Rice to water ratio
Long Grain White Rice to Water Ratio
Use 2 cups of water per cup of rice for long grain white rice, by USA Rice's stovetop directions. Simmer it covered for 15 to 18 minutes. One cup of uncooked rice makes about 3 cups cooked. For 2 cups of rice, use 4 cups of water. Measure the rice and water with the same cup.
Water
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Long Grain White Rice Water Chart
| Uncooked rice | Water | Cooked rice |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 cup | 1 cup | about 1 1/2 cups |
| 1 cup | 2 cups | about 3 cups |
| 1 1/2 cups | 3 cups | about 4 1/2 cups |
| 2 cups | 4 cups | about 6 cups |
| 3 cups | 6 cups | about 2 1/4 quarts |
| 4 cups | 2 quarts | about 3 quarts |
Where the ratio comes from
The ratio on this page is from the USA Rice cooking chart, which lists long grain white rice at 2 cups of water per cup of rice and 15 to 18 minutes of cooking. Every amount in the chart above is that ratio multiplied by the rice.
water = cups of rice x 2
For example, 1 1/2 cups of long grain white rice takes 1.5 x 2 = 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 long grain white rice compares with other rice
Water per cup of uncooked rice, from the same chart:
- Medium grain white rice: 1 1/2 cups, 1/2 cup less than long grain white rice
- Short grain white rice: 1 1/4 cups, 3/4 cup less than long grain white rice
- Jasmine rice: 2 cups
- Basmati rice: 2 cups
- Brown rice: 2 1/4 cups, 1/4 cup more than long grain white rice
- Parboiled rice: 2 1/4 cups, 1/4 cup more than long grain white rice
- Parboiled brown rice: 2 1/4 cups, 1/4 cup more than long grain white rice
- Arborio rice: 4 cups, 2 cups more than long grain white rice
- Wild rice: 3 cups, 1 cup more than long grain white rice
Frequently asked questions
How much water for 1 cup of long grain white rice?
2 cups of water, by the USA Rice cooking chart. That makes about 3 cups of cooked rice.
How much water for 2 cups of long grain white rice?
4 cups: 2 cups of rice x 2 cups of water per cup. It makes about 6 cups cooked.
How long does long grain white rice take to cook?
15 to 18 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 long grain white rice?
1 cup. Half a cup of uncooked rice makes about 1 1/2 cups cooked.