
In every episode of Martha Stewart’s Cooking School, learn cooking fundamentals following Martha’s signature step-by-step, how-to teaching process. Be sure to check your local listings to see when this episode will be airing in your area.
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If you have rice in your pantry, you’re well on your way to a great meal — something you have in common with home cooks around the globe. Martha offers a lesson on the world’s most common grain, starting with a perfect pot of fluffy white rice, which you can incorporate into a main course or serve as an accompaniment to a host of other dishes. From there, she’ll show you her tried-and-true techniques for flavorful pilaf, risotto and Thai fried rice.
Watch This Week’s Cooking Lesson
Martha Stewart talks about washing rice before cooking.
his Week’s Recipe
Simple Rice Pilaf

This simple rice pilaf recipe from Martha Stewart is a delicious side dish made with onions, bay leaves, and coarse salt.
Martha Stewart makes this rice pilaf recipe in the "Rice" episode of "Martha Stewart's Cooking School."
- 1 1/2 cups stock (chicken, vegetable, or beef) or water
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup minced onion or shallot
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 small dried bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Ingredients
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring stock to a simmer in a small saucepan.
- Melt butter in a 2-quart ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.
- Add rice, bay leaf, and salt and stir well to coat each grain with butter mixture. Cook until rice is fragrant and starting to turn translucent, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.
- Add stock and return to a simmer. Transfer to oven, cover, and bake 16 minutes. Remove from oven. Cover and let steam for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork before serving.
Directions
Tips/Techniques
This rice pilaf recipe appears in the "Rice" episode of "Martha Stewart's Cooking School." Visit the episode guide to watch a preview and get a cooking tip.
Yield: 4 servings
Additional Recipes
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