100 grams of lemon juice is about 6.6 tablespoons. One tablespoon of lemon juice weighs about 15.2 g, and one teaspoon is about 5.1 g. It is the sharpest common juice, and its acidity does real work in the kitchen: it brightens dressings, tenderises marinades and reacts with baking soda in cakes.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from USDA, measured poured. Freshly squeezed lemon juice, sharp and acidic. Dressings, marinades, baking and drinks. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
How the measurement works
The figure on this page comes from USDA, measured poured. One US cup is 16 tablespoons, so every figure here is the cup weight of 244 g divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. Freshly squeezed lemon juice, sharp and acidic. Dressings, marinades, baking and drinks.
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.
Conversion table
| Amount | Grams of lemon juice |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 5.1 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 15.2 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 30.5 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 45.8 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 61 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 76.2 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 91.5 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 122 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 152.5 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 183 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 244 g |
| 100 g | 6.6 tablespoons |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is simply the cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. The last row is the headline figure for this page: 100 g of lemon juice is about 6.6 tablespoons. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
A vinaigrette for a green salad (Lemon Juice)
A vinaigrette for a green salad uses 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, about 45.8 g, whisked with olive oil, mustard and a pinch of salt. The lemon juice gives the dressing its sharp, fresh bite, and it should be squeezed fresh, because bottled lemon juice tastes flat and slightly bitter. Three spoonfuls dresses a salad for four, and the dressing should be whisked until it thickens slightly.
A marinade for grilled chicken (Lemon Juice)
A marinade for grilled chicken uses 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, about 61 g, mixed with olive oil, garlic and herbs. The lemon juice tenderises the chicken and gives it a bright flavour, but the chicken should not marinate for more than a few hours, because the acid can make the surface mushy if it sits too long. Four spoonfuls marinates four chicken pieces.
A lemon drizzle cake
A lemon drizzle cake uses 6 tablespoons of lemon juice, about 91.5 g, mixed with sugar and drizzled over the warm cake. The juice should be squeezed fresh, and the drizzle should go on while the cake is still warm, so it soaks in and leaves a crisp, sugary crust. Six spoonfuls is enough for a single layer cake, and the cake should be left to cool completely before slicing.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Lemon juice matters because it is an acid, and acids do work in the kitchen. In a dressing, lemon juice brightens the flavour and balances the richness of the oil. In a marinade, it tenderises meat and adds a fresh note. In baking, it reacts with baking soda to help a cake rise, and it stops cut fruit from browning. At 244 g per cup, a tablespoon weighs about 15.2 g, so 100 g is about 6.6 tablespoons. The practical rule is to use fresh lemon juice: bottled juice tastes flat and slightly bitter, and a fresh lemon gives about 3 tablespoons of juice, so 100 g needs about three lemons. Roll the lemon on the counter before squeezing it, to get the most juice out.
Scaling with tablespoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of lemon juice, count out about 6.6 tablespoons, and for 50 g, about 3.3 tablespoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 100 g means using 50 g, and doubling it means 200 g, or about 13.1 tablespoons. 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: counting out more than 16 tablespoons is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
Storage. Refrigerate fresh juice; use within 1 week.
- Squeeze lemons fresh; bottled juice tastes flat and bitter in dressings.
- Roll a lemon on the counter before squeezing to get more juice out.
- Do not marinate meat in lemon juice for more than a few hours.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of lemon juice?
100 grams of lemon juice is about 6.6 tablespoons, poured, using the USDA value of 244 g per cup. One tablespoon weighs about 15.2 g. The figure is approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of lemon juice?
One tablespoon of lemon juice weighs about 15.2 g, and one teaspoon is about 5.1 g. A fresh lemon gives about 3 tablespoons of juice, so 100 g needs roughly three lemons.
Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?
You can, but the flavour is flatter and slightly bitter, because bottled juice is pasteurised. For dressings and drinks, where lemon is the main flavour, fresh juice is worth squeezing. For baking, where the juice is a background acid, bottled juice is fine.
Why does lemon juice stop apples going brown?
The acid in lemon juice slows the enzyme that turns cut fruit brown when it meets air. Toss sliced apples or pears in a little lemon juice and they stay pale for hours. The same trick works for avocados, though the lemon flavour shows more there.
How long does fresh lemon juice keep?
About a week in the fridge, sealed. It loses its fresh flavour after a few days, so use it quickly for dressings and drinks. Lemon juice can be frozen in ice cube trays for up to 3 months, and the cubes are handy for cooking.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is using bottled lemon juice in a dressing, where its flat, bitter flavour shows; squeeze it fresh. The second mistake is marinating meat in lemon juice for too long, because the acid makes the surface mushy; a few hours is enough. The third mistake is adding lemon juice to a cream sauce and watching it split: the acid curdles the cream, so add the juice at the end, off the heat. Finally, do not store fresh lemon juice at room temperature, where it spoils in a day; refrigerate it and use it within a week.