Claim your crypto exchange bonus
Bonuses you get just for signing up. Terms are copied straight from each exchange.
It’s a ratio, not a fixed volume
Rice absorbs water in proportion to its own volume, so the right amount scales with a multiplier rather than a fixed number of millilitres. White rice is about 1 part rice to 1.2 parts water. Whatever cup, mug or scoop you use to measure the rice, use the same one for the water — the ratio holds regardless of the container size.
Rinsing and soaking change the multiplier
Rice that has been soaked for 20–30 minutes has already taken on water, so it needs slightly less added afterward. Unsoaked rice, or rice cooked straight from dry, needs a touch more. This calculator gives the standard unsoaked figure — cut it back a little if you always soak first.
Brown and mixed grains need more of both
Brown rice keeps its bran layer, which slows water absorption, so it needs both more water (about 1.5×) and a longer soak (2 hours or more) than white rice. Mixed-grain bowls with barley or other whole grains sit in between, typically around 1.3×.
More calculators
Frequently asked questions
QDoes the cup size matter?
No — the ratio is unitless. If you measure 2 cups of rice with a 200ml mug, use 2.4 “cups” of water in the same mug (at the standard 1.2× for white rice). The absolute size of the cup cancels out.
QWhy is my rice always too wet or too dry with the same ratio?
The most common cause is inconsistent soaking time — rice you forgot to drain properly, or rice that soaked much longer than usual, holds a different amount of water going in. Old rice also tends to need slightly more water than fresh rice.
QWhat about rice for congee or porridge?
Congee uses far more water than steamed rice — roughly 5 parts water to 1 part rice as a starting point — since the rice is meant to break down into a thick, soupy texture rather than stay separate.