Rice Per Person by Cuisine Calculator
How much dry rice to cook per person, adjusted for the cuisine — from a Chinese steamed-rice side to an Indian thali or a Mediterranean pilaf.
How it works
Dry rice per person = cuisine base (g) × appetite factor · Total = per person × people · Water ≈ dry rice × 1.9 · Cooked yield ≈ dry rice × 3
How much rice a person eats depends less on the person than on what the rice is doing on the plate. In East Asian meals rice is the base that carries several dishes, so 70–80 g of dry rice each is normal; in an Indian thali the rice shares the plate with breads, dal and curry, so 60–70 g is plenty. Mediterranean cooking treats rice as one side among many, closer to 50–55 g. Dry rice roughly triples in weight when cooked, so a modest-looking 65 g dry becomes a satisfying bowl. The water figure assumes the absorption method for long-grain rice — jasmine and basmati like a little less, short-grain a little more.
Worked example
Cooking dinner for 4 in an East Asian style with normal appetites: 75 g dry rice per person × 4 = 300 g dry (about 1.6 cups), cooked with roughly 570 ml of water, yielding about 900 g of steamed rice.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the cuisine change the amount?
The role of rice on the plate differs. When rice is the main carbohydrate carrying the meal you need more of it; when it shares the plate with breads or several sides, each person eats less.
How much cooked rice does dry rice make?
Long-grain rice roughly triples in weight, so 100 g of dry rice yields about 300 g cooked. That is why a small amount of dry rice goes a long way.
Should leftovers change my amount?
If you want leftovers for fried rice or lunches, add one or two extra portions — cooked rice keeps a couple of days refrigerated and reheats well.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.