Scale to GramsHow Much Does a Cup of Rice Weigh? Raw, Cooked & By Type
Raw Rice Weight by Type
Different rice varieties have different grain sizes and densities, which means a cup of one type does not weigh the same as a cup of another. Long-grain white rice weighs about 185 grams (6.5 oz) per cup. Basmati rice weighs about 180 grams (6.3 oz) per cup — the long, slender grains pack slightly less densely. Jasmine rice weighs about 185 grams (6.5 oz) per cup, similar to standard white rice. Short-grain sushi rice weighs about 200 grams (7 oz) per cup because the rounder grains pack more tightly. Brown rice weighs about 190 grams (6.7 oz) per cup — the bran layer adds a small amount of weight. Wild rice weighs about 160 grams (5.6 oz) per cup because the grains are long and thin with more air space between them.
How Cooking Changes Rice Weight
Rice absorbs water during cooking, which dramatically increases its weight. One cup of raw white rice (185g) produces approximately 3 cups of cooked rice weighing about 555-600 grams total. That means cooked white rice weighs roughly 195-200 grams per cup — almost the same as raw rice per cup, but you get three times as many cups. Brown rice absorbs slightly less water and yields about 2.5 cups cooked from 1 cup raw. Sushi rice, which is cooked with vinegar seasoning, yields about 2.5 cups and weighs about 220 grams per cooked cup. This distinction matters enormously for calorie tracking: 1 cup of raw rice has about 675 calories, while 1 cup of cooked rice has about 200-240 calories. If you confuse raw and cooked measurements, your calorie count will be off by a factor of three.
Rice Calories and Nutrition
Cooked white rice contains approximately 130 calories per 100 grams, or about 240 calories per cup (200g cooked). The macronutrient breakdown for cooked white rice is roughly 53g carbohydrates, 4.4g protein, and 0.4g fat per cup. Cooked brown rice is slightly more nutritious at about 215 calories per cup, with 45g carbs, 5g protein, 1.8g fat, and significantly more fiber (3.5g vs 0.6g for white rice). For calorie-conscious meal planning, a standard serving of rice is one-half cup cooked (about 100g), which contains roughly 120 calories. This is the portion size used in most dietary guidelines.
Measuring Rice Without a Scale
If you do not have a kitchen scale, the standard US measuring cup (240ml) is a reliable way to measure rice by volume. Most rice packaging includes volume-based cooking instructions. For rough estimation without any measuring tools, a large adult fist represents approximately one cup. A cupped hand holds roughly half a cup. The rice cooker cups that come with most rice cookers are not standard US cups — they are typically 180ml (about 150g of raw rice), so do not confuse the two. For the most accurate measurement without a physical scale, photograph your rice next to a known reference and use an AI tool like Scale to Grams for an instant weight estimate.
Common Rice Measurements for Recipes
When recipes call for rice measurements, they almost always mean raw (uncooked) rice unless explicitly stated otherwise. "1 cup rice" means 1 cup raw, which will become about 3 cups cooked. "1 pound of rice" is approximately 2.25 cups raw, yielding about 6-7 cups cooked. A 1-kilogram bag of rice contains approximately 5.4 cups raw. For meal prepping, plan on 1/3 cup raw rice per person for a side dish (yielding about 1 cup cooked) or 2/3 cup raw per person for rice as a main component (yielding about 2 cups cooked). These standard portions make it easy to scale recipes up or down without needing to re-measure each time.
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