1 teaspoon of ketchup weighs 5.00 g. A teaspoon is one forty-eighth of a cup, and a cup of ketchup is 240 g spooned and levelled, so the maths is 240 ÷ 48 = 5.00 g. The same cup divided by 16 gives the tablespoon weight of 15.0 g, and there are 3 teaspoons in every tablespoon. If you cook from recipes written in cups and spoons, this page is the bridge between the two, and the worked examples show the conversion inside real dishes rather than in isolation.
Ketchup by the teaspoon is the measure for the small jobs: a spoonful in a sauce, a spoonful in a glaze, or a spoonful on a single burger. A teaspoon holds exactly 5 g, and a cup is 240 g — ketchup is a little heavier than water per spoon, because the tomato solids and sugar add mass. The spoon table is the fastest way to keep a barbecue sauce in balance, because ketchup is sweet as well as tangy, and an extra spoonful changes the whole sauce.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from USDA, measured spooned and levelled. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
Conversion table
One teaspoon is one forty-eighth of a cup, so every figure in this table is the cup weight divided by 48, rounded to two decimal places. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
| Teaspoons | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 tsp | 5.00 g |
| 2 tsp | 10.00 g |
| 3 tsp | 15.00 g |
| 4 tsp | 20.00 g |
| 5 tsp | 25.00 g |
| 6 tsp | 30.00 g |
| 7 tsp | 35.00 g |
| 8 tsp | 40.00 g |
| 9 tsp | 45.00 g |
| 10 tsp | 50.00 g |
| 11 tsp | 55.00 g |
| 12 tsp | 60.00 g |
The tablespoon figures are included too, because most recipes switch between teaspoons and tablespoons, and 3 teaspoons make 1 tablespoon.
| Tablespoons | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 15.0 g |
| 2 tbsp | 30.0 g |
| 3 tbsp | 45.0 g |
| 4 tbsp | 60.0 g |
| 5 tbsp | 75.0 g |
| 6 tbsp | 90.0 g |
| 7 tbsp | 105.0 g |
| 8 tbsp | 120.0 g |
| 9 tbsp | 135.0 g |
| 10 tbsp | 150.0 g |
| 11 tbsp | 165.0 g |
| 12 tbsp | 180.0 g |
| 13 tbsp | 195.0 g |
| 14 tbsp | 210.0 g |
| 15 tbsp | 225.0 g |
| 16 tbsp | 240.0 g |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every tablespoon figure is the cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place.
Cups to grams for reference
When a recipe jumps from spoons to cups, use this table instead of counting out 16 tablespoons. Every figure is the cup weight multiplied by the fraction, rounded to one decimal place, and all figures are approximate.
| Cups | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 60.0 g |
| 1/3 cup | 80.0 g |
| 1/2 cup | 120.0 g |
| 2/3 cup | 160.0 g |
| 3/4 cup | 180.0 g |
| 1 cup | 240.0 g |
One cup of ketchup weighs 240 g, so a quarter cup is 60.0 g and half a cup is 120.0 g. Those two figures cover most everyday scaling, and the full table above covers the rest.
How the measurement works
The figure on this page comes from USDA, measured spooned and levelled. Sweet tomato condiment. Dipping, burgers, glazes and sauces.
All results on this page are approximate. Ingredient weights vary with brand, humidity, temperature and how firmly you pack the spoon, so when a recipe has to work the first time, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale and use the numbers here as a guide. The method matters more than the number itself, because the same spoon of ketchup measured two different ways can give two different weights, and the USDA value assumes the spooned and levelled method every time.
Worked examples
A barbecue glaze for two
A glaze for two chicken breasts takes 6 teaspoons (30.00 g) of ketchup stirred with a little brown sugar and vinegar, and the spoon measure keeps the glaze sticky instead of syrupy. Brush it on in the last ten minutes of cooking, or the sugar in the ketchup burns and turns bitter.
