Pasta Calculator
How much pasta do you need? Calculate dry-to-cooked weight, servings per person, and total amounts for any group size.
Pasta Serving Size Guide
| Serving Type | Dry per Person | Cooked per Person |
|---|---|---|
| Main course (adult) | 100g / 3.5 oz | 200g / 7 oz |
| Side dish / starter | 60g / 2 oz | 120g / 4 oz |
| Kids (under 12) | 50g / 1.75 oz | 100g / 3.5 oz |
| Hearty appetite | 125g / 4.5 oz | 250g / 9 oz |
Dry-to-Cooked Expansion by Shape
| Pasta Shape | Expansion Factor | 100g Dry = |
|---|---|---|
| Spaghetti, penne, fusilli, rigatoni | 2x | 200g cooked |
| Farfalle, orecchiette | 2.25x | 225g cooked |
| Orzo, egg noodles | 2.5x | 250g cooked |
| Couscous | 3x | 300g cooked |
| Fettuccine | 1.8x | 180g cooked |
| Fresh pasta (egg) | 1.5x | 150g cooked |
| Lasagna sheets | 1.75x | 175g cooked |
How to Cook Pasta Perfectly
Don't rinse pasta after cooking (unless making a cold salad). The starchy surface helps sauce cling to it. Save some pasta water — the starchy water is perfect for loosening and emulsifying sauces. Finish pasta in the sauce for the last 1-2 minutes instead of draining completely.
How much pasta per person?
The classic portion is about 100 g of dried pasta per adult for a main course, or 50–60 g as a starter or side. This calculator scales that for the number of people you're feeding and whether it's a main or a side, so you cook the right amount instead of the usual "too much." Fresh pasta is heavier and more filling, so you need more of it by weight — roughly 115–150 g per person.
For cooking, the ratios matter: use plenty of water (about 1 litre per 100 g of pasta) so it doesn't clump, and salt it well — around 7–10 g of salt per litre, which should taste like mild seawater. That salt is the pasta's only chance to be seasoned from the inside.
Tips
Save a mugful of starchy cooking water before draining; a splash loosens and emulsifies a sauce far better than plain water. Cook to just shy of the packet time for al dente — the pasta finishes in the sauce. And don't add oil to the water; it only coats the pasta and stops sauce from clinging.
Frequently asked questions
How much dried pasta per person?
About 100 g for a main course and 50–60 g for a side or starter. Big appetites or hearty sauces push toward 120 g.
How much water and salt?
Roughly 1 litre of water and 7–10 g of salt per 100 g of pasta. Generous water keeps pasta from sticking; proper salt seasons it from within.
Is fresh pasta the same portion as dried?
No — fresh pasta contains water and weighs more, so serve about 115–150 g per person versus 100 g of dried.
Written by Nicolas Martin. Last updated July 2026 · How we keep our tools accurate →