Description
This easy rice pudding recipe creates a creamy, comforting dessert made with simple ingredients like whole milk, medium-grain rice, and vanilla. It’s cooked slowly on the stovetop, resulting in a luscious pudding that can be enjoyed warm or chilled. Perfect for a cozy treat any time of year.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 8 cups whole milk
- 1 cup raw medium-grain white rice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 vanilla bean (split) or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large saucepan, add the whole milk, raw medium-grain rice, kosher salt, and sugar over medium heat. If using a split vanilla bean, add it now; if using vanilla extract, wait until the end of cooking.
- Bring to Boil: Stir the mixture frequently as you bring it to a boil to prevent the milk from scorching on the bottom of the pan.
- Simmer Covered: Reduce heat to low and cover the saucepan. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the rice from sticking.
- Continue Cooking Uncovered: Remove the lid and simmer uncovered, stirring constantly to avoid burning, until the rice is tender and the pudding has thickened and reduced to approximately 3 1/2 cups.
- Remove Vanilla Bean: If you used a vanilla bean, fish it out and scrape the seeds into the pudding for maximum flavor.
- Finish the Pudding: Turn off the heat and stir in the unsalted butter along with the vanilla bean seeds or the vanilla extract if you did not use a bean earlier.
- Prevent Skin Formation: Transfer the pudding to a bowl and cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming as it cools.
- Chill: Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the pudding to firm up slightly.
- Serve: Enjoy your rice pudding warm or chilled according to your preference.
Notes
- Stirring frequently during cooking is essential to prevent the milk and rice from burning and sticking to the pan.
- If you don’t have a vanilla bean, vanilla extract works well as a suitable substitute added at the end of cooking.
- For creamier texture, you can substitute part of the milk with heavy cream.
- To vary the flavor, try adding cinnamon or nutmeg during cooking or top with fresh fruit before serving.
- Leftover rice pudding can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
