1/2 Cup Ketchup in Grams
1/2 cup of ketchup weighs 120 g (spooned and levelled, USDA). Sweet tomato condiment. All the figures on this page are approximate conversions based on the USDA value, so when a recipe really matters, verify with a kitchen scale. Ketchup is the sauce that appears on almost every table, which is why a half cup of it is the amount that fills a barbecue sauce, a meatloaf glaze or a dipping bowl for a crowd, and why the weight matters: a cup of ketchup is mostly tomato and sugar, and the recipe is counting on both.
Why half a cup of ketchup is a useful amount
Half a cup of ketchup is the amount that goes into a sauce for a family dinner, a marinade, a dressing or a glaze, and it is an amount where the cup is at its least convenient. Thick sauces cling to the measure, thin ones splash, and a level half cup of a viscous ingredient can easily be ten grams off depending on how much was left behind. Dipping, burgers, glazes and sauces. The table below is built from the published USDA weight for ketchup measured spooned and levelled, so you can weigh it straight into the pan and skip the sticky cup altogether.
Ketchup cups to grams conversion table
| Cups | Grams | Tablespoons (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 60 g | 3.8 g |
| 1/3 cup | 80 g | 5 g |
| 1/2 cup | 120 g | 7.5 g |
| 2/3 cup | 160 g | 10 g |
| 3/4 cup | 180 g | 11.2 g |
| 1 cup | 240 g | 15 g |
| 1 1/2 cups | 360 g | 22.5 g |
| 2 cups | 480 g | 30 g |
| 3 cups | 720 g | 45 g |
| 4 cups | 960 g | 60 g |
The tablespoon column is a bonus for recipes that call for a spoonful or two: one tablespoon of ketchup weighs about 15 g, and one teaspoon about 5 g. A cup is 16 tablespoons, so the numbers in the table are just the cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. For small amounts a scale that reads to the gram is far more reliable than a spoon, because a heaped tablespoon can weigh half as much again as a level one.
How the weight was measured
Spooned and levelled means spooning the ingredient into the measuring cup until it is heaped, then sweeping a straight knife across the top to level it off. Never scoop the cup through the bag or jar, and never tap the cup down, because both pack the ingredient and add weight.
The source for the 240 g figure is USDA, and the confidence in the value is medium. USDA publishes a standard ingredient weight chart that recipe developers use as a reference, and this page follows it exactly rather than averaging across sources, because an average of two different measuring methods is a number that matches nobody's cup.
Worked examples
A barbecue sauce for a grill night
A barbecue sauce for a grill night uses 1/2 cup of ketchup, which is 120 g, simmered with vinegar, brown sugar and spices. The ketchup is the base of the sauce, so its weight decides whether the sauce is thick or thin. Weighing 120 g keeps the sauce right, and the sauce must be simmered gently, or the sugar catches and burns on the bottom of the pan.
A meatloaf glaze for a family dinner
A meatloaf for a family dinner is glazed with 1/2 cup of ketchup, which is 120 g, spread over the top before baking. The ketchup caramelises in the oven and forms a sticky crust, so its weight decides whether the glaze is generous or patchy. Weighing 120 g keeps the glaze even, and the glaze should go on halfway through baking, or it burns before the loaf is done.
A dipping sauce for a party
A dipping sauce for a party calls for 1/2 cup of ketchup, which is 120 g, mixed with mayonnaise and a little hot sauce. The ketchup is the sweetness that balances the heat, so its weight decides whether the dip is mild or fiery. Weighing 120 g keeps the dip balanced, and the dip can be made a day ahead, though it must be kept cold.
When this conversion matters most
This conversion matters most when a sauce has to land in a precise ratio. In a marinade, the weight of ketchup against the oil and acid decides whether the flavour penetrates or just coats the surface; in a glaze, it decides whether the coating sets or slides off; in a dressing, it decides whether the emulsion holds or splits. A cup measure hides all of that behind the residue left in the cup, so two cooks following the same recipe can end up with visibly different results. Weighing the bowl directly is faster than scraping a cup clean, and it is the only way to know the true amount.
Common mistakes with ketchup
- Scraping a sticky cup clean. A cup measure of a thick sauce always leaves some behind, so the amount that reaches the pan is less than the amount you measured. Weigh the bowl instead and add the sauce until the scale reads the right number.
- Measuring a cold, thick sauce. Cold sauces are stiffer and trap air, so a cup of cold sauce weighs less than a cup at room temperature. Let the jar warm up, stir it well, then weigh.
- Forgetting that sauces are mostly water or sugar. An extra half cup of sauce adds liquid or sweetness the recipe never planned for. Weigh it and adjust the other ingredients if the pan looks wet or the glaze tastes too sweet.
- Using the cup for a brine or a cure. Brines and sauces that preserve food depend on concentration. A cup measure is far too coarse for that job, so weigh the ingredient and trust the scale.
Storage and handling
Refrigerate after opening; use within 6 months. Keeping ketchup stored properly also keeps its weight per cup stable: an ingredient that has absorbed moisture from the air weighs more per cup than a dry one, so a sealed container is not just about freshness, it is about measurement accuracy too. If a bag has been open for months in a humid kitchen, the first thing to do before a precise bake is to weigh the ingredient rather than trusting the cup.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1/2 cup of ketchup?
1/2 cup of ketchup weighs 120 g, measured spooned and levelled according to USDA. That is the figure to use when converting a recipe from cups to grams, and it is the value the conversion table on this page is built on.
How do I measure ketchup without a scale?
Spooned and levelled means spooning the ingredient into the measuring cup until it is heaped, then sweeping a straight knife across the top to level it off. Never scoop the cup through the bag or jar, and never tap the cup down, because both pack the ingredient and add weight. That gives the closest result to 120 g per half cup, but it is still an estimate: the honest answer is that a scale is the only way to know the exact weight, and a basic digital kitchen scale costs less than a bag of good flour.
Does ketchup always weigh the same per cup?
No. Brand, grind, moisture and how settled the container is all shift the weight by a few grams, and for some ingredients the swing can be much larger. The 240 g figure is the standard USDA value for ketchup measured spooned and levelled, and it is the right default, but when a recipe is precise, weigh the ingredient and trust the scale over the cup.
Can I use the same conversion for a different brand of ketchup?
Yes, as a starting point. The 240 g figure is a standard average for ketchup, and most brands sit within a few grams of it. If you cook with one brand all the time, weigh one cup of it once and note the number on the bag, and you will have a conversion tuned to your own kitchen.
Is ketchup the same as tomato sauce by weight?
No. A half cup of ketchup is 120 g, while a half cup of tomato sauce is 122.5 g, and the two taste very different: ketchup is sweetened and vinegary, tomato sauce is plain and savoury. Swapping them cup for cup changes the sweetness of the dish completely. Use ketchup where the recipe wants sweetness and tang, and tomato sauce where it wants a plain tomato base.
How should I store ketchup?
Refrigerate after opening; use within 6 months. Good storage keeps the ingredient fresh and keeps its weight per cup consistent, because moisture absorbed from the air adds grams that the recipe did not ask for.
Related conversions
Use the cups to grams converter, tablespoons to grams converter, weight converter, liquid volume converter for instant answers, or browse the cups to grams hub for the full ingredient list. Related pages: Salt in cups to grams, Milk in cups to grams, Butter in cups to grams. See also our disclaimer about approximate conversions.