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Figuring out how many cups of rice per person may seem like it is a science to you. In some ways it is since much of science is based on math and so is making rice. Once you have read through this article you will understand exactly how much dry rice you need to have to make the desired amount of cooked rice per person.
The math is simple whether you want to cook a single serving of rice or enough to feed 100 hungry people. There is nothing worse than hosting an event or enjoying dinner when you run out of food. It is always best to be prepared and know exactly how much food to make, including rice.
Here are all the best tips, tricks, calculations, suggestions, and a recipe for making the right amount of rice for everyone to enjoy. And if you happen to be making chicken too, find out how many pounds of chicken per person.
Jump to:
- As a Side or Main Ingredient
- Rice Calculations
- How Much Dry Rice Per Person?
- How Much Rice is a Single Serving?
- How Much Rice for a Crowd?
- What About Cauliflower Rice?
- How Many Cups of Rice Per Person? (single serving recipe)
As a Side or Main Ingredient
It is important to think first about how you will be eating the rice before making it. Rice can sometimes be the main ingredient in a recipe. This is true in my recipe.
It can also simply be a side dish or complementary ingredient like when making Mexican rice to go along with your "Taco Tuesday". We also love serving teriyaki chicken skewers over white rice for dinner. Knowing how rice plays a role will help in determining how much to make. Keep that in mind as you continue reading.
Another important note, throughout this article the rice measurements, cooking information, and tips are all for white and brown rice. If you are cooking wild rice or other whole grains, this information will not be entirely accurate.
Rice Calculations
Whether you use cups or grams when measuring your rice, I have tried to share all the information on how much to cook. I will share both metric and imperial measurements for cooked and dry rice in this article.
The charts and information below include measuring uncooked raw rice by cups, grams, or kilograms. This will help you know how much to make a single person or even a crowd of 100 people.
Here are a few key measurements to remember:
1 cup of cooked rice equals 200grams
1 cup of uncooked long-grain or brown rice equals 3 cups of cooked rice
1 cup of uncooked rice + 2 cups of water = 3 cups of cooked rice (1-2-3!)
How Much Dry Rice Per Person?
How much dry rice for 1 person/serving? The recipe card below is how to make a single serving of rice, perfect for one person.
How much dry rice for 4 people/ servings? It is ideal to cook 1 & ½ cups of raw rice for 3 to 4 people. Measure this amount in a measuring cup. The water will be added next. Based on the calculations shared above, 1.5 cups of rice will need 3 cups of water added for cooking. This will yield about 4.5 cups of rice.
How much dry rice for 6 people? If you want 6 cups of rice to feed 6 people, you start off with 2 cups of uncooked grains of rice. When using the 1-2-3 rice method above, you will need 2 cups of rice + 4 cups of water to equal 6 cups of rice.
For how much rice to make for more than 6 people, including a crowd, continue reading. I share how to figure out how much rice to make for up to 100 people. Now that is a lot of rice and you need a huge pot but the information is there for anyone that has catering or large equipment.
How Much Rice is a Single Serving?
If you want to know how much rice is for one person, it is a quick and easy calculation. There is one other question you may want to ask yourself first before cooking a single serving of rice - what will be served with the rice?
For example, will the rice be the star or the side dish of your meal? Take the entire meal into account. This helps you figure out how much rice to make per person.
To make the right amount of rice for one person, make ½ to 1 full cup of cooked rice. If rice will be the star and served along with some vegetables or protein, 1 cup of cooked rice is a single serving.
Think of it as if chicken fried rice is your meal. If the rice is a side dish to a hearty main course, ½ cup of cooked rice is plenty. This would be if you are enjoying broccoli beef and want to serve it over a bit of rice.
How Much Rice for a Crowd?
If you are hosting a large gathering with a crowd of people, sit may seem harder to figure out how much rice to make. Whether it is a party, event, wedding, or holiday, you want to make sure you have the right amount of food.
