A cup of strawberries is 152 g — the USDA figure, measured spooned and levelled. Sweet red berries, hulled and sliced. It is used for shortcake, salads, smoothies and jam. They are the most perishable fruit on this page, with a shelf life of three days, and that urgency is part of their charm: strawberries are at their best for a very short window, and the weight you need is worth knowing before that window closes. This guide covers the weight of strawberries in every measure you will use — cups, tablespoons and teaspoons — how to measure it correctly, what to use instead when you run out, and how to store it. All weights on this page are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
Strawberries: weight and measurement table
The table below gives the weight of Strawberries in every measure you will use, from a teaspoon up to 2 cups, all derived from the USDA figure of 152 g per cup, spooned and levelled. Every figure is approximate — spooned and levelled is a technique, not a machine setting — so when the recipe matters, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale instead.
| Amount | Weight (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 3.2 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 9.5 g |
| 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) | 38 g |
| 1/3 cup | 50.7 g |
| 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) | 76 g |
| 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) | 114 g |
| 1 cup (16 tbsp) | 152 g |
| 2 cups | 304 g |
| 100 g | 0.66 cups |
There are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon and 16 tablespoons in a cup, so you can move between any of these measures by multiplying or dividing. If a recipe calls for 100 g and you only have measuring cups, that is about 0.66 cups. Keep the cups to grams converter open while you cook and you will never need to do the arithmetic in your head.
What is Strawberries?
Sweet red berries, hulled and sliced. Strawberries is used for shortcake, salads, smoothies and jam. The ingredient is a familiar one in most kitchens, but it is worth knowing what it actually is before you measure it, because the form it comes in decides how it behaves in a recipe. Strawberries as sold is the form the weight on this page refers to: 152 g per cup, spooned and levelled, from USDA. If you buy it in a different form — chopped, ground, toasted, sweetened or unsweetened — the weight per cup changes, sometimes by a lot, so weigh the ingredient in the form the recipe asks for, or weigh it before you change its form. That single habit, weighing before chopping, grinding or toasting, is what keeps the recipe consistent from one bake to the next.
How to measure Strawberries
Spoon the strawberries lightly into the measuring cup or spoon, then level the top with the back of a knife. Do not scoop the measure straight from the bag or the jar, because scooping packs the ingredient down and adds weight with every spoonful. Do not press it down or shake the measure to settle it, because that packs it too. The spooned and levelled method is a technique, not a machine setting, so two people measuring the same ingredient can still differ by a few grams, which is why the figures on this page are approximate. When the recipe matters, weigh the strawberries on a kitchen scale instead: put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the strawberries until the scale reads the weight you need.
How to store Strawberries
Refrigerate unwashed; use within 3 days. That storage advice is worth following, because strawberries goes stale faster than most cooks expect, and stale strawberries will spoil a whole batch of baking. Keep it sealed, because air and moisture are what make it go stale, and keep it away from strong smells, because it absorbs odours from the cupboard. Check the ingredient before you use it: smell it, taste a little, and look at it. If it smells sharp, stale or off, or if it has changed colour or texture, replace it rather than risking a recipe on it. A small amount of fresh strawberries is always better than a large amount of stale strawberries, and the cost of replacing it is far less than the cost of a ruined bake.
What to use instead of Strawberries
If you run out of strawberries, the closest swaps are Blueberries at 170 g per cup, Raspberries at 123 g per cup. Swap by weight, not by volume, because the cup weights differ, and a volume swap gives the wrong amount. Each substitute changes the flavour a little, so choose the one that suits the dish: a mild substitute for a delicate bake, and a stronger one where the flavour can carry it. Taste the finished dish before serving, because a substitute that works in a salad may not work in a cake, and the other way round.
Worked examples: Strawberries in real recipes
1. A strawberry shortcake for a summer lunch
A strawberry shortcake for six uses 12 tablespoons of sliced strawberries, about 114 g, macerated in a little sugar until they release their juice. The berries are spooned over split shortcake biscuits with whipped cream, and the weight is what decides whether the dessert is juicy or dry: too few berries and the shortcake tastes plain, too many and the juice soaks the biscuit into mush. Macerate the berries for thirty minutes, then drain off some of the juice if there is too much, and assemble the shortcakes just before serving so the biscuits stay crisp.
