Rice to water ratio
Parboiled Rice to Water Ratio
Use 2 1/4 cups of water per cup of rice for parboiled rice, by USA Rice's stovetop directions. Simmer it covered for 20 minutes. One cup of uncooked rice makes about 3 cups cooked. For 2 cups of rice, use 4 1/2 cups of water. Measure the rice and water with the same cup.
Water
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Parboiled Rice Water Chart
| Uncooked rice | Water | Cooked rice |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 cup | 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons | about 1 1/2 cups |
| 1 cup | 2 1/4 cups | about 3 cups |
| 1 1/2 cups | 3 1/3 cups | about 4 1/2 cups |
| 2 cups | 4 1/2 cups | about 6 cups |
| 3 cups | 6 3/4 cups | about 2 1/4 quarts |
| 4 cups | 2 1/4 quarts | about 3 quarts |
Where the ratio comes from
The ratio on this page is from the USA Rice cooking chart, which lists parboiled rice at 2 1/4 cups of water per cup of rice and 20 minutes of cooking. Every amount in the chart above is that ratio multiplied by the rice.
water = cups of rice x 2.25
For example, 1 1/2 cups of parboiled rice takes 1.5 x 2.25 = 3 1/3 cups of water. The ratio is by volume, so it works with any cup, a mug or a rice cooker cup, as long as the rice and the water are measured with the same one.
USA Rice gives 1 cup of uncooked rice as about 3 cups cooked, so the cooked column is the rice multiplied by 3.
How parboiled rice compares with other rice
Water per cup of uncooked rice, from the same chart:
- Long grain white rice: 2 cups, 1/4 cup less than parboiled rice
- Medium grain white rice: 1 1/2 cups, 3/4 cup less than parboiled rice
- Short grain white rice: 1 1/4 cups, 1 cup less than parboiled rice
- Jasmine rice: 2 cups, 1/4 cup less than parboiled rice
- Basmati rice: 2 cups, 1/4 cup less than parboiled rice
- Brown rice: 2 1/4 cups
- Parboiled brown rice: 2 1/4 cups
- Arborio rice: 4 cups, 1 3/4 cups more than parboiled rice
- Wild rice: 3 cups, 3/4 cup more than parboiled rice
Frequently asked questions
How much water for 1 cup of parboiled rice?
2 1/4 cups of water, by the USA Rice cooking chart. That makes about 3 cups of cooked rice.
How much water for 2 cups of parboiled rice?
4 1/2 cups: 2 cups of rice x 2.25 cups of water per cup. It makes about 6 cups cooked.
How long does parboiled rice take to cook?
20 minutes on the stovetop once the water is back to a simmer, covered, by the USA Rice chart.
How much water for half a cup of parboiled rice?
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons. Half a cup of uncooked rice makes about 1 1/2 cups cooked.