solar heat and slow ventilation. Most industrial rice is dried at high temperatures to go fast, and that creates micro-cracks on the grain which, in cooking, let the starch escape in a disorderly way. Our rice leaves our farm intact: the grains are compact, the surface starch is where it should be, and in cooking it behaves as it should. That is why the AS Arborio pilaf stays loose without sticking, and the AS Carnaroli risotto releases creaminess without needing anything special. Same supply chain, same plain, two different characters of the grain. No tricks, no additives, just a drying done with patience.

From the kitchen of Acqua e Sole, Lumellogno

The questions cooks ask

Frequently asked questions

How much salt do you need to cook rice?
It depends on the method. For pilaf, 6 g of fine salt in 480 ml of boiling water, a level teaspoon for 4 people. For English-style boiled rice, 10 g of coarse salt per litre of water, as for pasta, so 30 g for our 3 litres. For risotto the salt is adjusted only at the end of cooking, because the broth and Parmesan of the mantecatura have already salted it. The common rule is to taste before salting: a well-cooked grain tells you on its own whether it needs it.
Can I wash the rice before cooking?
For risotto, no, never. The surface starch of the grain is what gives the creaminess in mantecatura, and washing the rice means throwing away the very quality that sets it apart. For pilaf and for boiled rice for cold salads it can be done, and some do it to get more separate grains at the end of cooking. Rinse under cold water until the water runs clear, then dry for two minutes on a tea towel before toasting.
What is the difference between Carnaroli and Arborio?
They are two varieties from the same AS supply chain, with two different grain characters. Carnaroli Classico has a structured grain, superior al dente hold, tidy mantecatura: 18 minutes of cooking, it is the rice for traditional risottos. Arborio has a large grain, generous surface starch, softer cooking: 16 minutes, it is the rice for pilaf, for cold salads, for rice pudding. Same Lumellogno soil, two different choices depending on the dish.
How many grams of rice per person?
80 g per person for a first course, so 320 g for four people. 60 g per person if the rice is served as a side. It holds for Arborio and Carnaroli Classico from our supply chain. Wholegrain rice has the same quantity in grams, but turns out more filling in cooking because of the fibre in the bran.
How long to cook white rice?
It depends on the variety. Arborio cooks in 16 minutes, both English-style boiled and pilaf. Carnaroli Classico in 18 minutes, whether boiled, pilaf or in risotto. These are times worked out on our rice dried at low temperature in the drying barn at Lumellogno. Taste a grain a minute before the end to adjust the last stretch of cooking: it should be soft on the outside, with a slight resistance at the heart.
What is the best rice for cold salads?
Our Arborio is the natural choice: boiled English-style for sixteen minutes, cooled under running water, dressed with a drizzle of oil so it does not stick. It holds its texture even after a few hours in the fridge, and at the table it stays loose. For salads that are richer to look at, with colourful vegetables or tropical fruit, some prefer our pigmented wholegrain rices: Il Moro black or Il Cardinale red. These are different recipe formats, though, with longer cooking, 40-45 minutes.
What is the best rice for a side dish?
Arborio pilaf is the universal side of Italian cuisine. Dry, loose, neutral in flavour, it goes with any main: braised meat, fish, spiced vegetables, curry, stews with sauce. The proportion of 1 part rice, 1.5 parts boiling water, 18 minutes in the covered oven at 180 °C, is the formula to learn by heart and not to change.
How to store cooked rice?
In the fridge, covered, for up to 24 hours at most. Cooked rice is a delicate food: at room temperature it rapidly develops Bacillus cereus, the bacterium responsible for food poisoning. The rule is simple: after cooking, cool the rice within an hour, cover it, put it in the fridge. To reheat it, go over it again in a pan with a tablespoon of water over medium heat until it is hot through, or in the microwave, covered. Do not reheat it more than once, and always respect the cold chain.
The rice we use for white rice

Two varieties, one single supply chain

This guide points you to two varieties from our closed supply chain in Lumellogno: Arborio for pilaf, salads and side dishes, Carnaroli Classico for traditional risottos. Same soil, same care, two different characters of the grain.

Arborio Acqua e Sole rice, 500 g pack, Italian rice for pilaf and salads

Arborio Rice

Large grain, generous surface starch, soft cooking in sixteen minutes. The variety for pilaf, cold salads, rice pudding. Grown and packed in Lumellogno.

From 3.30 € (500 g), 5.99 € (1 kg)
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Carnaroli Classico Acqua e Sole rice, 500 g pack, Italian rice for traditional risottos

Carnaroli Classico Rice

Structured grain, al dente hold for eighteen minutes, tidy mantecatura. The variety for the traditional risottos of the Novara plain and of all Italy. Closed supply chain, ISO 9001 certification.

From 4.39 € (500 g), 7.99 € (1 kg)
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Carry on in the kitchen

More recipes with white rice

From traditional risotto to pilaf, to cold salads: six recipes from our recipe book that put the methods of the guide into practice.

Wholegrain rice, our guide

Carnaroli Classico Wholegrain, Il Moro and Il Cardinale: soaking times, cooking and why they stay firm. The guide to our wholegrain rices.

See the guide

Paniscia Novarese

The risotto of our city: black-eyed beans, salam d’la duja, pork rind, creamed Carnaroli. The home recipe.

See recipe

Arborio Pilaf with Seasonal Vegetables

Absorption cooking in the oven, the universal side. Arborio loose and neutral for any main.

See recipe

Risotto alla Milanese

Saffron in threads, beef marrow, mantecatura all’onda. The risotto of the Lombard tradition in our version.

See recipe

Summer Rice Salad with Vegetables from the Garden

Arborio boiled English-style, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, extra virgin olive oil. The one-dish meal of the warm months.

See recipe

Porcini Mushroom Risotto

Carnaroli Classico, fresh porcini or dried and rehydrated, vegetable broth, mantecatura with butter and Parmesan.

See recipe

Rice Salad with Tuna and Olives

Cooled Arborio, tuna in brine, Taggiasca olives, Pantelleria capers. The home classic revisited.

See recipe
All the recipes

Guide written by the Acqua e Sole editorial team, from our experience on the Novara plain.