Scale a recipe to a different number of servings
To serve a different number of people, divide the servings you want by the servings the recipe makes, then multiply every ingredient by that factor. Going from 4 to 6 servings gives 6 ÷ 4 = 1 1/2, or 1.5.
Worked example
Original servings: 4 → Target servings: 6
Multiplier 1 1/2×
| Ingredient | Original | Scaled |
|---|---|---|
| Broth | 1 1/4 cup | 1 7/8 cup1.875 |
| Olive oil | 1/3 cup | 1/2 cup0.5 |
| Garlic | 2 cloves | 3 cloves |
| Salt | 1/2 tsp | 3/4 tsp0.75 |
With a multiplier of 1 1/2, 1 1/4 cup becomes 1 7/8 cup (1.875), 1/3 cup becomes exactly 1/2 cup, and 2 cloves become 3. The ½ symbol is read as 1/2, so the salt goes from 1/2 tsp to 3/4 tsp. Multiplying the fractions directly avoids the drift you get from rounding 1/3 to a decimal first.
How the scaler handles it
- Multiplier = target servings ÷ original servings. For 4 → 6 that is 6 ÷ 4 = 3/2, shown as 1 1/2×.
- Servings can be any amount greater than 0 and up to 10,000, including fractions such as 2 1/2.
- Enter the real serving counts instead of a rounded multiplier: 3 → 5 servings is exactly 1 2/3, which a decimal such as 1.67 only approximates.
- Each row keeps its unit and ingredient name; only the quantity changes.
- Scaling down works the same way: 6 → 4 servings uses a multiplier of 2/3.