Brown rice water ratio
Use about 2¼ cups of water per cup of brown rice on the stove, or 1¾ in a rice cooker. Simmer 45 minutes, then rest 10.
For 1 cup of brown rice, add
2¼ cups water
533 ml · ratio 1 : 2.25
- Simmer, lid on
- 45 min
- Rest off the heat
- 10 min
- Cooked yield
- ≈ 3 cups
- Servings (¾ cup cooked)
- 4
How to cook brown rice
Rinsing: A quick rinse is enough.
The bran layer slows water absorption, so brown rice needs more water and roughly two and a half times as long as white.
| Dry rice | Water (stove) | Water (rice cooker) | Cooked |
|---|---|---|---|
| ½ cup | 1⅜ cups | ⅞ cups | 1½ cups |
| 1 cup | 2¼ cups | 1¾ cups | 3 cups |
| 1½ cups | 3⅛ cups | 2⅝ cups | 4½ cups |
| 2 cups | 4 cups | 3½ cups | 6 cups |
| 3 cups | 5¾ cups | 5¼ cups | 9 cups |
| 4 cups | 7½ cups | 7 cups | 12 cups |
Stovetop water drops slightly per cup as the batch grows, because the amount lost to steam barely changes. See why.
Other rice
Questions cooks ask
What is the water ratio for brown rice?
2¼ cups of water per cup of brown rice on the stove, or 1¾ cups in a rice cooker.
How long does brown rice take to cook?
About 45 minutes at a low simmer with the lid on, then 10 minutes resting off the heat.
How much does 1 cup of dry brown rice make?
About 3 cups cooked, enough for 4 side servings.