Hali Bey Ramdene is the founder of StudioHalibey, a creative consultancy that tells stories around food, good living, and well-being.
updated Oct 4, 2023
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Potatoes can be a bit sly. We’re used to buying them either piecemeal or by the bag, so when you step back to try and really understand what a pound looks like, it can be a bit puzzling. Not to mention, if a recipes calls for certain kinds of potatoes in pounds, it’s especially important to have an idea of how to shop for that. How can you determine how many potatoes are in a pound when there are so many types, shapes, and sizes?
Quick Overview
How Many Potatoes Are in a Pound?
If you don’t have a scale, or simply don’t feel like using it, the best way to determine what one pound of potatoes looks like is to estimate it by the size of each potato. Use this general formula to know how many potatoes are in a pound:
- One large potato equals around one pound.
- Two medium-size potatoes equal about one pound.
- Three small potatoes equal around one pound.
While these aren’t exact measurements, it’s useful to be able to eyeball a potato or three to get a sense of their weight. It’s important to remember, though, that the weight of potatoes depends a lot on the variety of potatoes. Russet potatoes tend to be the largest type of potatoes, followed by Yukon Gold, red potatoes, and baby potatoes.
How Many Red Potatoes are in a Pound?
Red potatoes are smaller than russet potatoes but closer in size to Yukon Gold potatoes, which are often medium in size. In other words, two medium-size red potatoes equals one pound. Four or five small-size red potatoes equals around one pound.
Recipes to Try with One Pound of Potatoes
After you’ve loaded up your grocery cart or shopping bag, you’ll want to put those potatoes to good use. Here are some of our favorite recipes that call for potatoes by the pound.
