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Rice to Water Ratio Calculator

Pick your rice, enter how much you are cooking in cups or grams, and choose stovetop, rice cooker or Instant Pot. You get the exact amount of water in milliliters and cups, the cook and rest time, and the cooked yield.

Your rice

Rice type

Amount of uncooked rice

Unit

Cooking method

Method

StovetopRice cookerInstant Pot

Enter your values to see the result.

How to use the Rice to Water Ratio Calculator

Choose the rice type, for example jasmine, basmati or long-grain brown.
Enter the amount of uncooked rice and its unit: cups, grams, milliliters, pounds or rice-cooker cups.
Pick the cooking method: stovetop, rice cooker or Instant Pot.
Read the water amount and cook time, then follow the steps under the results.
Compare methods in the table to see how much water each one needs for the same rice.

How the rice to water ratio works

Rice absorbs a fairly fixed amount of water, and on the stove a little more boils away as steam. The ratio is always by volume:

Water = uncooked rice volume × ratio

Example: 1 cup (237 ml) of long-grain white rice on the stove at 2 : 1 needs 237 × 2 = 473 ml, which is 2 cups. In an Instant Pot the same rice needs only 1 : 1 because the sealed pot loses almost nothing to evaporation.

When you weigh rice instead, the calculator first turns grams into volume with the typical weight of a cup of that rice (about 185 g for long-grain white), then applies the ratio. Water weighs 1 g per ml, so the water amount in grams equals the milliliters.

Rice to water ratio chart

Rice	Stovetop	Simmer + rest	Rice cooker	Instant Pot (high)
Long-grain white	2 : 1	18 + 10 min	1.5 : 1	1 : 1, 4 min
Jasmine	1.5 : 1	15 + 10 min	1.25 : 1	1 : 1, 4 min
Basmati	1.5 : 1	15 + 10 min	1.5 : 1	1 : 1, 5 min
Medium-grain (Calrose)	1.5 : 1	17 + 10 min	1.25 : 1	1 : 1, 5 min
Short-grain / sushi	1.2 : 1	18 + 10 min	1.1 : 1	1 : 1, 6 min
Long-grain brown	2.25 : 1	45 + 10 min	2 : 1	1.25 : 1, 22 min
Short-grain brown	2 : 1	45 + 10 min	1.75 : 1	1.25 : 1, 24 min
Parboiled	2.5 : 1	20 + 5 min	2 : 1	1.25 : 1, 5 min
Black (forbidden)	1.75 : 1	30 + 10 min	1.75 : 1	1.25 : 1, 20 min
Wild rice	3 : 1 (drain extra)	50 + 10 min	3 : 1	3 : 1, 25 min
Arborio (risotto)	3–4 : 1 broth, added gradually	about 20 min	3 : 1	2.5 : 1, 6 min

These are reliable starting points. Brands, the age of the rice and your pot all make a difference: if rice comes out firm, add 2–3 tablespoons more water next time; if it is mushy, use a little less.

Tips for perfect rice

Keep the lid on while stovetop rice simmers and rests; the steam finishes the cooking.
Use a heavy pot with a tight lid and the lowest heat that keeps a gentle simmer.
Rest before fluffing. Resting 5–10 minutes lets moisture spread evenly so the bottom is not wet and the top dry.
Salt: about ½ teaspoon per cup of uncooked rice is a common amount.

Frequently asked questions

What is the standard rice to water ratio?

For long-grain white rice cooked on the stove the classic ratio is 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice, though many cooks use 1.75 to 1. Jasmine and basmati need less, about 1.5 to 1, brown rice needs more, about 2.25 to 1, and pressure cookers use about 1 to 1 for white rice because almost no water evaporates.

How much water do I need for 2 cups of rice?

For long-grain white rice on the stove use about 4 cups (950 ml) of water. For jasmine or basmati use about 3 cups (710 ml). In an Instant Pot, 2 cups of white rice need about 2 cups of water. Large pots lose less water to evaporation, so you can hold back a little.

Why does an Instant Pot need less water than the stovetop?

A pressure cooker is sealed, so very little steam escapes. On the stove a good part of the water evaporates while the rice simmers, which is why stovetop ratios are higher.

Should I rinse rice before cooking?

Rinsing removes surface starch and gives fluffier, more separate grains, which suits jasmine, basmati and sushi rice. It does not change the water ratio much. Enriched rice in some countries is coated with vitamins, so the packet may advise not to rinse it.

How much does 1 cup of uncooked rice weigh?

One US cup of uncooked long-grain white rice weighs about 185 g. Short-grain and arborio rice are denser, about 200 g per cup, and wild rice is lighter, about 160 g. The calculator uses a different weight for each rice type when you enter grams.

How much cooked rice does 1 cup of uncooked rice make?

One cup of uncooked white rice makes about 3 cups of cooked rice, enough for 3 to 4 side portions. Parboiled and wild rice expand a little more, while short-grain and black rice yield slightly less.

What is a rice cooker cup?

Most rice cookers come with a 180 ml cup (about ¾ of a US cup), based on the traditional Japanese gō measure. The water lines inside the bowl are marked for that cup, so use the same cup for rice and water.

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