Here are a few quick calculations to make sure you make enough rice for a crowd. This table includes the cups (and grams) of uncooked rice or cooked rice you will need when making large quantities. So whether you need to make rice for 10, 25, 50, or more people, this is how much dry rice you need to yield the right amount of cooked rice.
* All calculations are based on long-grain white rice, calculated using this Rice Calculator. I always suggest rounding up when doing your calculations. Having leftovers is better than not having enough. Also, know your guest list. A crowd of hungry teenagers will likely eat more than a bunch of toddlers or a meal with kids and adults combined.
This is based on each serving of about ⅔ cup of rice per person. (which is midway between ½ cup and 1 full cup as described in the above section)
| # of People | Uncooked Rice | Yields this much Cooked Rice |
| 10 | 3 cups / 625g | 9 cups |
| 25 | 6.5 cups/1168g/1.2kg | 20 cups |
| 30 | 8 cups/1425g/1.4kg | 24 cups |
| 50 | 13 cups/2336g/2.3kg | 39 cups |
| 100 | 26 cups/4657g/4.7kg | 78 cups |
What About Cauliflower Rice?
Those on a grain-free, low-carb, keto, or diabetic diet for health reasons may eat a rice substitute. Depending on which alternative rice substitute you enjoy, figuring out how much to make per person or serving can be tricky. To decide on how much cauliflower rice, hearts of palm rice, or quinoa to serve per person, see the suggested amounts below.
Here are some suggestions based on calorie & carb comparisons.
- Cauliflower Rice - has a low calorie and carb count; therefore for a serving that is filling, enjoy double the amount you would make when serving regular rice. For example; 2 cups of riced cauliflower have 4g net carbs versus 1 cup of white rice which has 45g net carbs & 10x the calories. (see table below for 1:1 comparison)
- Hearts of Palm "white rice" - has a low calorie and carb count; therefore for a serving that is filling, enjoy double the amount you would make when serving regular rice. It has similar calories and carbs as the riced cauliflower does.
- Quinoa - has similar calories and carbs but is more filling thanks to the higher levels of fiber and protein; therefore, you can make and eat ½ as much as you would rice and still have a filling meal with fewer carbs and calories. For example; quinoa ½ cup cooked has 17g net carbs vs 27 net carbs in white rice or 22 net carbs in brown rice. For more info on quinoa vs brown rice, read more about Which Food has more Beneficial Value.
Cauliflower Rice vs White Rice
For the carb, net, carb, and calorie comparison of riced cauliflower to white rice check the table below. There is a clear winner for those that want a low-calorie and low-carb option.
| Cauliflower Rice - 1 cup | White Rice - 1 cup |
| 20 calories | 210 calories |
| 4g carbs | 46g carbs |
| 2g fiber | 1g fiber |
| 2g net carbs | 45g net carbs |
How Many Cups of Rice Per Person? (single serving recipe)
Angela
Here is the calculation for one cup or one full serving of rice once cooked. This is the stovetop method of cooking rice including the rice to water ratio. This recipe will yield 1 cup of cooked rice.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 1 min
Cook Time 15 mins
Course Side Dish
Servings 1
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup long-grain white rice
- ⅔ cup water
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat.
Add the rice and salt. Stir to combine. Let the water return to a boil and stir again to make sure the rice grains are not sticking together.
Once the water is bubbling, you want it to remain at a low simmer. Turn the heat down to low and place the lid on the saucepan.
Try not to peak too often but you may need to remove the lid to check on it and stir 1-2x. You want there to be barely any simmer bubbles as it cooks. Adjust the heat up or down if this is not what you are seeing.
Rice should not boil too high. This will cook off the water too fast and the rice will be hard. If the heat is too low, the rice will sit in the water and not cook leaving mushy rice with too much water and grains that are soaked vs cooked.
Once the rice is soft & tender and the water has all been absorbed, it is ready. This should take about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat once ready.
