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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

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    Arroz Blanco Recipe (Dominican Rice)

    Dominican rice.

    En Español Recipe ↆ

    A plate of well-cooked, steaming, glistening arroz blanco (Dominican rice) is a thing of beauty, and one no Dominican voluntarily goes without. The perfect arroz blanco is proof of expertise for any Dominican cook. Learn everything you need to know to make it perfectly.

    Arroz blanco (Dominican <a class=
    Arroz blanco (Dominican rice).

    JUMP TO: show ↓
    1. Why we ❤️ it
    2. What is arroz blanco?
    3. Type of rice
    4. Washing
    5. Type of oil
    6. How to cover
    7. Dominican rice pot
    8. Water to rice ratio
    9. Rice portions
    10. Concon
    11. What to do with leftovers
    12. Serving suggestions
    13. About this recipe
    14. Video
    15. Recipe
    16. FAQs

    Why we ❤️ it

    Arroz blanco (Dominican rice) is the staple of La Bandera Dominicana, the traditional Dominican lunch meal. Anyone willing to get into this world of Dominican cooking needs to learn how to make perfect white rice. We had this recipe independently tested, read more further down.

    For us, rice day is any day that ends in y, and rice and beans are much more than just food, they are part of our cultural heritage. For us, "no hay comida sin arroz" (there's no lunch without rice). You just have to see just how many Dominican rice recipes we have.

    What is arroz blanco?

    Arroz blanco is simply white rice cooked with just water, salt and oil. The result is a steaming plate of rice with firm but cooked-through rice grains.

    See all the useful information I've added to help you make it great arroz blanco, or jump to the recipe if you are an experienced cook already.

    Type of rice

    Dominican rice.
    Dominican rice.

    The common Dominican rice is white, long-grain rice, or Carolina rice. It has a medium starch content, which makes it very versatile, and can be made into anything from fluffed white rice to thick pottages.

    Washing

    I personally do not wash rice. Unless the rice is of very low quality (you can see debris, for example), I suggest you don't either. Rice is already quite low on nutrients, washing gets rid of nutrients.

    Type of oil

    Typically, we use neutral-flavored vegetable oil (corn, soy, peanut), but I have tried it with coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, and even butter. Each will impart a different but still enjoyable taste. Do your own thing.

    How to cover

    No, I don't use a plastic bag (Dominicans would know what I am talking about), that and anafes went the way of the dodo. A pot with a tight-fitting lid is enough, and you don't want unknown chemicals leaching into your food.

    Dominican rice pot

    Dominican rice pot.
    Arroz con fideos in a Dominican rice pot.

    The Dominican rice pot is typically a cast aluminum pot with a tight-fitting lid, and we call it paila or caldero.

    The pot has to be at least twice as large as the amount of rice and water combined for best results. A pot that is too small will result in unevenly cooked rice. Better too large a pot than too small.

    If you do not have one of those, I have successfully made Dominican-style rice in many other types of pots and used all kinds of cookers from charcoal to induction. I also regularly test my rice recipes in more than one type of cooker. You may need to do some at-home experimentation, but it's completely doable with what you have at hand.

    Arroz blanco (white rice).
    La bandera dominicana (rice, beans, meat and salad).

    Arroz blanco (white rice) and Dominican lunch.

    Water to rice ratio

    How much water you'll add to the rice will depend on the recipe you are preparing. As a general rule, I add 1.5 cups of water per cup of rice for arroz blanco, and 1:1 for locrios and moros that contain vegetables and herbs, as those release liquid while they cook. Asopaos and some other recipes will vary significantly. Typically you'd add a teaspoon of salt [6 grams] per cup of raw rice.

    Rice dishRiceWater
    White rice1 cup1.5 cups
    Locrio1 cup1 cup
    Moro1 cup1 cup
    Asopao1 cup3 cups

    Rice portions

    Portions may vary for each family, but as a general rule, I serve 1 cup of rice if it's a side dish (arroz blanco, moro), 2.5 cups if it's the main dish (like locrio), and 3 cups for rice soups (asopao, chambre).

    For this recipe, I have increased the portions sizes close to what is typically served in the Dominican Republic. Here's how I calculate how much rice I need to cook for white rice.

    Rice portionsRaw rice amount
    1 person½ cup
    2 people1 cup
    3 people1.5 cups
    4 people2 cups
    5 people2.5 cups
    6 people3 cups

    Concon

    Once cooked the rice is served, and the crispy crust at the bottom of the pot (concón) is removed to be served as a treat (see the complete guide to concón to learn more).