Ketchup in a cocktail sauce
A cocktail sauce for one prawn dish takes 4 teaspoons (20.00 g) of ketchup mixed with horseradish and lemon juice, and the spoon measure keeps the sauce balanced — too much ketchup and the horseradish disappears, too little and the sauce is just spicy cream. Taste it before you serve it, because ketchup brands vary in sweetness.
A spoonful in a meatloaf mix
A meatloaf for four takes 8 teaspoons (40.00 g) of ketchup stirred into the mince, and the ketchup adds moisture and sweetness that the meat alone cannot. The amount matters because ketchup is wet — too much and the meatloaf will not hold its shape, too little and it bakes dry.
Practical guidance
Spoon ketchup in level and do not shake the spoon: ketchup is thick enough to hold its shape, so a level spoon is accurate as long as you do not heap it. Ketchup brands vary in sweetness and thickness, but they weigh almost the same per spoon — the figures hold across brands, and the variation to watch is flavour, not weight. If a recipe calls for a precise amount of ketchup in a sauce, taste the sauce before serving, because a sweeter brand needs a little less sugar elsewhere.
Ketchup keeps for six months in the fridge after opening, and it is one of the hardier condiments — the vinegar and sugar preserve it well. But it does separate if it gets warm, and a bottle left in a hot car will go watery. Shake the bottle before you measure, and if the ketchup has gone thin and watery, stir it and use it in a cooked sauce rather than as a table condiment.
Scaling with spoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of ketchup, count out about 20.0 teaspoons, and for 50 g, about 10.0 teaspoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 4 teaspoons means using 2 teaspoons, or 10.00 g, and doubling it means 8 teaspoons, or 40.00 g. The key is to scale every ingredient by the same factor, because changing one ingredient without changing the others throws the recipe out of balance. For large amounts, switch to a cup measure or a scale, since counting out teaspoons one by one is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
When should you weigh ketchup instead of measuring it? Whenever the recipe has to work the first time, and whenever the amount is large. A kitchen scale costs less than a single failed bake, and it removes the biggest source of variation in home cooking, which is the way ingredients pack into a cup or a spoon. Put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the ketchup until the display shows the number you need. There is nothing to wash afterwards except the bowl, and the result is the same every time. For small amounts, a level spoon is accurate enough, and for anything where precision matters, the scale is the tool to reach for.
Storage. Refrigerate after opening; use within 6 months.
- Level every spoon with the back of a knife.
- Use spoons for small amounts, and a scale for large ones.
- Keep the same spoon for the whole recipe so errors stay consistent.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 teaspoon of ketchup?
One level teaspoon of ketchup weighs approximately 5.00 g. That figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 240 g by 48, and it assumes the ingredient is measured spooned and levelled. All figures on this page are approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
How many grams is a teaspoon of ketchup?
Exactly 5 g, approximately. A teaspoon of ketchup weighs about 5 g, and a tablespoon weighs about 15 g. Ketchup is one of the simplest conversions on this site, because a cup is 240 g and 240 divided by 48 is exactly 5.
Do different ketchup brands weigh the same?
Yes, for practical purposes. Brands vary in sweetness and thickness, but they all weigh about 5 g per teaspoon. The variation to watch is flavour: a sweeter brand needs a little less sugar elsewhere in the recipe.
Can I use ketchup instead of tomato paste?
In a cooked sauce, sometimes — but ketchup is much sweeter and thinner than tomato paste. The swap is 2 tablespoons of ketchup per 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, so use half the amount of tomato paste and cut the sugar elsewhere, or the sauce will come out too sweet and too thin.
How many teaspoons of ketchup are in a tablespoon?
There are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon, so 1 tablespoon of ketchup weighs approximately 15.0 g, which is three times the teaspoon weight of 5.00 g. Use the tablespoon table on this page when a recipe switches between the two units.
How should I store ketchup?
Refrigerate after opening; use within 6 months. Keeping it stored properly also keeps its weight consistent, since an ingredient that has absorbed moisture or dried out will not weigh the same per spoon as a fresh one.