Recipe Scaler
Paste an ingredient list, tell us how many people it serves and how many you are cooking for. Quantities resize instantly, and any line to check is marked.
Scale your recipe
Scaled ingredients
Only ingredient amounts change. Keep the same oven temperature, and check cooking time, pan size and seasoning for a much bigger or smaller batch.
How the recipe scaler works
Every recipe is written for a fixed number of people. To cook for more or fewer, each ingredient has to change by the same proportion, called the scale factor:
scale factor = servings you need ÷ servings the recipe makes
The scaler reads the first number on each line as the quantity and multiplies it by that factor. It understands whole numbers (2), decimals (2.5), fractions (¾), mixed numbers (1 1/2, 1-1/2 or 1½), ranges (2–3) and amounts joined with a plus sign (2 tbsp + 1 tsp). Everything after the quantity, such as the unit, the ingredient name or a note like “(400 g can)”, is kept exactly as you wrote it. Lines without a number, such as “salt to taste”, are left unchanged and clearly marked. If a line contains other numbers the scaler cannot place, it scales the first amount and marks the line “check this line”, so nothing is changed silently.
Worked example: a biryani for 6 instead of 4
The scale factor is 6 ÷ 4 = 1.5, so each quantity is multiplied by 1.5:
| Original (4 servings) | Scaled (6 servings) |
|---|---|
| 2 cups basmati rice | 3 cups basmati rice |
| 500 g chicken | 750 g chicken |
| 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt | 2¼ cups plain yogurt |
| ½ tsp turmeric | ¾ tsp turmeric |
| 2–3 green chillies | 3–4½ green chillies |
Try it with our Karachi biryani recipe, a jug of mango lassi for guests, or a smaller batch of pomodoro sauce.
Fractions, grams and rounding
Amounts in cups, spoons and whole items are shown as kitchen fractions (⅛, ¼, ⅓, ½, ⅔, ¾), because those are the measures you can actually use. When the true result falls between two fractions, the nearest one is shown, marked as rounded, with the exact amount beside it. Weights and volumes in grams, kilograms, millilitres and litres stay as decimals, because a scale or jug can measure them precisely.
What to check yourself
- Cooking time and pan size. These do not scale with the ingredients. A doubled stew needs a bigger pot and may take longer to come to the boil; a doubled cake usually works best baked in two tins of the original size.
- Seasoning. Scale salt and strong spices, then taste before adding the last of them.
- Eggs and other whole items. 1½ eggs is correct maths. Beat 2 eggs and use about three-quarters of the mixture, or round to the nearest whole egg.
- Sizes inside a line. A number followed by inches or centimetres, as in “3-inch piece ginger”, is a size rather than an amount, so the line is marked for you to adjust.
- Pressure cookers. Never exceed the maximum fill line in your cooker’s manual, whatever the scaled amounts say.
Need to switch between cups and millilitres after scaling? Use the kitchen unit converter. To find out what the new batch costs, try the recipe cost calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Divide the servings you want by the servings the recipe makes: 6 ÷ 4 = 1.5. Multiply every ingredient by 1.5, so 2 cups of rice becomes 3 cups and 500 g of chicken becomes 750 g. The scaler does this for every line at once.
Cups and spoons are shown as kitchen fractions such as ⅓ or ¾, because that is what measuring sets have. When the true amount sits between two fractions (for example 0.3 tbsp), the tool shows the nearest one, marks it as rounded and prints the exact amount next to it.
Not in a simple, predictable way. A larger pot takes longer to heat, and a thicker cake or loaf takes longer to bake through. Keep the same temperature, check doneness rather than relying on the clock, and use a pan that suits the new volume.
The tool scales them exactly, which is a sensible starting point. For a much larger batch, many cooks add slightly less salt and strong spices first and adjust by taste at the end, because evaporation and pan size change how seasoning comes through.
They are kept exactly as written and marked “not scaled”, so you can see at a glance which ingredients need your judgement.