How Many Potatoes Are In A Pound?
Some vegetables are sold in bags, so it's easy to understand how much of a certain veggie is equal to one pound. Potatoes are a bit trickier, though, because they're commonly sold individually and also come in such varied shapes and sizes. So, how many potatoes is equal to a pound?
The answer is a little surprising: Just one large potato weighs around one pound. Russet potatoes fall into the large category, so if you're making two pounds of homemade french fries, you'll need just two large potatoes. If you're eyeballing the size of the potatoes in terms of weight, a "large" potato has a diameter between 1¾ inches and 2½ inches. The number of potatoes in a pound will vary depending on the type of potatoes you purchase.
Medium and small potatoes likely don't weigh a pound
If you're buying medium potatoes, you'll need about two of them to equal one pound. A red potato variety is a good baseline here in terms of size because they fall into that medium potato category. The diameter of a medium potato is between 1½ inches and 2¼ inches, so be aware that there could be some overlap in size with large potatoes. Since the size range is so wide, some medium potatoes could weigh almost a pound. Expect about three small potatoes to equal one pound. Small potatoes include creamer and fingerling potatoes, and their diameter will fall below 1½ inches.
The best way to gauge the true weight of your potatoes before purchasing them is to place them on the scale in the produce section, and adjust as needed. If you're cooking for a crowd, make sure you have enough potatoes to feed the room. Estimate around one cup of diced or mashed potatoes per person, which equals roughly one medium potato.