How many pounds of roasted potatoes do you need per person?

In this article, we will answer the question “How many pounds of roasted potatoes do you need per person?”, and how to make crispy oven-roasted potatoes?

How many pounds of roasted potatoes do you need per person?

For roasted potatoes, you will need approximately 1/2 pound of potatoes per person. If we go with this amount, here’s how many potatoes you will need to feed a crowd.

The number of people Number/Amount of potatoes 
4 people2 pounds (4 large potatoes)
6 people 3 pounds (6 large potatoes)
12 people 6 pounds (12 large potatoes)

How to make crispy oven-roasted potatoes? 

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/2 pound potatoes, Note 1, about 3-4 potatoes I prefer Yukon Gold/yellow potatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (optional) Note 2
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (if using salted butter, cut down on salt)
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • cooking oil spray
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary or more (optional) or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary or thyme

Instructions 

  1. Preheat the oven to 450℉ or 232℃. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Then grease with cooking spray.
  1. Scrub clean the potatoes. It depends on you to leave the skin intact or not. Then cut the potatoes into 1.5 – 2 inch pieces.
  1. In a medium-large pot, pour water. Stir in the potatoes and season the water with salt. Boil the potatoes for 6-8 minutes or until soft. Strain the potatoes and return them to the pot.
  1. Heat the potatoes over low-medium heat to dry out the potatoes from the surface. Stir in salt, pepper, rosemary, and a combination of butter and oil at this stage. Toss the potatoes in the seasoning. 
  1. After about 2-3 minutes of cooking, transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet. Spread the potatoes in a single layer and be mindful of not overcrowding the sheet. Use two baking sheets if necessary. 
  1. Roast the potatoes in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Then slip the potatoes and roast again for 10-20 minutes or until crispy and golden. Serve warm and enjoy.

Notes 

  1. Which potatoes to choose? Yukon Gold potatoes are the top pick for making roast potatoes. They crimp up nicely and cook to a creamy and soft inside. You could also use Russet or creamy red potatoes. Russet potatoes cook to a fluffy consistency and do not crisp up as much as the Yukon Gold potatoes.
  1. Baking soda: Some people claim that seasoning the boiling water with a teaspoon or two of baking soda helps the potatoes crisp up. Your potatoes will crisp up anyway if you follow the recipe correctly but it doesn’t hurt to try this hack.
  1. To peel or not to peel? If you opt for Russet potatoes, peel the skins. If you opt for Yukon Gold or red potatoes, you can leave the peppery thin skins. The skins are full of nutrients and do not alter the taste. 
  1. Size of cut potatoes: If you cut bigger potato chunks, you will get creamier insides. If you cut smaller potato chunks, you will end up with more crispy surfaces. Whatever size you choose to cut your potatoes, make sure it is consistent.
  1. Make-ahead: Two options 

Follow the entire recipe as-is but slightly reduce the roasting time. Let the potatoes come to room temperature before packing them for storage. Before serving, finish roasting at 450F for about 7-10 minutes.

Alternatively, you can skip the roasting process altogether and roast the potatoes for about 40-50 minutes before serving.

How much is one portion of potatoes?

One portion of potatoes is equal to nine oven chips, One fist-sized baked/jacket potato, one plantain, three tablespoons of mashed potatoes, and two egg-sized new or boiled potatoes.

How to make roasted baby potatoes with rosemary? 

Ingredients 

  • 2 pounds small potatoes, baby Yukon gold or red skin potatoes
  • 6 cloves garlic, cracked away from the skin
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, enough to just coat potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions 

  1. Preheat the oven to 450℉.
  1. Cut the potatoes in half and place them on a cookie sheet along with the cracked garlic cloves. 
  1. Season the potatoes and garlic with extra virgin olive oil, salt, rosemary, and pepper.
  1. Slide the cookie sheet into the center rack of the oven. Roast for 20 minutes in the preheated oven until soft.

Other FAQs about Potatoes that you may be interested in.

How much does a large potato weigh?

What is the difference between potato wedges and steak fries?

Can you eat half-cooked potatoes?

Conclusion 

In this article, we answered the question “How many pounds of roasted potatoes do you need per person?”, and how to make crispy oven-roasted potatoes?

References 

https://parade.com/843520/tessmelchreit/how-many-potatoes-do-you-need-per-person-for-dinner/
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/roasted-baby-potatoes-with-rosemary-recipe-1940709

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!