One cup of vegetable oil weighs 218 g, poured, according to the USDA. Vegetable oil is a neutral-flavoured oil, usually a soybean or canola blend, and its cup weight of 218 g reflects its density of about 0.92 g per ml — lighter than water, slightly heavier than olive oil. The figure matters for frying, baking and dressings, where oil is measured by the cup and the weight decides how much fat is in the dish. All weights on this page are approximate; the USDA density value of 218 g per cup is the reliable figure — the King Arthur chart lists 198 g for vegetable oil, which appears to be an error carried from a smaller measure — so verify with a scale when precision matters.
Vegetable Oil: weight and measurement table
The table below gives the weight of vegetable oil in every measure you will use, from a teaspoon up to 2 cups, all derived from the USDA figure of 218 g per cup, poured. Every figure is approximate — poured 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 | 4.5 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 13.6 g |
| 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) | 54.5 g |
| 1/3 cup | 72.7 g |
| 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) | 109 g |
| 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) | 163.5 g |
| 1 cup (16 tbsp) | 218 g |
| 2 cups | 436 g |
| 100 g | 0.5 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 0.5 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 Vegetable Oil?
Vegetable oil is neutral-flavoured oil, usually a soybean or canola blend. It is refined to remove flavour, colour and odour, leaving a clean, neutral fat with a high smoke point of about 230 C. That neutrality is its strength: it does not compete with other flavours, so it is the oil for frying, baking, dressings and mayonnaise, where the oil should disappear into the dish. It is used for frying, baking, dressings and mayonnaise, and it is the cheapest cooking oil in most kitchens. It should be stored in a cool, dark cupboard and used within 6 months of opening, because it oxidises with heat and light. Once opened, a bottle kept next to the stove will go rancid faster than one kept in a cool cupboard.
How to measure Vegetable Oil correctly
Vegetable Oil is measured poured, and the method matters more than most cooks realise. For dry ingredients, spoon the ingredient into the measure with a smaller spoon, letting it fall loosely, then sweep a knife across the top to level it — never dip the measuring cup into the bag, because dipping compresses the ingredient and adds up to 20 percent. For liquids, pour into a liquid measuring jug and read the level at eye height, or weigh directly into the bowl, which is the most accurate method of all. The USDA figure used on this page is 218 g per cup, and it is the figure the site's converters use, so the numbers here and the numbers in the tool always agree. Confidence in this figure is high.
A note on the published figures
USDA density (0.92 g/ml) gives 218 g per cup. The King Arthur chart lists 198 g for vegetable oil, which appears to be an error carried from a smaller measure; we use the USDA density value.
Worked examples
Deep frying for a family dinner
A deep fryer uses 8 cups of vegetable oil — about 1,744 g — heated to 180 C for frying chicken. The weight matters for two reasons: it tells you how much oil to buy, and it tells you how much oil the food will absorb — about 10 percent of the food's weight, or roughly 100 g for a kilogram of chicken. Weighing the oil is also the way to check the fryer's level without a gauge: a fryer that holds 8 cups needs 1,744 g, and a scale is more reliable than the markings on the side. The oil is heated to 180 C, the chicken is fried in batches so the temperature does not drop, and the oil is strained and reused up to three times before it is discarded.
A mayonnaise from scratch
A mayonnaise uses 1 cup of vegetable oil — 218 g — whisked drop by drop into an egg yolk with mustard and vinegar. The weight matters because mayonnaise is an emulsion: the oil must be added slowly enough for the yolk's lecithin to coat each droplet, and the ratio of oil to yolk decides whether the mayonnaise is thick or runny. Weighing 218 g of oil lets you add it gradually and stop at the right consistency — a mayonnaise made with too much oil is stiff and greasy, while too little gives a thin sauce. The oil is neutral, which is the point: a mayonnaise made with olive oil tastes of olives, while one made with vegetable oil tastes of nothing but the egg and the mustard.
A vegetable oil cake
A cake uses 1/2 cup of vegetable oil — about 109 g — whisked with eggs and sugar instead of butter. The weight is useful because an oil cake stays moist longer than a butter cake: oil is liquid at room temperature, so it coats the flour and keeps the crumb soft for days, while butter solidifies as the cake cools and makes it firmer. Weighing 109 g of oil keeps the ratio exact — a cake made with too much oil is greasy, while too little gives a dry crumb. The oil is neutral, so the cake's flavour comes from the vanilla and the cocoa, not from the fat, which is why oil cakes suit chocolate and spice flavours particularly well.