2. A strawberry smoothie for breakfast
A breakfast smoothie for two uses 10 tablespoons of strawberries, about 95 g, blended with milk, yogurt and a banana. The berries give the smoothie its colour and its sweetness, and freezing them first makes the smoothie thick and cold without needing ice. Hull the berries and freeze them in a single layer, so they do not stick together, and blend them straight from frozen for the thickest result.
3. A strawberry and spinach salad
A summer salad of spinach, strawberries and goat cheese uses 8 tablespoons of sliced strawberries, about 76 g, scattered over the leaves just before serving. The berries add sweetness and colour that balance the tangy cheese and the earthy spinach, and their weight matters because too many berries make the salad taste like a fruit bowl. Scatter them at the end and dress the salad lightly, because a heavy dressing crushes the berries and stains the leaves.
Why the weight of Strawberries matters
Strawberries matter by weight because they are sold by the punnet, not by the cup, and a punnet can hold anywhere from 200 g to 400 g depending on the size of the berries. A recipe that says two cups of strawberries needs about 304 g, and the only way to know whether the punnet holds that much is to weigh it. The cup measure is also unreliable for a fruit that varies in size: large berries leave bigger air gaps than small ones, so the same cup can hold very different weights. In a shortcake, the strawberry content decides whether the dessert is juicy or dry, and a 30 g error is the difference between the two. Weighing the berries is the habit that keeps the dessert consistent, and it also helps with cost, because strawberries are expensive and a recipe that says a cup can hide a wide range of actual amounts.
The USDA figure, and how it was measured
The USDA figure for strawberries is not disputed: 152 g per cup, spooned and levelled, is the accepted value, and other sources agree within a few grams. Small differences between brands and batches are normal, because natural ingredients vary, but the variation is small enough that the figure on this page is a reliable guide for everyday cooking. The figure on this page, 152 g per cup, was measured spooned and levelled, which is the standard method for this kind of ingredient. If you measure it differently — scooping instead of spooning, packing instead of levelling, or measuring after chopping — the weight changes, and the recipe changes with it. The source matters too: USDA is the reference used throughout this site, because its figures are consistent and widely used in baking, and the USDA figures are used where King Arthur does not publish one. When two sources disagree, this site says so, and the figure given is the one judged most reliable for everyday cooking.
Common mistakes with Strawberries
The most common mistake is washing strawberries and then measuring them by volume: wet berries stick together and the water adds weight, so wash them, dry them well, then weigh them. The second mistake is hulling them before washing, which lets water soak into the berry and makes it soggy; wash them whole, then hull them. The third mistake is slicing strawberries for a cake and adding them to the batter raw, where they release juice and make the crumb soggy; macerate them in a little sugar first and drain the juice. Finally, do not store strawberries washed in the fridge, because the moisture makes them go soft and mouldy faster; wash them just before use and eat them within three days.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 cup of strawberries?
One cup of sliced strawberries weighs about 152 g, spooned and levelled, using the USDA figure. That is for hulled, sliced berries as sold, and whole berries weigh slightly less per cup because they leave more air gaps. The figure is approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of strawberries?
100 grams of strawberries is about 10.5 tablespoons, spooned and levelled, because one tablespoon weighs about 9.5 g. Ten level tablespoons is just under 100 g, so add a few more slices, or weigh the berries on a scale, which is easier and more accurate for a soft fruit.
Should I wash strawberries before hulling them?
Yes. Wash them whole, then hull them afterwards, because hulling first lets water soak into the berry and makes it soggy. Rinse them gently under cold water, dry them well on a clean towel, and hull them just before use, because hulled berries go soft faster.
Why do strawberries make my cake soggy?
Because they release juice as they bake, and the juice soaks into the crumb. The fix is to macerate the sliced berries in a little sugar first, drain off the juice, and fold the berries into the batter at the very end. A thicker batter also helps, and it is better to use strawberries as a topping or a filling than baked into the crumb.
How should I store strawberries?
Refrigerate them unwashed and use them within 3 days. Washing them before storage adds moisture that makes them go soft and mouldy faster. Pick out any soft or mouldy berries as soon as you see them, because one bad berry spoils the rest of the punnet.