Eight ingredients and thirty minutes, in one saucepan.
The Parmesan melts into the hot rice after it's fluffed, so you taste it all the way through rather than seeing it in shreds.
Why This Recipe Works
- Toasting garlic in butter until just golden gives nutty flecks through the rice.
- Rinsing the rice removes surface starch so the grains stay separate.
- Toasting the grains for a minute helps them hold their shape.
- Resting covered for ten minutes finishes the steaming evenly.
- Folding the Parmesan into hot rice melts it right in.
Ingredient Notes
- Long-grain white rice, rinsed
- A cup and a half. Long-grain and rinsed, so the grains cook up fluffy and separate.
- Butter and finely chopped garlic
- Three tablespoons and four cloves. The garlic cooks until some pieces are golden — those are the flecks through the rice.
- Finely grated Parmesan
- Half a cup, folded into the hot rice. It melts in rather than staying as shreds.
How to Make It
Garlic cooked in butter until some pieces turn golden
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium. Add garlic and cook until some pieces turn lightly golden, 45 to 60 seconds.
Rice stirred in a minute, broth and salt added
Stir in rinsed rice for 1 minute, then add broth and salt.
Boiled, covered and cooked fifteen minutes, rested ten
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and rest covered 10 minutes.
Fluffed, Parmesan folded in, parsley and pepper added
Fluff with a fork, fold in Parmesan until it melts into the hot rice, then add parsley and black pepper.
Garlic First, Cheese Last
The golden flecks through this rice are TOASTED GARLIC. That puts the garlic at the very start of the recipe, toasted in butter before the rice goes in - and the Parmesan at the very end, melted into the hot fluffed grains.
Stage 1 of 3
The GARLIC - just golden
Steps 1–1 of 4
3 tbsp UNSALTED BUTTER melted over medium and 4 FINELY CHOPPED GARLIC CLOVES COOKED UNTIL SOME PIECES TURN LIGHTLY GOLDEN, 45 TO 60 SECONDS. Some pieces, lightly - golden is the flavour and the fleck; brown is bitter.
- Garlic cooked in butter until some pieces turn goldenMelt butter in a saucepan over medium. Add garlic and cook until some pieces turn lightly golden, 45 to 60 seconds.
Stage 2 of 3
The RICE - toasted, then simmered
Steps 2–3 of 4
1 1/2 cups of RINSED LONG-GRAIN WHITE RICE STIRRED IN FOR 1 MINUTE, then 2 1/4 cups LOW-SODIUM BROTH and 1/2 tsp FINE SALT, BROUGHT TO A BOIL, COVERED, REDUCED TO LOW AND COOKED 15 MINUTES, then RESTED COVERED 10 MINUTES off the heat. Long-grain and rinsed is what keeps the rice fluffy rather than creamy.
- Rice stirred in a minute, broth and salt addedStir in rinsed rice for 1 minute, then add broth and salt.
- Boiled, covered and cooked fifteen minutes, rested tenBring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and rest covered 10 minutes.
Stage 3 of 3
The PARMESAN - melted in, not scattered on
Steps 4–4 of 4
FLUFFED WITH A FORK, then 1/2 cup FINELY GRATED PARMESAN FOLDED IN UNTIL IT MELTS INTO THE HOT RICE, with 1/3 cup CHOPPED PARSLEY and 1/4 tsp BLACK PEPPER. The PARMESAN MELTS INTO THE RICE RATHER THAN REMAINING AS VISIBLE SHREDS. Leftovers are COOLED PROMPTLY AND REFRIGERATED.
- Fluffed, Parmesan folded in, parsley and pepper addedFluff with a fork, fold in Parmesan until it melts into the hot rice, then add parsley and black pepper.
Success Tips
- Watch the garlic closely; golden turns bitter-brown within seconds.
- Don't lift the lid during the 15-minute cook or the 10-minute rest.
- Fluff gently with a fork so the grains stay whole.
Serving Ideas
Six side servings of fluffy long-grain rice with Parmesan melted through it, flecked with toasted golden garlic, chopped parsley and black pepper.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the golden flecks?
Toasted garlic. It's cooked in butter until some pieces turn lightly golden before the rice goes in.
Is it creamy like risotto?
No. It's fluffy long-grain rice with the grains separate. The Parmesan melts in, but it doesn't make it creamy.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool them promptly and refrigerate. Cooked rice shouldn't be left sitting at room temperature.
