If you are converting a recipe from cups to grams, start here: 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese weighs 6.2 g. The cup weight is 100 g, and since there are 16 tablespoons in a cup, the division is 100 ÷ 16 = 6.2 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 King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
About Parmesan Cheese
Hard, salty Italian cheese, grated fine. Pasta, risotto, salads and breading. 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 6.2 g lets you move between the spoon and the scale without stopping to work it out.
Storage. Refrigerate in an airtight container; up to 2 months.
Tablespoon to grams table
| Tablespoons | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 2.1 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 6.2 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 12.5 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 18.8 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 25 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 31.2 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 37.5 g |
| 7 tablespoons | 43.8 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 50 g |
| 9 tablespoons | 56.2 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 62.5 g |
| 11 tablespoons | 68.8 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 75 g |
| 13 tablespoons | 81.2 g |
| 14 tablespoons | 87.5 g |
| 15 tablespoons | 93.8 g |
| 16 tablespoons | 100 g |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is the cup weight of 100 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 | 25 g |
| 1/3 cup | 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon | 33.3 g |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tablespoons | 50 g |
| 2/3 cup | 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons | 66.7 g |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tablespoons | 75 g |
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons | 100 g |
| 1 1/2 cups | 24 tablespoons | 150 g |
| 2 cups | 32 tablespoons | 200 g |
Worked examples
A salad topping for lunch
A lunch salad for one person takes 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, about 12.5 g, crumbled or grated over the top. Two tablespoons adds flavour and protein without turning a light salad into a heavy one. Add the cheese last, after the dressing, so it sits on top where you can see it and the dressing does not make it soggy.
A pasta sauce for two
A simple pasta sauce for two uses 4 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, about 25 g, stirred in at the end of cooking. The cheese melts into the sauce and thickens it, so add it off the heat and stir until it disappears rather than boiling it, which can make it grainy. Taste before adding salt, because the cheese already brings plenty of its own.
A topping for a baked dish
A baked pasta or gratin for four people takes about 6 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, 37.5 g, scattered over the top before it goes into the oven. That amount gives a golden, bubbling crust without burying the dish underneath. Spread it evenly rather than piling it in the middle, and give the dish a few minutes to rest after baking so the topping sets instead of sliding off when you serve it.
How the figure is measured
Parmesan Cheese 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 100 g comes from King Arthur Baking. 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 precision matters most
Not every recipe needs weighing. A soup, a stew or a marinade will forgive a tablespoon of parmesan cheese more or less, because the balance of flavours is broad and you can adjust it at the end. Baking is different: a cake, a loaf or a batch of biscuits depends on the ratio of ingredients, and being out by a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese can change the texture, the rise or the sweetness.
Use the scale whenever the amount is large, whenever the recipe is one you have never made before, and whenever the ingredient is doing structural work rather than just adding flavour. For a single tablespoon in a savoury dish, a level spoon is accurate enough. For 50 g, which is 8 tablespoons, the spoon is a slow way to measure and a scale is both faster and more accurate. The habit to build is simple: weigh the ingredients that matter, spoon the ones that do not, and know which is which before you start cooking.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is a tablespoon of parmesan cheese?
One tablespoon of parmesan cheese weighs 6.2 g, approximately. The figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 100 g by 16, since one tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup. One teaspoon is 2.1 g, and one cup is 100 g.
How many tablespoons of parmesan cheese are in a cup?
There are 16 tablespoons in one US cup, so one cup of parmesan cheese is 16 tablespoons and weighs 100 g. Half a cup is 8 tablespoons (50 g), a quarter cup is 4 tablespoons (25 g), and three quarters of a cup is 12 tablespoons (75 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 6.2 g per tablespoon exact or approximate?
It is approximate. The cup weight of 100 g comes from King Arthur Baking, 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 parmesan cheese 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 parmesan cheese is 100 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 parmesan cheese 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.