The Simple Step That Guarantees Perfectly Browned Crispy Rice

Reliably filling and affordable, rice is perfectly poised to serve as a slate for all sorts of flavors. And since recipes like veggie fried rice and garlicky rice pilaf exist, there's no excuse for making a bland bowl of the starchy staple. Even so, you don't have to get too fancy to elevate it; something as simple as heating it on your stovetop can help take your rice from drab to delicious. Enter: Crispy rice, an excellent choice whether you're craving a crunchy accompaniment to your tuna or are simply hoping to revive some leftovers.

There is one crucial step you'll want to remember when making crispy rice: turning your skillet. After all, the magic of crispy rice comes in the form of getting the perfect toasty crunch with every bite, so ensuring a uniform sear on the bottom layer is essential. Heat distribution can be affected by anything from the material of your pan to the tilt of your burner to a slight discrepancy in the thickness of your rice spread from one end to the other. Periodically turning the skillet is your best bet to give your rice the most even crust. Trust, once you flip it to reveal golden brown perfection, you'll thank us.

On the most basic level, whipping up crispy rice requires combining pre-cooked grains with some sort of fat. This not only helps to bind the grains into a densely packed and somewhat solid mass, but also helps to achieve that signature singe. While you can stick to butter or oil in that department, you can get an even tastier result by also adding a dairy like milk or sour cream. It's the secret sauce for getting a batch that's crunchy on the outside but moist on the inside, with a slightly richer flavor and heartier footprint all around.

To sweeten the deal (quite literally), another great way to upgrade your crispy rice is by taking a page from traditional Iraqi Jewish cuisine and including a layer of onions on the bottom. The heat will eventually cause the onions' sugars to move toward the surface. As the rice crisps up, the onions will caramelize, infusing the dish with a savory sweetness that makes it even harder to resist.

Some final pro tips? If you want your rice more consistently crunchy throughout, poke a few holes through the spread to allow steam to escape and keep it uncovered as you cook. If you're aiming for a fluffy center, cook with the lid on to trap moisture.