Let the rice sit still covered in the saucepan. Season to taste if needed and use a fork to fluff it up a bit.
Enjoy your single serving of rice.
Multiply this rice to get rice for 4 people or more.
Notes
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings:1 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 225 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat0.4g | 1% |
| Saturated Fat 0.1g | 1% |
| Cholesterol0mg | 0% |
| Sodium294mg | 13% |
| Total Carbohydrate49.3g | 18% |
| Dietary Fiber 0.8g | 3% |
| Total Sugars 0.1g | |
| Protein4.4g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 17mg | 1% |
| Iron 3mg | 15% |
| Potassium 71mg | 2% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet.2,000 calorie a dayis used for general nutrition advice. | |
Keyword 1-ingredient, easy, stovetop
FAQs
How many cups of rice for 1 person? ›
A typical single serving of rice is 1/2 cup for a side dish or 1 cup for a main dish per person. So one cup of cooked rice will serve 1-2 people. One cup of uncooked rice amounts to about 3 cups of cooked rice, so it will serve 3-6 people.
How much rice to cook per person? ›How much rice do you need per person? It depends on the recipe really, whether it is a side dish or part of a dish with lots of other ingredients such as paella. As a general guide we recommend 50-75g of uncooked rice per person.
What is the 10 5 5 rule rice? ›Finally, Cho uses the “10-5-5 rule.” That means bringing the rice to medium-high heat for 10 minutes, followed by low heat for 5 minutes, then he turns the heat off to let the rice steam for 5 minutes. And your perfect rice is complete!
How many cups of rice do I need for 6 people? ›Amount of rice to cook
To be sure you have enough rice, prepare 1 ½ cups raw rice for 3 or 4 people and 2 cups raw rice for 4 to 6 people.
One cup of dry rice will make enough cooked rice for two to three adult servings. (Or two adults and two small children.) The cool thing about this recipe is it is proportional. Always use one part rice to two parts water.
Is 2 cups of rice enough for 4 people? ›Two cups of uncooked rice will make approximately four servings. To determine the exact amount, you would need to cook the rice and measure it. Generally speaking, one cup of raw, uncooked rice will yield about two cups of cooked rice, which would equate to four servings.
How much rice do I need for 2 cups of rice? ›1 cup of white rice makes about 2 cups of cooked rice. So if you need 1 cup of cooked rice per person and you have more than just 2 people make extra rice in a bigger pot.
How much water do I use for 2 cups of rice? ›The rice to water ratio is to use 1 ½ cups water for every 1 cup white rice. Simply multiply the cups of rice by 1.5 to find the water quantity. If you're making 2 cups rice, use 3 cups water.
How much rice is needed for 4 cups cooked? ›Using the 1-2-1 method (1 cup rice, 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoon salt), 2 cups of dry rice prepared with 4 cups of water will yield 4 cups of cooked rice.
What is the finger rule for rice? ›You can measure the right depth by gently placing the tip of your pointer finger on top of the rice and measuring from there (see photo below). The water level should be at your first knuckle when the tip of your finger touches the rice.
What is the rice trick? ›
Regardless of the evidence, the rice trick endures because it sounds right, even if it isn't: rice absorbs water; absorbing water is key to saving a phone; so rice will save your phone. And every time a phone falls into a toilet or sink, the trick is transmitted anew, from parent to child, from friend to friend.
What is the general rule for rice? ›Add 2 parts water and 1 part rice to a large pot. For slightly firmer rice, use 1 part liquid to 2/3 parts rice. Bring the water to a boil. Once it's boiling, add a big pinch of salt.
How much rice does 3 cups make? ›One cup of uncooked rice will yield approximately three cups cooked.
How much rice do I need for 8 adults? ›As a general rule, for a main course option, one cup of uncooked rice will yield about three cups of cooked rice, which would be enough for 8 people. If you're looking for a bigger portion, you might want to look at 1. 5 to 2 cups of uncooked rice per person, which would provide enough for 8 people without leftovers.
