If you are converting a recipe from cups to grams, start here: 1 tablespoon of onion powder weighs 8 g. The cup weight is 128 g, and since there are 16 tablespoons in a cup, the division is 128 ÷ 16 = 8 g. Multiply that by the number of tablespoons in your recipe and you have the weight.
This page gives you the full tablespoon table, a cups table for cross-checking, and worked examples from real cooking. All figures are approximate and come from USDA, measured spooned and levelled; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
About Onion Powder
Dehydrated onion ground fine. Rubs, dressings, dips and sauces. That is why it shows up in recipes measured by the tablespoon: it is used in amounts too small for a cup measure to be practical, yet large enough that guessing the weight can throw a dish off. Knowing that one tablespoon weighs 8 g lets you move between the spoon and the scale without stopping to work it out.
Storage. Airtight jar, cool and dry, up to 1 year.
Tablespoon to grams table
| Tablespoons | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 2.7 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 8 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 16 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 24 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 32 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 40 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 48 g |
| 7 tablespoons | 56 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 64 g |
| 9 tablespoons | 72 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 80 g |
| 11 tablespoons | 88 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 96 g |
| 13 tablespoons | 104 g |
| 14 tablespoons | 112 g |
| 15 tablespoons | 120 g |
| 16 tablespoons | 128 g |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is the cup weight of 128 g divided by 16 and rounded to one decimal place. Sixteen tablespoons make one cup, which is why the last row of the table matches the cup weight exactly. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Cups to grams for reference
Most recipes switch between cups and tablespoons, so here is the same ingredient measured in cups. Use this table when a recipe gives a cup amount and you want to weigh it, or when you have already measured in tablespoons and want to check the total.
| Cups | Tablespoons | Grams |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 4 tablespoons | 32 g |
| 1/3 cup | 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon | 42.7 g |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tablespoons | 64 g |
| 2/3 cup | 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons | 85.3 g |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tablespoons | 96 g |
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons | 128 g |
| 1 1/2 cups | 24 tablespoons | 192 g |
| 2 cups | 32 tablespoons | 256 g |
Worked examples
A curry for four people
A curry for four people often starts with 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 8 g, bloomed in hot oil with onion and garlic before the liquid goes in. Blooming the spice in oil wakes up its flavour in a way that adding it to water never does, and one tablespoon is enough to season a whole pot. Cook it for a minute until it smells fragrant, but do not let it catch, because burnt spice turns bitter and there is no fixing it.
A batch of spiced baking
A batch of spiced biscuits or a loaf cake uses 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 8 g, mixed into the dry ingredients before the wet ones are added. One tablespoon is a strong dose for a single bake, so weigh it rather than guessing, and mix it through the flour first so it is distributed evenly instead of sitting in pockets. The spice should be a background warmth, not the first thing you taste.
Seasoning a pot of soup
A pot of soup for six people takes about 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 8 g, stirred in while the soup simmers. A single tablespoon seasons a whole pot, which shows why spoon weights matter for spices: the difference between one level spoon and one heaped spoon is the difference between balanced and overpowering. Add it early so the flavour has time to settle, then taste near the end and adjust the salt rather than adding more spice.
How the figure is measured
Onion Powder is measured spooned and levelled: spoon it loosely into the tablespoon, then sweep the top flat with the back of a knife. Do not scoop directly from the bag or jar, because scooping packs the ingredient down and a scooped spoon can weigh far more than a spooned one. The spoon-and-level method is the one the source data assumes, so it is the method that makes the numbers on this page true.
The cup weight of 128 g comes from USDA. The tablespoon figure is that cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place, which is why the table is consistent from one row to the next. All results are approximate: brand, grind, humidity and temperature all move the real weight a little, so when a recipe has to work the first time, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale and use these numbers as a guide.
When you do not have a scale
Not every kitchen has a scale, and a tablespoon measure is a perfectly good tool for small amounts of onion powder. The key is technique: fill the spoon the way the source data assumes, which for onion powder is spooned and levelled. A level spoon is the standard, and a heaped spoon is a different measurement altogether, so level the top with a straight edge and do not guess.
For amounts larger than a few tablespoons, a cup measure is more reliable than counting spoons, because each spoonful adds a little error and the errors add up. One cup of onion powder is 128 g, which is 16 tablespoons, so if a recipe calls for a cup, use the cup measure rather than counting sixteen spoonfuls. And when a recipe has to work the first time, borrow or buy a scale: it 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 spoon or a cup.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is a tablespoon of onion powder?
One tablespoon of onion powder weighs 8 g, approximately. The figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 128 g by 16, since one tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup. One teaspoon is 2.7 g, and one cup is 128 g.
How many tablespoons of onion powder are in a cup?
There are 16 tablespoons in one US cup, so one cup of onion powder is 16 tablespoons and weighs 128 g. Half a cup is 8 tablespoons (64 g), a quarter cup is 4 tablespoons (32 g), and three quarters of a cup is 12 tablespoons (96 g).
Can I use a regular eating spoon instead of a measuring tablespoon?
It is not a good idea. Eating spoons vary widely in size and shape, and a tablespoon from a cutlery drawer can hold noticeably more or less than a standard measuring tablespoon. A set of measuring spoons costs very little and is the only way to make the figures on this page true in your kitchen.
Is 8 g per tablespoon exact or approximate?
It is approximate. The cup weight of 128 g comes from USDA, measured spooned and levelled, and the real weight of a tablespoon varies with brand, grind, humidity and how the spoon is filled. For most cooking the approximation is fine, and for baking or any recipe that has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
How do I measure onion powder without a scale?
Fill a measuring tablespoon spooned and levelled and level it off with a straight edge. For amounts up to a few tablespoons, that is accurate enough. For larger amounts, use a cup measure: one cup of onion powder is 128 g. Count spoonfuls only for small amounts, since the error on each spoon adds up over sixteen of them.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Scooping directly from the bag, which packs the ingredient down and makes a spoonful weigh far more than a spooned one.
- Leaving the spoon heaped instead of levelling it, which adds an unpredictable extra amount every time.
- Measuring a damp or clumped ingredient without breaking it up first, which leaves air pockets and a short measure.
- Using a regular eating spoon instead of a measuring tablespoon, since eating spoons vary widely in size.
The thread running through all of these is the same: a tablespoon is only a standard measure when it is filled in the standard way. Measure onion powder spooned and levelled, level it off, and check the weight on a scale when the recipe has to be right, and the numbers on this page will serve you well.