How to Scale Recipes and Convert Measurements Automatically

Change servings or units in Souschef and ingredient amounts update. Converted values can still be edited.

Arisa Shiraishi

Arisa Shiraishi

Solo builder of Souschef2 min read

Kitchen math is the least fun part of cooking. If a cookie recipe makes 24 and you want 9—or a UK blog lists grams when your only tools are US cups—Souschef can do the arithmetic for you. ⚖️

Quick answer: Open a saved recipe, tap the servings control, and apply a new number. Tap Convert Units to choose Imperial or Metric. You can also scale a recipe inside Cooking Mode or before adding its ingredients to a shopping list.

Scale a recipe to a new serving size

  1. Open a recipe in your Souschef library.
  2. On the Ingredients tab, tap the servings control.
  3. Use the arrows or type a number.
  4. Tap Apply.

Souschef recalculates the ingredient quantities for the new serving size.

For example, a soup listed as four servings with 800 g of potatoes becomes 400 g for two servings or 1.2 kg for six servings.

Check the result before you shop or cook. Scaling is arithmetic, not a chef looking over your shoulder. Whole packages, garnish, frying oil, pan size, cooking time, and seasoning “to taste” can still require judgment.

Scale before making a shopping list

If you are planning to cook six servings instead of four, adjust the recipe before adding its ingredients to your shopping list. This makes the grocery quantities match what you actually intend to cook.

You can also change the serving count while using Cooking Mode. Ingredient amounts referenced in the steps update with it.

Convert recipe measurements

  1. Open the recipe.
  2. On the Ingredients tab, tap Convert Units.
  3. Choose Imperial or Metric.
  4. Optionally keep tools you own—such as cups or teaspoons—unconverted.
  5. Tap Apply.

Turn on Show recipes in original units if you want each recipe to remain in the measurement system it used when imported.

Shared recipe links can also change servings and switch between supported measurement systems in a browser. Importing and editing still happen in the iPhone, iPad, or Android app.

Why volume and weight are not always interchangeable

Souschef uses standard cooking measurements, but ingredients behave differently. A cup of flour can vary depending on how it was scooped or packed, while a kitchen scale measures its weight directly.

For dry ingredients such as flour or cocoa powder, use a scale when precision matters. A converted amount is a useful starting point, not a promise that every ingredient has a perfect culinary equivalent.

Edit after you convert

Converted and scaled amounts remain editable. If one-third of a cup feels awkward, or you prefer 150 g instead of 148 g, change the ingredient to match how you cook.

Frequently asked questions

Does scaling work in Cooking Mode?

Yes. Change the serving count while cooking, and ingredient quantities update throughout the recipe.

Should I scale before creating a shopping list?

Yes, if you want the list to match the amount you will actually cook.

Can people scale a shared recipe in a browser?

Yes. A shared recipe viewer can adjust servings and switch between supported measurement systems without installing the app.

Are serving adjustments and unit conversion available on the free plan?

Yes. Both features are available on the free plan.

Skip the calculator

Scale the next recipe to the number of people at your table, convert it to the tools you actually own, and cook. 🥕

Scaling is one job inside a larger library. See best recipe organizer apps.

Get Souschef for iPhone and iPad or download Souschef for Android.