Ingredient Weight Converter · grain
Brown Rice (Long Grain, Uncooked): cups to grams
1 cup of brown rice (long grain, uncooked) weighs 190 grams. Use the converter below for any other amount, or check the quick-reference table.
By Andrew Flores, Editor and publisher, Nathan Management. Last reviewed .
Density source: USDA FoodData Central, cross-checked against the King Arthur Baking weight chart. How these figures are derived and corrected is documented in our editorial standards.
Brown Rice (Long Grain, Uncooked) baseline: 1 cup = 190 g.
Common amounts
| Cups | Tablespoons | Grams | Ounces (weight) | Milliliters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 4.0 | 48 g | 1.68 oz | 59 mL |
| 1/3 cup | 5.3 | 63 g | 2.23 oz | 79 mL |
| 1/2 cup | 8.0 | 95 g | 3.35 oz | 118 mL |
| 2/3 cup | 10.7 | 127 g | 4.47 oz | 158 mL |
| 3/4 cup | 12.0 | 143 g | 5.03 oz | 177 mL |
| 1 cup | 16.0 | 190 g | 6.70 oz | 237 mL |
| 1.5 cups | 24.0 | 285 g | 10.05 oz | 355 mL |
| 2 cups | 32.0 | 380 g | 13.40 oz | 473 mL |
| 3 cups | 48.0 | 570 g | 20.11 oz | 710 mL |
| 4 cups | 64.0 | 760 g | 26.81 oz | 946 mL |
Spoon weights
Derived from the same 190 g per cup — a US tablespoon is 1/16 of a cup and a teaspoon is 1/48.
| Amount | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 12 g |
| 1 teaspoon | 4.0 g |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.0 g |
| 1/4 teaspoon | 0.99 g |
Brown Rice (Long Grain, Uncooked) at a glance
- Water ratio
- 1 cup rice to 2 1/4 cups water, 35 minutes covered (25 if soaked 30 minutes)
- Yield
- 1 cup uncooked makes about 3 cups cooked
- Shelf life
- about 6 months at room temperature — the bran oil goes rancid, unlike white rice
What a cup of brown rice (long grain, uncooked) actually weighs
The published 190 g assumes one specific way of filling the cup. Here is what the same cup weighs under the other common handling methods and product forms, and how far off the recipe you end up.
| How it was measured | Grams per cup | vs. published | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long-grain brown, uncooked | 190 g | published figure | The bran layer adds weight over white rice of the same grain length. |
| Short-grain brown, uncooked | ~200 g | +5% | Rounder grains pack tighter, same as with white rice. |
A tilde (~) marks a working estimate rather than a published figure — it varies with brand, grind, or how hard the cup was packed.
Why measuring brown rice (long grain, uncooked) by cup goes wrong
Brown rice keeps the bran layer that white rice has milled away. A cup weighs about 190 grams uncooked. The bran is why brown rice takes 40-odd minutes to cook instead of 18 — water has to work through the bran before the starch inside can hydrate — and it is also why brown rice goes rancid on the shelf while white rice does not.
Practical tips for working with brown rice (long grain, uncooked)
Soaking brown rice for 30 minutes before cooking cuts the cook time by roughly a third and produces a more even result. Use 2 1/4 cups water per cup of rice, bring to a boil, simmer covered for 35 minutes (or 25 if pre-soaked), then rest 10 minutes off heat. Brown rice freezes well — cook a double batch, portion into bags, microwave from frozen with a splash of water.
Note from this ingredient's record: Bran layer adds weight and cooking time. Soak 30 minutes before cooking to even out absorption.
Substitutions that work — and what they cost you
White rice for brown
Ratio: 1:1 by volume, but 1 3/4 cups water and 18 minutes
Trade-off: Completely different timing. Never swap them into the same pot or the same recipe schedule.
Parboiled (converted) rice
Ratio: 1:1
Trade-off: Steamed in the husk before milling, so it keeps more nutrients than white rice and cooks in about 20 minutes. Firmer, more separate grains; not the same flavor as brown.
When brown rice (long grain, uncooked) ruins the recipe
| What you see | What went wrong | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Grains are still hard after the full cooking time | The bran had not softened — common with older rice, hard water, or too little liquid. | Soak 30 minutes before cooking, use the full 2 1/4 cups water, and let it rest covered 10 minutes off the heat. |
| Rice smells musty or bitter before cooking | Rancid bran oil. | Buy in smaller amounts and store brown rice in the refrigerator or freezer. |
Storing brown rice (long grain, uncooked)
Refrigerator or freezer for anything past a few months — brown rice is a whole grain with the oil still in it. Sealed at room temperature it is good for about six months.
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