What is a tablespoon?
In the culinary world, a tablespoon is a commonly used unit of measure that holds volume. Its use spans recipes for both solid and liquid ingredients. However, the volume a tablespoon holds can vary slightly depending on regional standards.
- US tablespoon: 14.79 ml
- Metric tablespoon: 15 ml
- Australian tablespoon: 20 ml
What is a cup?
The cup serves as a larger unit of measure and is perhaps one of the most crucial units in baking and cooking. Much like tablespoons, cups have various definitions globally:
- US cup: Approximately 236 ml
- Metric cup: 250 ml
- British cup: 284 ml
- Japanese cup: 200 ml
Understanding these differences is essential when aiming for accuracy in international recipes.
Formula
The conversion between tablespoons and cups truly depends on these standardized measurements. To convert tablespoons to cups with a specific measuring system, use the following formula:
For instance, when using American measures, where one tablespoon is approximately 14.79 ml and one cup is about 236 ml, the formula simplifies to:
Switching it up for the metric system, assuming a metric tablespoon of 15 ml:
Be sure to adapt the volume of 1 tablespoon and the cup volume in the formula above according to your chosen standards (American, metric, British, Japanese, etc.).
How to convert tablespoons to cups
Converting tablespoons to cups or the reverse can be remarkably straightforward once you know the measurements your recipe requires. Let’s consider the step-by-step process of such conversion:
- Identify the system: Determine whether you are converting using an American, Metric, or Australian tablespoon and a specific cup type.
- Apply the formula: Enter the value of tablespoons needed in the formula.
- Complete the calculation: Perform the arithmetic, utilizing the conversions specific to both units of measure based on the geographical standards you selected.
Let’s use the instruction on the example of converting 10 tablespoons to cups:
If 1 American tablespoon is 14.79 ml and 1 American cup is 236 ml, the calculation would look like this:
So, 10 American tablespoons roughly translate to 0.627 American cups.
Examples
Converting 15 tablespoons to cups:
Using a metric tablespoon (15 ml) and a metric cup (250 ml):
Thus, 15 metric tablespoons equate to 0.9 metric cups.
How many cups of sugar are needed if there are 8 tablespoons of sugar in the recipe?
Here, an US tablespoon (14,79 ml) to a US cup (236 ml):
So, 8 US tablespoons roughly correspond to 0.5 US cups.
Tablespoons to cups conversion tables
American tablespoons to American cups
| Tablespoons (14,79 ml) | Cups (236 ml) |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 0.0625 cup |
| 5 tbsp | 0.3125 cup |
| 8 tbsp | 0.5 cup |
| 16 tbsp | 1 cup |
| 20 tbsp | 1.25 cup |
| 24 tbsp | 1.5 cup |
| 30 tbsp | 1.875 cup |
| 32 tbsp | 2 cup |
| 40 tbsp | 2.5 cup |
| 48 tbsp | 3 cup |
Metric tablespoons to metric cups
| Tablespoons (15 ml) | Cups (250 ml) |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 0.06 cup |
| 5 tbsp | 0.3 cup |
| 10 tbsp | 0.6 cup |
| 16,7 tbsp | 1 cup |
| 20 tbsp | 1.2 cup |
| 25 tbsp | 1.5 cup |
| 33,3 tbsp | 2 cup |
| 40 tbsp | 2.4 cup |
| 45 tbsp | 2.7 cup |
| 50 tbsp | 3.0 cup |
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
An American cup, comprising 236 ml, typically contains approximately 16 American tablespoons (14.79 ml each). In a cup of 250 ml, there are approximately 16.7 standard tablespoons.
Why do tablespoon and cup sizes differ?
Size variances are historically rooted in regional practices and culinary traditions, which have led to globally diverse standards of measure.
Is it possible to specify your cup volume?
Yes, if the cup does not fit the standards available in the converter, then you can specify your cup volume.
1 cup salt in tablespoons
It doesn’t matter what product you are measuring, be it water, sugar, flour or salt, since both a tablespoon and a glass are measures of volume, so the volume (as opposed to weight) values will be the same. In a US cup of 236 ml, there are approximately 16 US tablespoons of salt. In a cup of 250 ml, there are approximately 16.7 standard tablespoons of salt.
How many tablespoons are in half a cup?
In a half cup of 236 ml, there are approximately 8.35 standard tablespoons.
How many tablespoons are in a 1/3 cup?
In a 1/3 cup of 236 ml, there are approximately 5.3 US tablespoons. In a 1/3 cup of 250 ml, there are approximately 5.56 standard tablespoons.