Mashed Potato Calculator

How many potatoes do you need for any crowd?

people
0.4 lb of potatoes per person
🥔
Potatoes Needed
1.6 lbs
about 1 bag
🥄
Butter
2 tbsp
0.13 cups
🥛
Milk / Cream
0.3 cups
4.8 tbsp
🧂
Salt
½ tsp
adjust to taste
For 4 people you'll need approximately 1.6 pounds of potatoes to make mashed potatoes. This provides a standard serving and yields about 3.2 cups of mashed potatoes.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Plan on about ½ pound (225g) of raw potatoes per person for a standard side dish serving, or up to ¾ pound (340g) for hearty appetites or when it's the star of the meal.

For 10 people, start with 5 pounds of raw potatoes. For 20 people, use 10 pounds. The calculator above adjusts automatically for any group size.

Weigh before peeling. The calculator uses raw unpeeled weight as the starting point, which is how potatoes are sold and measured at the store.

Yes, mashed potatoes reheat well. Make them up to 2 days ahead, store covered in the fridge, and reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of warm milk to restore creaminess.

A good starting ratio is 2 tablespoons of butter and 2–3 tablespoons of warm milk per pound of potatoes. The calculator above gives exact amounts based on your serving size and preference.

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