What’s the REAL Rice Cup Size? Aroma Q&A

Struggling to cook the “perfect cup of rice”? Too mushy, too much, too little, too tough? The issue might lie in your measuring cup.

“A cup of rice” is a surprisingly vague term… using what cup size? Why is a rice measuring cup only 180ml, but a US cup size is 240ml? Home chefs have so many questions. (And we’ve got answers!)

1. Always Use a 180ml Rice Cup

Rice has been a staple in many Asian food cultures for centuries. Traditional rice cooking methods and measurements were perfected long before American measuring units were even invented! Japanese inventors started developing electric rice cookers in 1912, using the gō「合」measuring cups that they were most familiar with.

A gō in Japan holds the same amount of rice as a ge in China or a hop in Korea. The standard rice measuring cup is known by many different names, but its size has always remained the same: 180ml.

In comparison, a US measuring cup holds 240ml. Luckily, most rice cookers come with a 180ml rice measuring cup in the box! And if you lose the provided rice cup, you can always substitute a 3/4 US measuring cup.

2. Remember, Rice Doubles in Size

During the cooking process, raw rice absorbs moisture, softens, and (roughly) doubles in size. If you started with one cup of raw rice in your rice cooker, you’ll open the lid to find two cups of cooked rice for serving. Remember, these measurements are based on the traditional rice measuring cup, not a US cup. If you’re shopping for new appliances and want to buy a rice cooker online, we always recommend double-checking the size. Aroma rice cookers advertise the ‘finished’ capacity, like 10 cups cooked, so you can plan sizing based on serving.

3. Rice Serving Size

Portion sizes and serving sizes aren’t the same, and this is where we switch from standardization to personalization. Typically, you can expect a full rice measuring cup (180ml) to yield 2 servings after it’s cooked.

Will everyone have enough to eat? Ultimately, it’s up to you. We always recommend sizing up your rice cooker portions for sharing, freezing, and leftovers.

4. Rice Recipe for Weight Conversion

Does your recipe call for a weighted amount of rice? One rice cup weighs approximately 150g, but different rice varieties can vary. Even the humidity of your environment and age of the rice can make a difference in weight!

Also, it’s worth clarifying that weighted rice portions are based on raw, dry rice. You’ll need to portion it out first, then rinse and soak. After soaking rice for just one hour, it will absorb approximately a third of its weight in water.

Luckily, Aroma’s water line method takes all the guesswork out of your rice-to-water ratio. Whether the rice is pre-soaked, rinsed, or dry, simply pour your gō rice cups inside the rice cooker pot, then add water up to the corresponding line.

2 cups of rice in, fill water to line 2.

4 cups in, fill to line 4. Easy!