What does 1 serving of rice look like? ›The proper portion size for one serving of rice is 1/2-cup cooked, which is about the size of a cupcake wrapper.
How much does 2 cups of dry rice make cooked? ›One serving of cooked rice is one half cup, which is made from one quarter cup of dry rice. So two cups of dry rice would make 8 servings of cooked rice. Two cups of uncooked white rice will serve 6 people with 1/2 cup of cooked rice per person.
How many people does 4 cups of dry rice serve? ›As one cup of uncooked rice becomes two cups of cooked rice after it is boiled. Most cooks and nutritionists agree that one person needs one cup of cooked rice per serving. One cup of uncooked rice will serve 2-3 adults. 4 cups will serve 8-12 people.
How many servings is 2 cups of cooked rice? ›The average adult requires 1/2 cup of cooked rice per serving, so 2 cups of cooked rice would only be enough to feed 4 people if they were very small portions. If you are serving adults, it would be a good idea to plan for about 1 cup of cooked rice per person.
Is it 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water? ›1. To cook long-grained white rice on the stove, use a 2 to 1 water to rice ratio. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. You can add an optional pinch of salt if you wish.
Is 4 cups of rice 2 cups water? ›The general rule of thumb is to use 1 part rice to 2 parts water. This means that for 2 cups of rice, you will need 4 cups of water.
How much rice do I need to make 1/2 cup cooked? ›
1/2 cup dry rice will typically yield about 1-1.5 cups cooked, depending on the type of rice being used.
What is the ratio of rice to water for one person? ›What is the Ratio of Water to Rice? The basic water to white rice ratio is 2 cups water to 1 cup rice. You can easily, double and even triple the recipe; just make sure you are using a pot large enough to hold the rice as it cooks and expands.
How much water do I use for 2 cups of white rice in a rice cooker? ›Adding the proper water to rice ratio
For any type of grain size (short, medium, or long) you can follow a 1:1 ratio of water to rice. If you want to add more rice, you can adjust the recipe in a similar way, 2 cups of rice to 2 cups of water.
Measure 1 1/2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon olive oil for every cup of uncooked rice. (1 cup dry rice yields about 3 cups cooked.) Combine the rice, oil, and water in a medium saucepan, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat.
How much rice do I need for 3 servings? ›1 cup uncooked rice = 3 cups (packed) cooked rice. It is enough for 3 normal servings, or 4 smaller servings. Don't have to use measuring cups – you can use anything to measure the rice and water as long as you use the same ratio.
How much jasmine rice makes 4 cups cooked? ›1 cup dry rice = about 3 cups cooked.
What is the spoon trick for rice? ›Rice Cooking Tip: If you think you put too much water in your rice, stick a spoon in the middle of the pot. If your spoon stands still, you have enough water.
Should you rinse rice? ›Why You Should Always Wash Rice. The reason for washing rice (or any food, for that matter) is cleanliness. Rinsing rice removes dirt, dust, debris, chemicals, and bugs—in short, you're getting rid of the types of things you probably don't want to eat in your finished rice dish.
Do you Stir rice with a fork or spoon? ›Let the rice sit covered for 10 minutes after it's done cooking. Then fluff it with a fork." Never stir your rice! Stirring activates starch and will make your rice gloppy.
Does putting a ice cube in rice work? ›Rather than melting, the ice cube helps to steam the rice and it will only take a minute to produce hot, ready-to-eat rice. Before you embark on reheating rice, please remember that cooked rice can cause food poisoning if it is not stored correctly.
What to do if you drop your phone in the toilet for 2 seconds? ›
Take your smartphone out of the water immediately and dry it thoroughly with a clean cloth. If the phone is on, switch it off straight away. Resist the urge to unlock it and check it's working as this could stop it working further down the line. If it's switched off, leave it off.
