Dominican white rice is a staple in Dominican cooking, and it’s almost ways served with a side of habichuelas guisadas. But it’s the kind of rice that’s so good you can eat it all by itself!
Arroz blanco is made with just four basic ingredients: rice, water, salt, and oil. That might sound like any regular white rice recipe, but what makes Dominican rice special is how it’s cooked. The technique is everything!
You don’t NEED a caldero to make it, but using one gives the rice the most authentic Dominican flavor and texture.
Recommended for this recipe
Caldero Pot
My go to pot for cooking all kinds of Dominican rice dishes
What kind of rice do you need
For the most authentic Dominican white rice, use extra long grain rice. Look for brands like Carolina and Canilla at the grocery store, those are my go-to’s.
You can also make this recipe with jasmine rice and get similar results, but I recommend avoiding rices like basmati, arborio, and brown rice. They cook differently and won’t give you the fluffy texture Dominican arroz blanco is known for.
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Always rinse the rice before cooking
Before cooking, rinse the rice under cold water a 2-3 times until the water runs clear to remove all the starch. This is a step that my mami never misses because it prevents the rice from becoming too sticky and gets rid of any impurities that may be in the rice.
Plus, it gets rid of it gets rid of that raw, starchy taste that rice can sometimes have when it isn’t rinsed properly.
Step by step instructions
- In a pot over medium heat, combine oil and salt. Let it get hot and carefully add the water. (Adding the ingredients in this order is KEY. The oil and salt get to bloom and develop some flavor, and it creates a nonstick surface to the pot that prevents any rice from sticking. Don’t worry, you’ll still have concon at the end.)
- Add rice, stir, and cook until most of the water is absorbed, stirring frequently to prevent from sticking.
- Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Let sit covered for 5 minutes. Buen provecho!
Why do you need to heat the oil before adding the water?
Heating the oil in the caldero is a necessary step in making arroz blanco al estilo Dominicano. It not only gives your pot a nonstick layer so that none of your rice grains get stuck to the bottom of the pot while cooking, but it also allows the oil to bloom with the seasonings and deepen it’s flavor.
Plus that sizzling sound of the water hitting the hot pot fills me with nostalgia. It always brings me back to my abuela making arroz blanco when I was a kid, and I know I’m not alone on this one!
Forget the aluminum foil and plastic bag
Most of us grew up watching our abuelas covering the pot of white rice with a sheet of aluminum foil, a plastic bag, or maybe even paper towels. The main reason for this was to trap in the steam so the rice cooks properly, especially if the lid didn’t fit tightly. But if you have a good tight lid, this step isn’t necessary.
The rice turns out exactly the same, and you don’t have to worry about aluminum or plastic particles getting into your food. If you still like doing it the old-school way, a banana leaf is a safe, natural option that will work just as well as foil sheets or plastic bags. Just place a banana leaf over the rice before covering with a lid in step 3.
How to make concon aka crispy rice
For some extra crispy concon at the bottom of the pot, you’ll need to cook the rice for a few minutes longer. Giving it an extra 5 minutes on the stove will give you that delicious crispy rice you won’t be able to resist!
Just make sure to scoop it out within the first 5 to 10 minutes after the rice is done, or the steam will keep cooking it and make it soft.
What to do if the rice is clumpy or undercooked
If your rice isn’t turning out right, here are a few tips to help:
- Start by checking your water-to-rice ratio. It should be 1 cup of rice to 1½ cups of water.
- Keep the heat at medium while the water cooks off, and only lower it to a simmer once the water is fully absorbed.
- When you lower the heat, make sure it’s low enough to steam the rice but not so low that it stops cooking.
- Once it’s covered, don’t open the lid for at least 20 minutes so it can steam properly.
If your rice still comes out clumpy, try using jasmine rice, which cooks up a little softer and drier than extra long grain, or a heavy bottomed stainless steel pot instead of a caldero.
Dominican White Rice (Arroz Blanco)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ cups water
- 1 cup extra long grain rice washed
Instructions
- In a pot over medium heat, combine oil and salt. Let it got hot, which should only take about 2-3 minutes, then carefully add the water to the pot.
- Let the water come to a boil before adding the rice. Stir the rice and cook until almost all of the water is absorbed, stirring frequently to prevent from sticking.
- After most of the water is absorbed, use a spoon to form a mound in the center of the pot with the rice, making sure no rice is touching the sides. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Let it sit covered for 5 minutes and enjoy with a side of habichuelas guisadas. Buen provecho!
