How this calculator works
Dry rice is mostly starch and a little water. During cooking it absorbs water until the grains are tender, which increases the mass by roughly 2.2 to 3.2 times depending on the variety. Brown and wild rice absorb more than white rice, and short-grain sushi rice absorbs less and holds a firmer grain. The calculator uses typical mass yields and also converts the result to cups, using USDA cup weights of 158 g for cooked white rice, 195 g for brown rice and 166 g for wild rice.
Formula
cooked mass = uncooked mass x yield. uncooked mass = cooked mass / yield. cooked cups = cooked mass / grams per cooked cup. water volume = dry cups x water-to-rice ratio. The yields used here are 2.6 for long-grain white and basmati, 2.5 for jasmine and medium-grain white, 2.2 for sushi rice, 3.0 for brown rice and 3.2 for wild rice.
Worked example
One US cup of dry long-grain white rice weighs 185 g. It yields 185 x 2.6 = 481 g of cooked rice, which is 481 / 158 = 3.04 cups. The water to add is 1 cup x 2.0 = 2 cups, or 473 mL. Starting from 500 g of cooked brown rice instead, the dry weight is 500 / 3.0 = 167 g, which is 0.88 cup dry.
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Frequently asked questions
Does one cup of dry rice always make three cups?
For long-grain white rice it is close, about three cups. Brown rice gives a little under three cups by volume, jasmine about 2.5 cups and sushi rice about 2.2 cups. The mass yield and the cooked cup weight both vary, so the calculator treats them separately.
Should I wash the rice first?
Washing removes surface starch and makes the grains less sticky, which suits long-grain and jasmine rice. It adds a little water to the grains but does not change the dry-to-cooked ratio much. Sushi rice is usually rinsed until the water runs clear before cooking.
Why does the water amount differ between rice types?
Absorption and stickiness differ. Sushi rice is cooked with about 1.2 times its volume of water so it stays firm for shaping, while wild rice needs about three times its volume. The water figure here is a starting point; adjust for your pot, lid and heat.
How many cups is a serving of cooked rice?
A common side-serving is 1/2 cup of cooked rice, about 79 g for white rice. A main-dish portion is closer to 1 cup, about 158 g. Enter the cooked amount and the calculator returns the dry rice and water needed.