Institutions like the FDA and the American Heart Association tell us that ½ a cup of cooked rice is one serving. And while I wish it were that easy, not everyone or their stomachs are built the same.
After over a decade of working in professional kitchens, I’ve become more than a little familiar with the way people eat. And designing dishes and portions can be a tricky proposition.
Today, I’ll be sharing a few ways of gauging how much rice to make per person, and also how to make sure none of those precious grains go to waste.
In This Article
Is The Rice A Side Dish Or The Main Event?
When deciding how much rice to cook for a meal, one big deciding factor is what it’s role is in the meal. Is it a rice-based main course or a side dish to accompany something else?
If you’re making something like jambalaya, risotto, or fried rice and that’s going to be the bulk of the meal, you might plan on a full cup of cooked rice per person. Or maybe even more.
But remember, the actual amount of food that each person eats will be more than that once you account for any vegetables, sauces, and proteins that will be involved as well.
On the other hand, if you’re serving something like a curry or a stir fry, you might not need as much rice per person. Then, you can plan on each person focusing on the main dish and only eating a small amount of rice as a side.
If you look at organizations like the American Heart Association they simply say that a ½ cup of cooked rice is a serving (based on a 2000 calorie diet). So, if you’d like, that’s an easy and straightforward guideline to follow no matter what your meal consists of.
Just don’t be surprised when people start asking for seconds.
Who’s Eating?
Perhaps the most important question to ask when deciding how much rice to cook is who’s eating and how hungry are they?
While there are technical guidelines that tell us a ½ cup of rice is a serving, most people I know (myself included) aren’t thinking about that in the throes of a good meal.
You can also consider the ages of everyone eating to help determine how much rice to cook. Small children generally eat less than adults, and I’ve known growing teens who can easily eat adults under the table.
So, thinking a little bit about who’s eating can be a great way to estimate the amount of rice you’ll need to cook.
Portion Control
If you don’t want to leave anything to chance and you want a little more control, you can portion and plate everything yourself.
This gives you the opportunity to make a very specific amount of rice for each person. And, you won’t have to worry about anyone being a little heavy-handed like you might if they were serving themselves family style.
This is how restaurants operate as a way to control food costs, but you can do the same at home to help make meal planning easier and more precise. Not to mention, manage your own food cost and budget as well.
There’s Nothing Wrong With Leftovers
Personally, I always overestimate how much rice I actually need to cook. But that’s because I know that leftover rice is the key to making the best fried rice. And that makes for an easy lunch or dinner later in the week.
If you can embrace leftovers, making the “right” amount of rice becomes a whole lot easier. That way, there will be plenty for everyone to eat the first night and you’ll be setting yourself up for an easy meal on another day.
What’s The Best Way To Cook Rice?
While you can make great rice in a regular old pot on the stove, an electric rice cooker is by far the easiest and most convenient way to make rice on a regular basis. They’re generally very simple to use and they produce very consistent results.
If you don’t eat rice very frequently, you might be better off using a pot you already have. Rather than investing in an appliance that you’ll rarely use. But, cooking rice in a pot can take some practice and the results aren’t nearly as consistent.
I definitely enjoy cooking rice in a pot from time to time, just to make sure I still got “it”. But, if it weren’t for my cooking vanity, I’d use a rice cooker every time.
Final Thoughts
While a ½ cup of cooked rice might technically be a serving, factors like age, activity level, and a little thing called hunger play a huge role in how much anyone will eat. You can always plate and serve individual portions if you want a little more control. Or, you can play it safe and cook more than you need with plans to use any extra for another meal another day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Is My Rice Mushy?
Mushy rice is almost always a result of using the wrong water to rice ratio. Too much water leads to mushy, overcooked rice, while not enough will leave rice undercooked and even crunchy.
What Should I Do With Leftover Rice?
Cold, leftover rice is actually the best rice to use when making fried rice. It can also easily be used in soups, casseroles, fritters, and rice pudding.
How Much Dry Rice Do I Need To Make 4 Cups of Cooked Rice?
In general, rice will double in volume when cooked with the appropriate amount of liquid. So, 2 cups of uncooked rice will turn into about 4 cups of cooked rice.
