How Many Potatoes in 3 Pounds
Potatoes are one of the most versatile ingredients you could ever use, and with so many types of potatoes available, there are endless possibilities!
If you are following a recipe that uses potatoes, and the recipe calls for 3 pounds of potatoes, it can be confusing knowing how many potatoes you would have to use (without having to weigh them all out).
You are always unsure about the number of potatoes in 3 pounds? Keep reading.
How many potatoes there are in 3 pounds will depend on the type of potatoes you are using. Potatoes are generally put into 3 different categories, small, medium, and large. There are usually around 10 small potatoes in 3 pounds, 7 medium potatoes, and 5 large potatoes.
It isn’t always as straightforward as this though, especially as there are so many different types of potatoes out there. Read on to find out how many potatoes there are in 3 pounds for all the various types!
How Many Potatoes Make Up 3 Pounds?
Potatoes are usually sold by the pound, but once you pack them into the vegetable rack at home, you might forget just how many pounds you have bought.
Generally, 3 pounds of potatoes will feed between 3 to 6 people, depending on the meal you are making (whether it is potato-focused or there are other ingredients included).
But how many potatoes do you need to use to make up 3 pounds? The answer to this relies on the type and size of each potato. Potatoes are broken down into 3 general categories, small, medium, and large.
The average weight of a small potato is 5 oz, a medium potato is 7 oz, and a large potato is 10 oz. Working on this average weight per the various potato sizes, we can determine the following:
| Potato Size | Average Weight (oz) | Potatoes per 3 Pounds |
| Small | 5 | 10 potatoes |
| Medium | 7 | 7 potatoes |
| Large | 10 | 5 potatoes |
It is important to keep in mind that these are only estimates, as potatoes, even if classified as small, medium, or large, vary in weight, so this is only a rough guide as to how many potatoes to use.
The Various Types of Potatoes
It might be easier to work out how many potatoes you need per 3 pounds with the actual type of potato you are using in your cooking, rather than the size category of the potato.
Below are the common types of potatoes you will likely find at your grocery store, and how many you would generally need of each to make up 3 pounds:
Russet Potatoes
Russet potatoes are incredibly popular, and they are great to use for many different dishes and in many different cooking methods, such as baking or roasting. The light starchy flesh can also be used to make delicious mash too.
Russet potatoes are considered medium-sized potatoes, and the average weight is around 7 ounces. This means that you would need roughly 7 russet potatoes to make up 3 pounds. You might need fewer or more if the potatoes are particularly large or small.
White Potatoes
White potatoes look similar to russet potatoes, but as the name gives away, the skin is whiter and smoother. These potatoes have a good level of starch and moisture, which allows them to retain their shape well.
You will most likely find large white potatoes at your grocery store, weighing around 10 ounces. Using these potatoes, you would need around 5 to make up 3 pounds. Once again, if the potatoes are smaller, you would need to use more, and if larger, you would need to use less.
Red Potatoes
Red potatoes have red skin, with a waxy, creamy flesh. They make great roasted potatoes and are also ideal to use to make potato salad.
Red potatoes, like russet potatoes, are considered medium-sized, and weigh around 7 ounces each. You would need around 7 of the same size red potatoes to make up 3 pounds. Trying to use the same size potatoes makes weighing them all out much easier.
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Yukon Gold potatoes, also known as yellow potatoes, have a high starch level and are fairly waxy. This makes them great for roasting, grilling, and more, as they have a slightly sweet taste to them.
Yukon Gold potatoes vary in weight quite a bit and can weigh anywhere between 5 ounces to 10 ounces. This means that you would need between 5 and 10 potatoes to make up 3 pounds. This is quite a variance, so you might have to do some weighing to work it out.
However, if the potatoes are on the smaller side, then use around 8, 9, or 10 potatoes. If they are medium or larger, then 5 to 8 potatoes should be fine to use, you will just have to do some guesswork.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes can be tricky, as they often come in different shapes and sizes, and it can be difficult to guess how much one might weigh. Sweet potatoes are also broken down into size categories, being small, medium, or large.
Medium sweet potatoes are the most common, and these weigh around 6 ounces. So, to make up 3 pounds using medium size sweet potatoes, you would need to use around 8.
Small sweet potatoes weigh roughly 4 ounces, and larger potatoes weigh around 8 ounces. You would need between 10 to 12 small sweet potatoes to make 3 pounds and around 6 large sweet potatoes.
Baby Potatoes
If you are making a recipe using baby potatoes, you will need to use quite a number of them to make up 3 pounds. Generally, baby potatoes weigh between 2 to 3 ounces.
Working off baby potatoes weighing 2 ounces, you would need around 24 potatoes, and working off them weighing 3 ounces each, you would need 16 potatoes.
| Type Of Potato | Average Weight Per Potato (oz) | How Many Per 3 Pounds |
| Russet Potato | 6.8 | 7 |
| White Potato | 10 | 5 |
| Red Potato | 7 | 7 |
| Yukon Gold | 5-10 | 5-10 |
| Sweet Potato | 6 | 8 |
| Baby Potato | 2 | 24 |
How Many Potatoes in 3 Pounds
There is no easy way to answer how many potatoes make up 3 pounds, as it all depends on the type of potato you are using, and how large the potato is.
Generally, you would need 10 small potatoes, 7 medium potatoes, or 5 large potatoes, to make up 3 pounds. If in doubt, read through the above, and have a look at the table, to work out how many potatoes you might need!
Related Questions
How Many Servings is 3 lbs of Potato?
3 lbs of potato will be a good serving for around 6 people, but this does depend on what else you are serving with the potatoes.
How Many Pounds is 3 Potatoes?
How many pounds 3 potatoes is will depend on the potato, but generally, 3 small potatoes will equal a pound.
