Here’s the golden rule: 1 cup of dry rice makes about 3 cups of cooked rice. That means 2 cups of dry rice will give you roughly 6 cups of fluffy, cooked rice. Yes, it triples in size—like a chia pet, but way tastier.
This works for most standard white rices, like long-grain, jasmine, or basmati. Brown rice is a bit of a rebel, though; it usually only triples to about 2.5 times its dry volume. Still, 2 cups dry brown rice will net you around 5 to 5.5 cups cooked. Close enough for government work—and for dinner.
Remember: volume is not weight. A cup of dry rice weighs about 7 ounces, but after cooking, it’s mostly water weight. So don’t try to weigh your cooked rice and compare it to the dry stuff—you’ll just confuse yourself (and your scale).
What About Water? Don’t Forget the Liquid!
For 2 cups dry rice, you’ll need 4 cups of water for most white varieties (a 1:2 ratio). For brown rice, bump it to 5 cups (1:2.5 ratio). Boil, simmer, cover, and ignore it for 18 minutes—that’s the secret handshake of perfect rice.
If you’re using a rice cooker, just follow its little lines and buttons. Those machines are basically wizards. They never forget to set a timer, unlike your phone’s microwave setting.
