Uncooked to Cooked Rice Calculator
Enter how much uncooked rice you have (or how much cooked rice you want), choose the variety, and the calculator instantly shows your cooked yield, water needed, number of servings, and approximate cook time. Works for white, brown, basmati, jasmine, wild, sushi, and arborio rice in cups or grams. Reverse mode lets you start from the cooked amount and work backwards.
How much does rice expand when cooked?
Rice absorbs water and steam during cooking, which causes its grains to swell and soften. White rice typically triples in volume, so one cup of dry white rice produces about three cups of cooked rice. Brown rice absorbs water more slowly because its bran layer is intact, so it only reaches about 2.5 times its dry volume. Wild rice has the loosest grain structure and swells the most, reaching 3.5 times its dry volume. Sushi rice and arborio rice fall between those extremes, expanding to roughly 2.8 and 2.5 times their dry volume respectively. These ratios are based on volume; the weight roughly doubles for most varieties because of the water absorbed.
How to use the reverse mode
If a recipe tells you how much cooked rice you need rather than how much dry rice to start with, select "Cooked to uncooked (reverse)" from the mode dropdown. Enter the cooked quantity, choose the variety, and the calculator divides by the expansion factor to show you exactly how much uncooked rice to measure out. This is useful for meal prepping, scaling recipes, and avoiding leftover rice.
Water ratios and cooking tips by variety
The right amount of water depends heavily on the variety. White rice uses a 1:2 ratio (one cup rice to two cups water), while brown rice needs 1:2.5 because its outer bran slows absorption. Basmati and jasmine rice are exceptions: their long, slender grains need less water (about 1:1.75) and reward a gentle simmer. Wild rice needs the most water at 1:3, and it signals doneness by splitting open at the tips. Sushi rice is different still: it uses barely more than a 1:1 ratio and is seasoned with rice vinegar after cooking. Always rinse rice before cooking (except risotto) to wash away surface starch and achieve separate, fluffy grains.
Serving sizes for meal planning
A standard dry serving is a quarter cup of uncooked rice, which yields about one cup of cooked rice for most white and long-grain varieties. As a side dish, half a cup of cooked rice per person is a reasonable portion; as a main dish with vegetables or protein, one to one and a half cups of cooked rice is more typical. If you are cooking for a group, the "servings" output on this calculator lets you check whether your planned amount will stretch far enough.
Conversion ratios by rice variety
| Rice variety | Expansion (uncooked to cooked) | Water per cup uncooked | Cook time (stovetop) |
|---|---|---|---|
| White rice | 3.0x | 2 cups | ~18 min |
| Brown rice | 2.5x | 2.5 cups | ~45 min |
| Basmati / Jasmine | 3.0x | 1.75 cups | ~15 min |
| Wild rice | 3.5x | 3 cups | ~55 min |
| Sushi rice | 2.8x | 1.25 cups | ~20 min |
| Arborio (risotto) | 2.5x | 3 cups | ~20 min |
Standard expansion factors and water ratios for common rice varieties, cooked stovetop. Rice cooker settings may vary slightly.
Frequently asked questions
How much does 1 cup of uncooked rice make?
It depends on the variety. One cup of uncooked white rice yields about 3 cups of cooked rice. Brown rice yields about 2.5 cups, wild rice about 3.5 cups, basmati and jasmine about 3 cups, sushi rice about 2.8 cups, and arborio about 2.5 cups. These are volume-based figures; the weight roughly doubles for most varieties because of the water absorbed during cooking.
How do I convert cooked rice back to uncooked?
Divide the cooked amount by the expansion factor for that variety. For white rice, divide by 3. So if a recipe calls for 6 cups of cooked white rice, you need 6 / 3 = 2 cups of uncooked rice. Use the reverse mode on this calculator to do this automatically for any variety.
How much water do I need per cup of rice?
The water ratio varies by variety. White rice: 2 cups water per cup of rice. Brown rice: 2.5 cups. Basmati and jasmine: 1.75 cups. Wild rice: 3 cups. Sushi rice: 1.25 cups. Arborio: approximately 3 cups (added gradually if making risotto). This calculator shows the water amount alongside the cooked yield.
How long does rice take to cook?
Approximate stovetop times are: white rice 18 minutes, basmati and jasmine 15 minutes, sushi rice 20 minutes, brown rice 45 minutes, wild rice 55 minutes, and arborio 20 minutes (with liquid added gradually for risotto). Actual times can vary with the heat level, pot type, and altitude.
How many servings does 1 cup of uncooked rice make?
As a main dish, 1 cup of uncooked white rice (which yields about 3 cups cooked) serves 2 to 3 people. As a side dish it can stretch to 4 to 6 smaller portions. The calculator lets you choose a small (0.5 cup cooked), regular (1 cup cooked), or large (1.5 cups cooked) serving size to estimate the exact number of servings for your yield.
Does rinsing rice change the cooked yield?
Rinsing has a minimal effect on the final cooked volume - the difference is within measurement error. Its main purpose is to remove surface starch, which makes the cooked grains fluffier and less sticky. Arborio rice for risotto is the main exception: do not rinse it, because the surface starch helps create the characteristic creamy texture.