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How Much Mashed Potato Per Person

Mashed potatoes complement almost any meal you serve. Not to mention it is always a crowd-pleaser. Therefore, when you are hosting a group (small or large), you want to ensure you have plenty. According to the Department of Agriculture, one cup of mashed potatoes is sufficient.

This article will help you know how much mashed potato per person is the right amount. Knowing the answer to this question will help ensure there are plenty of mashed potatoes for everyone.

Are you building a menu for Thanksgiving or Christmas and also want to know other quantities to serve? Go to our Cooking for Crowds resource page to see lots of helpful tips and quantities to serve.

How to Determine How Much Mashed Potato per Person?

Since an average-sized potato weighs a little less than 6 ounces peeled, you will need at least one potato per person. However, you should add a potato and a half to consider second and third servings.

You need to consider the one person who always sneaks in for seconds or thirds.

The amount of potatoes needed is based on the number of servings needed. Men generally eat more than women do, so it’s a safe bet to plan 6.5-ounce servings.

How Much Mashed Potato Per Person – You need 6.5 ounce servings per person.

A Handy Table Of Mashed Potatoes Per Person

Whenever you serve mashed potato you need to get the qualities right for the mash, the right gravy person, and do not forget the butter.

How much mashed Potatoes for 10 people

For 10 people at a buffet, you will need 5 lbs of mashed potato.

For 10 people at Christmas, you will need 4 lbs of mashed potato

For 10 People at a Thanksgiving Dinner, you will need just over four pounds of creamy mashed potato

How much mashed Potatoes for 20 people

For 20 people at a buffet, you will need 10 lbs of mashed potato.

For 20 people at Christmas, you will need 8 lbs of mashed potato

For 10 People at a Thanksgiving Dinner, you will need just over 8 pounds of mashed potato

How much mashed Potatoes for 100 people

For 100 people at a buffet, you will need 50 lbs of mashed potato.

For 100 people at Christmas, you will need 40 lbs of mashed potato

For 100 People at a Thanksgiving Dinner, you will need just over 40 pounds of creamy mashed potato

Is milk necessary for mashed potatoes? – No, but it helps make them a creamy texture.

How to Make Sure You Have Enough Ingredients

To ensure you have enough ingredients for your group of 10 guests, you need to know how much to buy. You will need to ensure each guest has an adequate amount of mashed potato, plus possible seconds. According to the USDA, one cup of this fluffy food dish is efficient.

To get one cup of mashed potatoes, you need to boil about the same amount of raw potatoes. Therefore, if you have 10 dinner guests, you need to boil five pounds of potatoes.

Can You Freeze Mashed Potatoes for Later?

You can freeze your mashed potatoes, but, you will be doing this tasty dish a disservice. When frozen, potatoes lose their creamy texture and delicious flavor as they are thawed out. The reason is the freezing process makes them watery and grainy, dissimilar to their original fluffiness.

During the process of freezing, potatoes gather ice, particularly if not properly sealed. This creates a landslide of issues and you end up with a bowl of potato mush with no flavor! Even though in many cases, freezing food and thawing it later is a time-saver; it’s not worth it when it comes to mashed potatoes.

See how long leftover mashed potatoes last in the fridge.

How Much of the Potato do I lose when Peeling?

The answer determines how good a peeler you are. A good potato peeler will only lose about 5% of the potato’s weight.

Determine the Right Amount of Potatoes Per Person 

When counting the number of potatoes needed per person, don’t count any baby or small potatoes. Use an average-sized potato as your guide when determining how much you need to cook.

Helpful Tips

Below are some helpful tips for making the perfect mashed potatoes:

  1. If using a heated buffet bar, to avoid dried-out mashed potatoes, spritz a little water over the top.
  2. For the right potato size, follow the measurements listed below:
  • The biggest potato is about 9.5 ounces
  • A medium potato is around 5.8 ounces
  • An average potato is 6.2 ounces
  • Small potatoes are about 3.5 ounces

How Many Potatoes Do You Need for a Party of 10?

For a party of ten dinner guests, you need to boil about 27 average-sized, peeled potatoes.

In determining how much-mashed potato per person, you need to figure out how many potatoes you need. The average potato weighs 6.2 ounces and you lose 5% of this through peeling. Therefore, you have about 5.89 ounces of potato remaining. You need about a pound of potato per person, which means you need two and three-quarters of a potato per person.

What if You are Catering to a Group of 100 People?

If you are planning a dinner for 100 people, you will need roughly 48 pounds of average-sized potatoes. This works out to 124 medium-sized spuds or 10-5 pound bags. This many potatoes will create 232 scoops or 88 cups of mashed potatoes.

What Potato Makes the Best Mashed Potatoes?

If you want to make the best-mashed potatoes, choose potatoes with higher starch content. This is the Yukon Golds or Russet potatoes. Using these potatoes creates the smoothest, flavor-filled, and fluffiest form of mashed potato.

The Russets mash is fluffy and light, and the Yukon Gold potatoes with yellowish flesh create a natural buttery flavor. Yukon Gold mashed potatoes also have a consistency that is denser than the Russet potatoes.

Could You Be Using the Wrong Potatoes?

Yes. Potatoes that are thought of as “starchy” or “waxy” are not a good kind to make mashed potatoes with. Red potatoes and white potatoes are considered “waxy potatoes”. These potatoes are likely to have a gummy texture when mashing them. Just the opposite of the Yukon Golds and russet varieties, which are starchy. When shopping for potatoes, search for a brand that is a blend of starchy and waxy to make the best-mashed potatoes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much butter for 10 lbs of mashed potatoes

Use 20 tablespoons or approximately 10 oz of butter.

How much milk in mashed potatoes

For 1 pound of mashed potatoes add up to 1/2 a cup of milk

What Can I Serve With Mashed Potatoes At a Christmas Dinner to make them go further?

  • sour cream
  • roasted garlic
  • butter
  • cream or milk mixed in
  • cheddar cheese
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Maha
Maha

I’m Maha, the chef in our little kitchen, and David, well, he’s the taste-tester extraordinaire. Plus, we’ve got a pint-sized tornado, our two-year-old, keeping things lively...

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