Rice per Person

Rice per person: how much to cook

Count on 60 to 80 g of raw rice per person. That comes out to about 150 to 200 g cooked, because rice soaks up water and ends up doubling or tripling in volume. If rice is the base of the plate, Brazilian style, go with 80 g a head. When it's just a side next to other starches, 60 g is plenty. For a typical lunch, a family of 4 will get through 250 to 300 g of raw rice. Teenagers and big eaters can hit 100 g each. Say you've got 6 adults at 80 g, that's 480 g of raw rice, which cooks up to roughly 1.2 to 1.4 kg. Enough for the meal with a bit left over.

Common uses

• Working out the classic Brazilian "prato feito" (PF) lunch.
• Rice and beans, the everyday Brazilian staple.
• Portioning out weekday meal-prep containers.
• Feeding family gatherings, churrascos and buffet lunches.

FAQ

Raw or cooked weight? That 60–80 g is the raw rice. Once cooked it swells to around 150–200 g per person.

What if rice is the main starch? Stick to the upper end, 80 g, or push to 100 g per person if people eat a lot.

Kids? About half an adult portion, so 30 to 40 g of raw rice per child.