Home cooks looking to upgrade their kitchen staples without investing in expensive ingredients or equipment can do so with one chef’s trick. A veteran food writer said your rice could taste dramatically better with one simple step, and it only takes 15 seconds.
Mark Bittman, the renowned culinary author and longtime New York Times columnist, has revealed a straightforward tip that could elevate your everyday rice into a more flavorful and satisfying dish. The trick is to stir in a tablespoon of butter after cooking. According to Bittman, this quick addition enhances the texture and depth of the grains without complicating the cooking process.
“A little butter at the end brings richness and cohesion to the rice,” Bittman said. “It’s a small effort for a major reward.”
Rice is among the most widely consumed foods in the world, but in many Western households it’s often treated as a bland, background carbohydrate.
Bittman’s advice challenges that approach, suggesting that small, strategic tweaks can make a huge difference, without adding complexity.
Butter, a common kitchen staple, melts quickly into hot rice and coats each grain, enhancing both taste and mouthfeel. Bittman notes that this technique works especially well for rice cooked with just water, where the grain’s texture is most pronounced.
For those who want to go a step further, he also recommends alternatives such as olive oil, a splash of soy sauce, lemon juice, or cooked aromatics like scallions or garlic, all of which can be stirred in immediately before serving.
These additions can tailor the dish to pair better with meats, vegetables, or sauces.
While the method is simple, Bittman points out it reflects a broader philosophy of cooking: that flavour doesn’t have to be complicated. “We often overlook small upgrades that make food better,” he said.
“With rice, a 15-second fix can change everything.”
For those who meal prep, Bittman also advises making larger batches of rice and freezing portions. Once reheated, the same finishing trick, adding butter or another fat, can instantly revive the dish.
In a world where quick fixes are often too good to be true, this one appears to hold up: buttery rice in under a minute, with no special skills required.