Guide
Recipe scaler
Change recipe yield without wrecking ratios. Practical scaling habits plus a clean ingredient list in Cooking Companion.
The math that bites people
Doubling 3/4 cup in your head mid-sauté is how 1.5 cups becomes "a little more than a cup." Scale on paper or in a clean list before the pan is hot.
Example: a soup for 4 that uses 2 cups broth and 1/2 cup cream. For 6 servings, that is 3 cups broth and 3/4 cup cream if you scale linearly. Salt still needs tasting. Cook time may not grow the same way.
What does not scale linearly
Yeast, baking powder, chiles, and salt often need a lighter touch than strict multiplication. Giant batches brown differently in the same pan. If you are baking, treat scaling as a starting point and watch texture.
Cooking Companion gives you a clean ingredient list to work from. Use that list as the source of truth when you rewrite quantities, instead of editing a noisy webpage.
Order of operations
Import or clean the recipe first. Decide the new serving count. Rewrite the quantities. Then cook. Scaling after you have already poured oil usually means starting over.
Frequently asked questions
Does Cooking Companion auto-scale every recipe today?
Check the live web app for current scaling features. This page is about the kitchen workflow even when you are doing the math yourself.
Is scaling the same as unit conversion?
No. Scaling changes yield. Unit conversion changes cups to grams (or similar). You often need both, but they are separate steps.
What if I am missing an ingredient after I scale?
See the ingredient substitution guide. Fix the pantry gap before you commit to the new batch size.
Built around Cooking Companion in the Cooking & recipe tools hub.