How many lbs. of small red potatoes needed for potato salad for 20?

10 lbs

20 potatoes , i don’t see why you can’t cook or part cook some of it the night before store it correctly tho .

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/The-Best-Potato-Salad/Detail.aspx

I know this isn’t the recipe you’ll be making, but for this recipe, twelve servings calls for 10 red potatoes (10 pounds would be waaaaay too much). You could extrapolate that to be about 1 potato per person. There will probably be leftovers, but I think that is always better than too little.

As for the making ahead, go for it. Potato salad usually tastes better if it can sit in the fridge for a few hours.

1 small red potato per person? That’s nouvelle cuisine to you my friend! And you know what half a pound of potatoes looks like? a cup!

@ivanthered – I know, but there will most likely be other things to eat besides one big vat of potato salad. It is a side. Sheesh.

The question was about X quantity for N servings, how many people will eat it and how many other dishes will be available are not influential variables. Shuush.

Sigh Fine. I still stand by other recipes for examples. The one I linked called for 10 red potatoes for 12 servings. So start by making it with 20 potatoes, and if it looks like too dainty of a portion, add a few more potatoes. Thats the wonderful thing about salads. You can always add more ingredients.

That’s a more reasonable of a comment ;)

This website is actually designed for even larger quantities, but the site owner says about potato salad “I allow about 35–40 pounds raw per 100 when it is the only side salad.” That translates to 35 to 40 divided by 5, or 7 to 8 pounds of potatoes. Depending on the size of the potatoes the actual count will vary. However, most grocery stores have a scale you can use to weigh out the potatoes by poundage.

And your potato salad will probably be much better if made the day before and refrigerate it. The same with your bean salad.

I found a recipe somewhat similar to the one you described on recipezaar, and changed the servings to 20… the conversion called for 12½ lbs small red potatoes

I agree with Darwin and others, potato salad is almost always best when made the day before

I just bought 11½ lbs of organic red potatoes. After I got home, I learned that the head count was now 25.

@all: I spoke too soon. Head count is now 30. My sis, who is hosting, has sensibly decided to have the main course and salad catered. I am stuck with my 11+lbs of organic potatoes but it’s still a side dish and the three under 5’s won’t touch it.

Potato salad and coleslaw contains high levels of

@sandystrachan: I am using organic new potatoes, which will be cooked and no mayo. (if my sister can do it, so can I. I just decided to take my 11 lbs to the local caterer who will make a raspberry vinegar and oil dressing.) Only other ingredients will be fresh raspberries and preserved capers. It all sounds safe enough to us.

We are scrupulous always in purchasing, prepping and cooking. But thanks for passing that on. (I make cole slaw with oil and vinegar also and a few caraway seeds for zip.)

@sandystrachan – We weren’t advising her to leave it out on the counter overnight, nor to prepare it in a dirty kitchen. Besides, her recipe as given above contains no mayo or dairy.

@gailcalled – Good call giving the spuds to the caterer, although as you probably know they keep for a while so you could slowly use them up at home. However, being rid of the stress of making vast quantities for an ever-increasing number of guests…Priceless!

@Darwin I know no-one said leave it out overnight or to prep it in a dirty kitchen , i was just passing on some information that was kind of relevant to the food stuffs .