Recipe scaler
Scale a recipe up or down to a different number of servings, or — if you already have a fixed amount of one ingredient — work out how many servings you can actually make.
Result
Scaled amount
Scale factor
Result
Servings you can make
How to use this calculator
- Enter how many servings the recipe originally makes, and how many you want.
- Enter the amount of one ingredient the original recipe calls for.
- Read the scaled amount for your target servings, and use the same scale factor for every other ingredient.
Assumptions
- Assumes a linear scale-up works for every ingredient — in practice, things like spices, leavening agents (baking powder/yeast) and cooking time don't always scale perfectly linearly, especially for large changes.
Technical details: what the fields mean
- Original servings
originalServings - How many servings the recipe as written makes.
- Servings you want
newServings - How many servings you actually want to make.
- Ingredient amount
ingredientAmount - The amount of one ingredient in the original recipe — apply the same scale factor to every other ingredient.
Methodology
Scale factor = target servings ÷ original servings. Scaled amount = ingredient amount × scale factor.
Worked example
4-serving recipe scaled to 6 servings, 200g flour
Inputs: originalServings=4, newServings=6, ingredientAmount=200
Result: 300g flour (scale factor 1.5×)
Practical guidance
- Use the scale factor shown here to scale every other ingredient in the recipe by the same multiplier.
- For large scale-ups, taste and adjust strong flavourings (salt, spice, chilli) rather than scaling them perfectly linearly.
Common mistakes
- Scaling leavening agents (baking powder, yeast, bicarbonate of soda) perfectly linearly for a large batch — these often need proportionally less as quantities increase.
FAQs
How do I scale a recipe for more servings?
Divide your target servings by the original servings to get a scale factor, then multiply every ingredient by that factor — this calculator does the multiplication for you.
I have a fixed amount of an ingredient — how many servings can I make?
Use reverse mode below: enter the original recipe's servings and ingredient amount, plus what you actually have.