Some cooks always wash rice thoroughly, while others never rinse their rice, but if you're on the fence, you can figure out how to prep your rice depending on the type you use and the dish you make. When it comes to the types of rice used in risotto — Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano — whether you should rinse it or not is very clear.

For some dishes, washing rice in several changes of water improves its texture by eliminating excess starch, which prevents individual grains from clumping together. However, risotto relies on these thickening starches to create the dish's signature creamy texture, so rice should never be rinsed before making risotto.

To make sure your rice for risotto is clean enough to eat sans rinsing, keep it in a sealed container in a dry, cool area away from sunlight, and buy from a reputable vendor so that the rice is as debris-free as possible. Though it may not seem like much, rinsing can make or break the outcome of a rice dish, depending on the recipe.