Pasta Portions Calculator

The standard UK portion for a main course is 75g of dried pasta per person. This yields approximately 185-190g of cooked pasta once boiled. For heartier appetites, you can increase to 100g dry per person.

The dry weight per person stays the same regardless of pasta shape for dried pasta. However, different shapes may look more or less generous on the plate. Tube and shell pastas trap sauce and feel more filling. Fresh pasta is heavier and more dense, so you need about 125g per person for a main.

Dried pasta approximately doubles to triples in weight when cooked, depending on the shape and how long you cook it. On average, the cooked weight is about 2.5 times the dry weight. So 75g dry becomes roughly 185-190g cooked.

Use approximately 1 litre of water per 100g of pasta (the UK "10-100-1000" rule: 10g salt, 100g pasta, 1000ml water). This gives enough room for the pasta to move freely and cook evenly. For large batches, you can reduce this slightly to about 800ml per 100g, but never less.

For children under 10, use roughly half the adult portion (35-40g dry for a main). For teenagers, use the full adult portion as their appetites are often similar to adults.