How to adjust a recipe from four to six servings

Short answer: to go from four to six servings, multiply each ingredient by 1.5. Then adjust what does not scale linearly: seasoning, cooking time, the size of the pot or pan and ingredients that cannot be divided, such as eggs.

Prerequisites

• The original recipe with its quantities.
• A calculator or the portion calculator.
• A pot or pan that fits the larger amount.

Steps

1. Calculate the factor. Six divided by four is 1.5.
2. Multiply each ingredient by the factor. Two cups become three; 200 g becomes 300 g.
3. Handle "whole" ingredients. One egg becomes one and a half. One option is to beat an egg and use half of it, or round up where the recipe allows.
4. Choose the container. The bigger batch needs a bigger pan or pot, but without spreading too thin, to keep the thickness close to the original.
5. Adjust seasoning gradually. Salt, pepper and spices do not always scale proportionally. Add about 1.25 times and taste before adding more.
6. Watch the time. Increasing the quantity may lengthen cooking, but not in the same proportion. Check doneness before the final time.
7. Note the result so you can repeat it next time.

An example

A sauce recipe serves four with 400 g of tomato, 1 onion and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. For six, use 600 g of tomato, 1.5 onions and 3 tablespoons of oil. Salt was added at 1.25 times, then tasted. The bigger pot needed a few more minutes to reduce. This is an illustrative example.

Common mistakes

• Multiplying salt and time by the same factor without tasting.
• Using a pan that is too small and letting batter overflow or stay raw in the middle.
• Forgetting small-quantity ingredients, such as yeast, which require precision.

Next step

Test the adjustment with a simple recipe that tolerates variation, such as a sauté or a soup.