Basmati Rice: Per Person, Water Ratio & Cooked Yield
A US cup of basmati rice (uncooked) weighs 180 g. Working back the other way, 100 g is about 1/2 cup and 250 g is about 1 3/8 cups. Use the calculator for any amount in between.
💡 Tip: Rinse basmati until the water runs clear and soak 20 minutes before cooking — it stops the grains clumping and helps them cook up long and separate
How much basmati rice per person?
Uncooked, per person:
| Serving | Per person |
|---|---|
| Side dish | ~¼ cup (45 g) |
| Main / curry base | ~⅓ cup (75 g) |
| Hearty main | ~½ cup (90 g) |
Rice-to-water ratio & cooked yield
For the absorption method, use 1 cup basmati to 1½ cups water (rinse first). 1 cup of uncooked basmati (180 g) makes about 3 cups cooked — it roughly triples.
Grams to cups chart for basmati rice (uncooked)
| Grams | Amount | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 1/4 cup | 1.76 |
| 100 | 1/2 cup | 3.53 |
| 150 | 7/8 cup | 5.29 |
| 180 | 1 cup | 6.35 |
| 200 | 1 1/8 cups | 7.05 |
| 250 | 1 3/8 cups | 8.82 |
| 300 | 1 2/3 cups | 10.6 |
| 400 | 2 1/4 cups | 14.1 |
| 500 | 2 3/4 cups | 17.6 |
| 750 | 4 1/8 cups | 26.5 |
| 1000 | 5 1/2 cups | 35.3 |
Cups to grams chart for basmati rice (uncooked)
| Cups | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 | 45 | 1.59 |
| 1/3 | 60 | 2.12 |
| 1/2 | 90 | 3.17 |
| 3/4 | 135 | 4.76 |
| 1 | 180 | 6.35 |
| 1 1/2 | 270 | 9.52 |
| 2 | 360 | 12.7 |
| 3 | 540 | 19 |
| 4 | 720 | 25.4 |
There are 16 tablespoons in a cup, so one tablespoon of basmati rice (uncooked) weighs roughly 11.3 g — and a teaspoon 3.75 g.
Basmati Rice (uncooked) against the other grains & legumes
180 g per cup places basmati rice (uncooked) in the middle of its category — lighter than white rice (uncooked) (185 g) and heavier than quinoa (uncooked) (170 g).
That gap matters when you substitute by volume: use a cup of white rice (uncooked) where the recipe wanted basmati rice (uncooked) and you have added about 5 g extra — 3% more than intended. Weighing instead of scooping removes the problem.
Basmati Rice (uncooked) conversion questions
- How many grams is 1 cup of basmati rice (uncooked)?
- Reckon on 180 grams per US cup of basmati rice (uncooked) — about 6.35 ounces.
- How much basmati rice per person?
- Allow about ⅓ cup (75 g) of uncooked basmati per person for a main, or ¼ cup (45 g) as a side. It will roughly triple once cooked.
- What is the water ratio for basmati rice?
- Use about 1 cup of basmati to 1½ cups of water with the absorption method (rinse the rice first). Some cooks go up to 1¾ cups water for softer grains.
- How much does 1 cup of basmati rice make cooked?
- 1 cup of uncooked basmati (180 g) makes about 3 cups of cooked rice.
- How many grams is 1 cup of basmati rice?
- 1 cup of uncooked basmati rice weighs about 180 grams.
- How many cups is 100g of basmati rice (uncooked)?
- About 1/2 cup — that is 100 divided by the 180 g a cup weighs.
- How many cups is 200g of basmati rice (uncooked)?
- Just over or under 1 1/8 cups, depending how firmly you fill the cup. 200 g ÷ 180 g per cup = 1 1/8 cups.
- How many cups is 250g of basmati rice (uncooked)?
- About 1 3/8 cups — that is 250 divided by the 180 g a cup weighs.
- Why do my numbers differ slightly?
- Grain size and moisture vary by variety and age. Long thin grains stack with more air between them than short round ones, and older, drier stock weighs a little less per cup.