Neutral oils and smoke points
Vegetable oil's neutrality is its defining quality, and its smoke point is its practical limit. The smoke point — about 230 C for refined vegetable oil — is the temperature at which the oil starts to break down, smoke, and produce acrid flavours and harmful compounds. Below the smoke point, the oil is stable and safe; above it, it degrades rapidly. That is why vegetable oil is the standard frying oil: its smoke point is high enough for deep frying at 180 C, with a comfortable margin. But the smoke point drops as the oil is reused — each frying session breaks the oil down a little more, and after three or four uses, the smoke point can fall below frying temperature, which is when the oil starts to smoke and taste bitter. The practical rules are simple: heat the oil to the right temperature and no higher, do not reuse oil more than three times, strain it between uses, and discard it when it smells fishy or looks dark. And when a recipe calls for oil by weight, use the USDA figure of 218 g per cup — the King Arthur figure of 198 g is an error, and using it will under-measure the oil by 9 percent, which is enough to make a frying batch come out greasy or a cake come out dry.
What to use instead
If you run out of vegetable oil, these are the tested substitutes from our substitution data, with the ratio and the case where each one does not work. Use the ratio by weight where it is given, and check the warning before you commit the batter.
Vegetable oil to Butter: 1 1/3 cups melted butter per 1 cup oil. Do not swap a neutral oil for a strongly flavoured one in delicate baking. — see the full guide: Vegetable oil to butter
Vegetable oil to Olive oil: 1:1. Do not swap a neutral oil for a strongly flavoured one in delicate baking. — see the full guide: Vegetable oil to olive oil
Vegetable oil to Coconut oil: 1:1, melted. Do not swap a neutral oil for a strongly flavoured one in delicate baking. — see the full guide: Vegetable oil to coconut oil
Vegetable oil to Applesauce: 1:1 (baking only). Do not swap a neutral oil for a strongly flavoured one in delicate baking. — see the full guide: Vegetable oil to applesauce
The golden rule for any substitution is to match the job, not just the ingredient: a substitute that works in a sauce may fail in a cake, because the two recipes ask different things of the ingredient. When in doubt, use a recipe written for the substitute rather than adapting one written for the original.
Storage
Cool, dark cupboard; use within 6 months of opening. That is the headline, but the details matter. Store vegetable oil in an airtight container, away from heat, light and strong smells — dry ingredients absorb odours readily, and a bag of flour stored next to the spices will taste of them within a week. Label the container with the date you opened it, so you know how long it has been there, and check it before you bake: if it smells off, tastes bitter, or shows any sign of moisture or insects, discard it. Buying in smaller quantities and using it promptly is better than buying in bulk and storing it for a year, because every ingredient loses flavour with time, even the ones that never truly go bad.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 cup of vegetable oil?
One cup of vegetable oil weighs 218 g, poured, according to the USDA. The King Arthur chart lists 198 g, which appears to be an error. One tablespoon weighs 13.6 g.
How many cups of vegetable oil are in 1 litre?
There are about 4.6 cups in 1 litre of vegetable oil (1,000 divided by 218 is 4.6 cups). A standard 1 litre bottle holds just over 4.5 cups.
Can I use olive oil instead of vegetable oil?
Yes, 1:1 by weight in most cooking. Olive oil has a stronger flavour, so the result will taste of olives — fine for roasting and sautéing, but not ideal for baking or mayonnaise, where a neutral oil is better. Refined olive oil has a similar smoke point to vegetable oil.
How many times can I reuse frying oil?
Up to three times, strained through a fine sieve between uses and stored in a cool, dark place. Discard the oil when it smells fishy, looks dark, or smokes below frying temperature. Do not mix old and new oil.
How long does vegetable oil last?
About 6 months after opening, stored in a cool, dark cupboard. Discard it if it smells rancid or fishy. Keep it away from the stove — heat and light degrade it quickly.
Related pages
If you cook with this ingredient regularly, these pages will help: the cups to grams converter for any amount, the ingredient density lookup for the full table of 120 ingredients, the Vegetable Oil cups to grams page for cup conversions, the Vegetable Oil grams to cups page for working backwards from grams, and the Vegetable Oil tablespoons to grams page for spoon measures. You may also want Olive Oil, Butter.