How many cups of rice are in one pound?
It can be a bit confusing when the recipe lists ingredients in pounds and you’d like to measure it out in cups. One common question that comes up at cooking websites is: how many cups in a pound of rice? I’ll try to answer the question in this post along with providing additional details to help make rice measurements your preferred method.
Let’s start by addressing your most pressing concern.
How many cups in a pound of rice?
The amount is 2.5 cups of cooked white rice in one pound.
Measuring raw vs cooked
Remember that rice that has not been cooked can be measured in cups with results that are extremely precise. When measuring cooked rice, the results can vary based upon whether rice has been softly or tightly packed into. The kind of rice you use will also determine how much can fit into the cup. For instance, basmati isn’t as pliable as white rice. Even though the measurements aren’t precise however, they’re not likely to ruin the dish in the event that the measurements aren’t quite right.
Summary table of conversion
Type of Rice. Number in cups (raw)
White rice long grain 2.5
White rice with medium grain 2.3
Brown rice with medium grain 2.4
Basmati Rice 2.3
Wild Rice 3.0
Be aware that cooked rice expands
White rice can triple its size and weight when cooked. One Cup of rice will expand to 3 cups after cooking.
How Many Cups In a Pound Of Rice?
Brown rice can expand in size and weight when cooked. A cup brown rice grows to 2 cups once cooked.
Quick Tip
If you like rice, have you thought about buying the rice cooker? They create perfectly fluffy, delicious rice each time. Read our reviews of Korean rice cookers below. Find out the reason why they’re worth having in your kitchen.
How do you need to cook white rice to cook in a single person?
Do you feel you can fill up quickly? Serving amount of 1/2 Cup of rice ought to suffice. That means that you’ll have to begin by eating 2 tablespoons cooked rice.
If you’d prefer a bigger portion of rice, you’ll need one cups of rice cooked. In order to cook this amount rice, you’ll need to start with 1/3 cup of white rice.
For two people, simply increase the quantities above, and add some vegetables and protein, and you’ll have all an excellent food.
Rice cooking: the easy steps
Making rice is a challenge for many. Making sure you get the right proportion of rice and water correct is the most efficient way to make perfect rice every time.
What you need
To create 3 cups of rice you’ll need 1 cup raw rice as well as 2 cups of water.
How to cook rice: step by step
Rinse the rice in cold water to get rid of any starch that could result in the rice becoming become clumpy into a mass once it is cooked. Put the rice in the strainer and gently shake the handle while the water runs over it. It will be clear that the water is leaking out of the bottom. It’s not necessary to continue rinsing until water is clear. 30 seconds should suffice.
Add cold water and rice to a saucepan in the ratio 1:2. For each cup of rice you add to the pot, add two cups of water.
Add salt as desired and 1 tablespoon of oil.
The heat should be on high until it reaches a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook until it is 10 minutes.
Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes, with the lid in place, then serve.
Quick Rice Cooking Tips
Use cold water to wash the rice prior to the rice is cooked.
Be sure to watch the rice while it cooks to ensure that the water doesn’t go to waste prior to the rice being cooked. If you’re left with uncooked rice, and no water available you can simply add one quarter cup of additional boiling water to cook. Repeat this process in case you need to.
If the rice is soft and you have a little water to drain, use the strainer to get rid of excess water.
Are you looking to watch? This video is super helpful to make rice.
Cups of Cooked Rice in a Pound of Uncooked Rice
Understanding the various rice yields will help you plan your meals. It will help you decide the amount of dry rice you should purchase in order to provide your loved ones with a nutritious meal. Reduce consumption by not purchasing too much can save you cash.
The standard uncooked-to-cooked rice ratio is ideal for white long-grain rice. But, if you apply the typical amount of 1 cup uncooked rice equals 3 cups cooked rice for a different type of rice, the measurements might be off. This could cause you to cook more rice than you will need to make dinner.
For instance one cup of cooked brown rice will yield two cups cooked rice. This will yield only two portions, and the usual measurement would make you believing that you have enough rice to make 3.Through the table above, you will be able to examine the impact of grain size. 1 pound of wild rice yields about 3 cups when cooked, however it will yield nine cups cooked rice. Actually wild rice is the highest yield of any other rice type per pounds. However jasmine rice comes with one of the highest yields. It can only yield 3.7 cups of rice cooked.