    What to do with leftovers

    White rice never goes to waste in our country. If you have leftovers, you can make Chofán (fried rice), Yellow rice, and rice, sweet corn, and pineapple salad. My mom used to make Arroz con leche with leftover arroz blanco.

    Serving suggestions

    We typically serve white rice with a "guisado" meat recipe, like chicken, beef, or pork. A popular meatless choice is Berenjenas asadas (roasted eggplants) or fritas (fried eggplants), and my go-to vegan one is Repollo guisado (stewed cabbage).

    Alongside arroz blanco there is almost always some type of bean recipe served, like red, or black, or the popular guandules.

    To finish your meal, serve a Dominican salad, and some tostones. Maybe some arepitas de yuca o de maíz if you want to go the extra mile.

    About this recipe

    There isn't really that many ways to make arroz blanco, so the recipe will be pretty much the same regardless of home or region.

    This recipe was tested by Sagrario Matos, and some of her tips have been incorporated into the recipe. This is a short version of her report:

    The recipe works. The result is similar to other Dominican rice recipes, and the time indicated in the recipe is correct. Main tip: You can give a twist to the traditional recipe with sesame oil, coconut (or include coconut milk) in its preparation.

    If you have any tricks you'd like to share, please let me know in the comments!

    Buen provecho!

    Tia Clara

    Video

    Recipe

    This awesome free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, we receive a small commission from any purchase you make at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

    Dominican rice.
    Keep screen on while cooking

    Arroz Blanco [Recipe + Video] Dominican White Rice

    By: Clara Gonzalez
    Learn how to make arroz blanco, or Dominican rice, the base of Dominican lunch menus, one of the components of La Bandera Dominicana, and the ultimate test of the good cook.
    4.72 from 25 votes
    Save for Later Send by Email Print Recipe
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Lunch
    Cuisine Dominican, Latino
    Servings 4 generous servings
    Calories 830 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
    • 4 teaspoons salt
    • 4 cups rice, (long grain, Carolina)

    Instructions
     

    • Adding salt to the oil
      In a medium aluminum pot (Amazon affiliate link) (minimum 2.5 liters [0.5 gal] capacity) heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat, add the salt. When the oil is a little hot add 6 cups [1.4 liters] of water, taking care not to splash.
      If you use another type of pot, just combine oil, salt, and water and heat over medium heat.
    • Stirring rice
      When the water reaches boiling point, add the rice and cook, stirring regularly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
    • Rice ready to cover
      When the water has evaporated, cover with the lid and cook over very low heat (but enough to generate steam) for 15 minutes.
      Remove the lid, stir, add the remaining oil and cover again. This oil will help the rice to shine, and the concón will be crispier.
      In 5 more minutes taste the rice, it should be firm but soft inside. If necessary cover again and leave for another 5 minutes on low heat.
    • Serving rice
      As soon as the rice is ready, remove it from the pot and place it in a serving dish (this prevents the concón from getting soggy), and fluff it with a fork. Scrape off the concón (rice stuck to the bottom) and serve separately.
      Serve per suggestions above the recipe

    Tips and Notes

    For tips and tricks to get the perfect arroz blanco, see the paragraphs above the recipe card.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1.5cupsCalories: 830kcalCarbohydrates: 148gProtein: 13gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 755mgPotassium: 213mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gCalcium: 63mgIron: 1.6mg

    Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.

    READERS SEARCHED FOR arroz blanco recipe, dominican lunch, dominican rice, la bandera dominicana
    More recipes with: grains, rice

    FAQs

    How to make arroz blanco dominicano?

    Arroz blanco dominicano is made by cooking the rice in boiling salted water, once the liquid has evaporated, the rice is covered with a tight-fitting lid and left to simmer until the rice finishes cooking. A crispy film of rice is produced at the bottom, which we call concón.

    When is arroz blanco (white rice) eaten?

    Arroz blanco is eaten for lunch several times a week. It is typically served alongside meat, beans and salad.

    Published Dec 26, 2001, revised Nov 6, 2022

    More The Best Dominican Side Dishes

    • Queso Frito (Easy Fried Cheese)
    • Chenchén (Dominican Cracked Corn Pilaf)
    • Yuca Frita (Easy Yuca Fries or Cassava Fries)
    • Molondrones Guisados (Dominican Stewed Okra)
    Edited: Nov 6, 2022 | Publish: Sep 5, 2022

    ¡Hola! I am Tía Clara, your host. Thanks for visiting.
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