Plain white rice is the side dish nobody thinks about. A cup of rice, two cups of water, a pinch of salt, and twenty minutes later it is on the table, filling but forgettable. In Spain, where rice is the star of some of the country’s most famous dishes, chefs see things differently. And they agree on one change that has nothing to do with the type of rice or the pot.
What do Spanish chefs do differently?
They do not use water. According to a June 2026 report in the Spanish daily El Español, several well-known Spanish chefs share the same rule: even for a simple white rice, the cooking liquid should be a good homemade broth.
Juanjo López, chef of La Tasquita de Enfrente in Madrid, recommends replacing water with homemade broth, choosing fish, chicken or vegetable broth depending on the dish, and adding garlic and bay leaf for aroma. Quique Dacosta, whose restaurant in Dénia has held three Michelin stars since 2012, says much of a good rice’s flavor comes from using broth instead of water. And for Luis Arrufat, the broth, or fumet for seafood dishes, shapes much of a rice dish’s character.
Why does it make such a difference?
Rice absorbs almost all of its cooking liquid. Cooked in water, it absorbs water, which adds nothing. Cooked in broth, every grain absorbs flavor from the inside, which is why Spanish rice dishes, from paella to arroz caldoso, start with a carefully made stock. The garlic and bay leaf add a subtle background aroma without overpowering the dish.
The method, step by step
Here is the simple version described by El Español, for four servings:
- Lightly brown 3 garlic cloves in olive oil in a pot.
- Add 2 bay leaves and 300 grams (about 1½ cups) of round rice, and stir for about a minute.
- Pour in 600 ml (about 2½ cups) of hot homemade broth and adjust the salt.
- Cook over medium heat for about 18 minutes, or as indicated on the package.
- Once the liquid is fully absorbed, take the pot off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Remove the garlic and bay leaves before serving.
A store-bought low-sodium broth works if you do not have homemade stock on hand: just go easy on the added salt. And the same humble bay leaf has other uses around the house, from freshening the air when simmered with cloves and cinnamon to everyday kitchen tricks like cleaning your microwave without scrubbing.
The bottom line
Spanish chefs do not have a secret technique for white rice. They have a simple rule: no plain water. Swap it for a good broth, add a little garlic and a couple of bay leaves, and the side dish nobody noticed may become the one everyone asks about.