Raw Rice vs. cooked Rice and its impact on Measurements
It is much simpler as compared to measuring rice cooked because dry rice hasn’t been increased by the water. The hard grains can fit in cups easily and can’t be condensed further. The result is that their measurements are more precise.
However, there is more space in the measuring of rice cooked to be altered. One of the main causes for the variance in measurements is the way you pack rice in the measuring tool. The amount of rice you measure will vary according to the amount of force or ease with which the rice is packed.
Different kinds of rice consume various amounts inside the cup. Size of the grains isn’t the sole factor in determining how much rice can fit in the cup. The sensation of every grain will affect the amount of cooked rice that can fit into the cup.
Certain varieties of rice are stickier than other varieties. White rice is more in the way of sticking than basmati rice. Basmati rice grains are more likely to stick to one another. The stickiness of the grains affects the degree to which rice can be packed.
Your rice cooked measurements may differ from those calculated above. To ensure that your measurements are accurate make sure you don’t squeeze the rice into your measuring equipment. Instead, you should scoop it out with care.
How Many Cups Are in a 2 Pound Bag of Rice?
2 pounds of dry rice yield about 15 cups of cooked white long grain rice. Also, the exact measurement is dependent on the kind of rice used and the dimensions of each grain which will determine how much can fit in the cup.
Cups of Cooked Rice in a 2 Pound Bag of Uncooked Rice:
Rice Type Cooked Cups Per 2 Pound Bag
Long Grain White Rice 15
Wild Rice 18
Jasmine Rice 7.4
Medium Grain White Rice 12.6
Medium Grain Brown Rice 9.6
Basmati Rice 9.2
How Many Cups Are in a 50 Pound Bag of Rice?
There are 350 cups of cooked white long-grain from 50 pounds of rice. This kind of rice is second only to wild rice which can produce the equivalent of 450 cups of cooked rice for a 50 bags of lb.
For more information about the yields from different varieties of rice, take a look at the table below.
Cups of Cooked Rice in a 50 Pound Bag of Uncooked Rice:
Rice Type Cooked Cups Per 50 Pound Bag
Long Grain White Rice 375
Wild Rice 450
Jasmine Rice 185
Medium Grain White Rice 315
Medium Grain Brown Rice 240
Basmati Rice 230
How Many Servings Are in a Pound of Rice?
You’ve probably guessed that the amount of servings you receive depends on the kind of rice you prepare and the number of cups of rice cooked one pound of raw rice can produce. It’s also dependent on what you define as serving. Although the “official” serving may be 1/2 cup, many people eat about 1-cup of rice for each serving. For the sake of being realistic I’m going using 1 cup cooked rice for serving.
7.5 one-cup portions can be had from one pound uncooked white rice that is long grain. On the other hand medium white grain rice produces approximately 6.3 servings. Keep in mind that serving sizes can depend on the caloric requirements of each person.
Servings of 1 cup in 1 pound of cooked Rice:
Rice Type Servings
Long Grain White Rice 7.5
Wild Rice 9
Jasmine Rice 3.7
Medium Grain White Rice 6.3
Medium Grain Brown Rice 4.8
Basmati Rice 4.6
How Many Calories Are in a Pound of Cooked Rice?
A pound of long-grain dry white rice contains around 1200 calories, as it contains 160 calories per serving, and 7.5 servings per 1 pound. Calories differ based on the kind of rice. White rice with medium grain has the highest amount of calories at 1,525 calories. Jasmine rice is the least at 670 calories per dried pound.
Wrapping up
If you’re wondering why I chose to use white rice with long grain as the basis for my case, it’s due to the fact that it’s the commonly consumed kind that is consumed throughout the U.S. and is considered to be the standard measurement unit for rice.
Rice can be difficult to cook. In the beginning, you’ll need to be sure of the correct measurements for a recipe that needs a full pound rice. And you will only have to make a quick conversion. We’ve done it for you and are able to confirm it is 2.5 cup of rice per one pound. This is for regular white long grain rice. If you are using an alternative type of rice, check out the conversion table above for an exact answer.
