Water for rice calculator
The right amount of water depends on the kind of rice and the pot. Choose the rice and whether you cook on the stove or in a rice cooker, enter the cups of dry rice and get the water in cups and millilitres.
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How to use it
- Choose the rice type and the method.
- Enter how many cups of dry rice you are cooking.
- Measure the water shown, bring it to a boil (stovetop), add the rice, cover and simmer until the water is absorbed.
How it works
Water = cups of rice × ratio. Typical stovetop ratios used here: long-grain white 2, jasmine and basmati 1.5, short-grain 1.25, brown 2.5 and wild rice 3 cups of water per cup of rice. A rice cooker uses 0.25 less. One US cup is 236.6 mL.
Worked example
1 cup of long-grain white rice on the stove: 1 × 2 = 2 cups of water, which is 473 mL. 2 cups of jasmine in a rice cooker: ratio 1.5 − 0.25 = 1.25, so 2 × 1.25 = 2.5 cups, or 591 mL.
Tips
- Use the same cup for the rice and the water; the ratio does not depend on the cup size.
- Do not lift the lid while it simmers, and rest the rice covered for about 10 minutes afterwards.
- Convert other kitchen measures with the ingredient converter or the cooking converter.
Frequently asked questions
Are these ratios exact?
No, they are typical starting points by volume. Brands, how fresh the rice is, whether you rinse it and the pot all change the result, so the package of your rice comes first. If the rice is too firm next time add a little more water, and if it is mushy use less.
Why does a rice cooker use less water?
A closed cooker loses less steam than a pot on the stove, so the calculator subtracts a quarter cup of water per cup of rice for the cooker. Most cookers also have marked lines inside the bowl; follow those if your cooker has them.
Does rinsing change the amount?
Rinsing removes surface starch and leaves a little water on the grains. For basmati, jasmine and sushi rice it is common, and the typical ratios here assume the rice is drained after rinsing.
How much does one cup of rice make?
White rice roughly triples in volume, so 1 cup of dry rice gives about 3 cups cooked. This varies with the type and how much water you used.
Is wild rice really rice?
It is the seed of a different grass, but it is cooked like rice, with more water and a longer time. It is included because people look for it together with rice.