Here's How Many Pounds Of Potatoes You Need Per Person When Making Mashed Potatoes
Stop eyeballing, start weighing.
Hannah Zimmerman / Southern Living
No one wants to run out of mashed potatoes. Whether you're just prepping some for a weeknight meal, or hosting a big holiday dinner, if mashed potatoes are on the menu, there better be enough to go around.
I was always told that you should use one large potato (like a russet) for every two people, but potatoes vary in size, and if you aren't using a russet and are instead using a smaller potato like a Yukon Gold, what do you do then?
The best plan of action is to measure the amount of potatoes you'll need by weight. We'll explain how many pounds of potato per person you should buy, so that you never run out again.
How Many Pounds of Potatoes Per Person You'll Need
The rule of thumb is a 1/2 pound of potatoes per person. This should ensure everyone gets plenty of mashed potatoes, with minimal leftovers. Luckily this makes the math super easy. Here's a quick guide to how many potatoes to buy based on the number people you're serving:
Number of people | Pounds of potatoes |
2 | 1 lb. |
4 | 2 lb. |
6 | 3 lb. |
8 | 4 lb. |
10 | 5 lb. |
12 | 6 lb. |
Looking for leftovers?
If you know that you'll have some extra hungry folks at the table, or want to plan for more leftovers, you can increase the amount of potatoes to 3/4 pound per person.
Best Potatoes To Buy for Mashed Potatoes
While we love all potatoes, when it comes to mashed potatoes some spuds are better for the job than others. Waxy varieties, like red potatoes, hold their shape really well. This makes them ideal for potato salad or stews, but less ideal for mashed potatoes, where you want the potatoes to lose their shape and mash up into a fluffy side dish.
That's why we always recommend opting for starchier kinds of potatoes. The standard option is a russet, but Yukon Gold is another great choice. You can also use a mix of the two to get the flavor and texture benefits of both spuds.
Related: The Best Potatoes For Making Mashed Potatoes
Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
Mashed Potato Recipes To Try
Here are a few of our tried-and-true mashed potato recipes that we think will please any crowd, larger or small.
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Read the original article on Southern Living.
