Creamy Parmesan Rice -- What Marcus Learned to Make

July 2021. Mid-summer. The heat is the heat and Biscuit is flat on the bathroom tile and Marcus plays something quiet and modal on his keyboard at odd hours that I have come to find oddly soothing. This is the life in summer. I have lived in this apartment for two and a half years now. I know its specific sounds and its specific light and its specific smells on various days of the week.

I have been teaching Marcus to cook. This started when he said he can only make eggs and cereal and I said that is fine as long as you are happy with it and he said he is not happy with it and I said: then learn something. He said: will you teach me. I said: yes. We started with chicken and rice, the simplest version, one pot. He was methodical and paid attention and asked good questions. The result was good. He ate a full bowl and said: I made this. I said: yes. He said: it is not that hard. I said: no. Nothing is, if you learn how. He looked at me. He said: is that true of everything? I said: almost. Almost everything is learnable if you decide to learn it and you do not give up when the first batch fails.

We started with chicken and rice, but the truth is, once Marcus got past the idea that cooking was some closed door, everything started to open up — and this creamy parmesan rice is exactly the kind of dish I had in mind when I told him nothing is that hard if you decide to learn it. It is simple enough for a first-timer, satisfying enough to feel like you made something real, and it carries that same quiet confidence that comes from knowing you fed yourself something good. If you are teaching someone to cook, or if you are teaching yourself, start here.

Creamy Parmesan Rice

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions

Sauté the garlic. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 60 seconds, stirring, until fragrant but not browned.
Toast the rice. Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat in the butter. Cook for 1—2 minutes until the edges of the grains look slightly translucent. This adds a little depth of flavor.
Add the broth. Pour in the broth and add the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15—18 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
Make it creamy. Remove from heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and cream or milk. The rice will become creamy and glossy as the cheese melts in. If it feels too thick, add a splash more broth or milk.
Rest and serve. Cover the pot again and let it rest for 2 minutes off the heat. Fluff with a fork, top with parsley if using, and serve warm.

Nutrition (per serving)

Creamy Parmesan Rice -- What Marcus Learned to Make