Why do you rinse rice? ›Rinsing or washing rice removes that excess starch, resulting in grains that are more separate when cooked. (There's the added benefit that rinsing rice before cooking can reduce the level of arsenic, but FDA research shows that the impact is minimal on the cooked grain.)
What is the 1 2 3 rice rule? ›Rice-to-Water Ratio Chart
The general rice-to-water ratio is as easy to remember as 1, 2, 3: 1 cup rice + 2 cups water = 3 cups cooked rice.
Bring to a boil, then cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat to low, aiming for the lowest possible flame. Cook rice, undisturbed—that means NOT opening the lid!
Do you put rice in boiling water or cold? ›Always cook rice from cold water rather than hot and then bring up to heat on the stove. Once the water is boiling, pop the lid on and turn the temperature down to simmer to cook the rice gently.
How many servings does 2 cups of rice make? ›One serving of cooked rice is one half cup, which is made from one quarter cup of dry rice. So two cups of dry rice would make 8 servings of cooked rice.
How much dry rice for 1 cup cooked? ›One cup of uncooked rice will yield approximately three cups cooked.
How much does 4 cups of rice feed people? ›As one cup of uncooked rice becomes two cups of cooked rice after it is boiled. Most cooks and nutritionists agree that one person needs one cup of cooked rice per serving. One cup of uncooked rice will serve 2-3 adults. 4 cups will serve 8-12 people.
How much rice do I need for 2 cups? ›1 cup of white rice makes about 2 cups of cooked rice. So if you need 1 cup of cooked rice per person and you have more than just 2 people make extra rice in a bigger pot.
How much does 2 cups of rice make cooked? ›Rice to Liquid Ratio
The most common ratio for rice to liquid is 1 to 2 or 1 cup rice to 2 cups of water, yielding 3 cups of cooked rice. The formula is simple: 1-2-3. So if you were cooking 2 cups of rice, you would cook it with 4 cups of liquid to yield 6 cups of cooked rice.
Is 2 cups of rice enough for 8 people? ›
As a general rule, for a main course option, one cup of uncooked rice will yield about three cups of cooked rice, which would be enough for 8 people. If you're looking for a bigger portion, you might want to look at 1. 5 to 2 cups of uncooked rice per person, which would provide enough for 8 people without leftovers.
How much does 1/2 cup rice make cooked? ›1/2 cup dry rice will typically yield about 1-1.5 cups cooked, depending on the type of rice being used.
Does 1 cup rice equal 2 cups cooked? ›Then, measure the proper water to rice ratio.
(1 cup dry rice yields about 3 cups cooked.)
1 cup of uncooked rice makes 2 cups of cooked rice, so if you want 1 cup of cooked rice, use 1/2 cup uncooked rice. Use double the liquid, meaning for every cup of uncooked rice you need 2 cups of water or whatever liquid you are using. So if you want one cup cooked rice, use 1/2 cup uncooked rice and one cup water.
How much water do I use for 3 cups of rice? ›The amount of water you need to cook three cups of rice will depend on the type of rice and how you are cooking it. Generally, for long-grain white rice, you should use 1 ½ cups of water for every cup of uncooked rice. Therefore, for 3 cups of uncooked long-grain white rice, you would need 4 ½ cups of water.
How much does 3 cups of rice make? ›RICE CONVERSIONS & EQUIVALENTS 1 cup uncooked white rice, or wild rice, yields 3 cups of cooked rice. 1 cup brown whole grain rice, yields 4 cups of cooked rice.. 1 cup long grain rice, yields 3 cups cooked rice. 1 cup dry pre-cooked instant rice, yields 2 cups cooked rice.
Does 2 cups of rice equal 4 cups of water? ›The ideal water ratio to rice is two parts water to one part rice. This means that if you're cooking two cups of rice, you'll need four cups of water. This, of course, depends on the type of rice you're cooking. Long-grain rice, like basmati or jasmine, requires more water than short-grain rice, like sushi or arborio.