Rice to Water Ratio Calculator

The rice-to-water ratio determines whether cooked rice turns out fluffy, mushy, or undercooked. Different rice types absorb different amounts of water, and the pot you cook it in changes the ratio too.

These numbers are for a covered pan on the stovetop. A pan lid vents; a rice cooker lid effectively does not, and a pressure cooker loses almost nothing at all, so both need less water than the figures below. For those, use the rice cooker water ratio calculator, which carries the same rice types with a column for each method.

The Core Formula:

Water (cups) = Rice (cups) × Ratio

Stovetop Ratios by Rice Type:

Jasmine sits a step below basmati even though both are long grain and both get called aromatic. It is a softer, stickier grain and it will go gluey at basmati’s ratio, which is the single most common reason a pot of jasmine comes out wet.

Worked Example:

Cooking 2 cups of basmati rice on the stovetop:

Water = 2 × 1.75 = 3.5 cups

Bring to boil, reduce to lowest heat, cover, cook 12–15 minutes. Rest 10 minutes with the lid on before fluffing.

Adjusting for Altitude:

Above about 900 m / 3,000 ft, water boils below 100°C, so rice cooks more slowly and needs a little more water:

Add 2–3 tablespoons of extra water per cup of rice, and give it about 5 minutes longer.

Rice Cooker vs. Stovetop:

Rice cookers are often calibrated to their own cup sizes (180 mL, not 240 mL). Use the marks on the inner pot, not standard measuring cups, when using a rice cooker.

Practical Tips:

• Rinsing rice removes surface starch and reduces stickiness — always rinse basmati and jasmine
• Never lift the lid during cooking — steam escapes and the ratio breaks down
• Old or dry rice may need slightly more water than fresh rice