A tablespoon of ricotta cheese is 15.4 g, approximately. Recipes use tablespoons for small amounts, which is exactly where guessing goes wrong, because being out by half a spoon matters far more in a single tablespoon than in a whole cup. The conversion itself is simple: a cup of ricotta cheese weighs 246 g, and a tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so 246 ÷ 16 = 15.4 g.
The figure comes from USDA, measured spooned and levelled, and every result on this page is labelled approximate. Keep the scale nearby for anything that has to be exact.
About Ricotta Cheese
Soft, mild whey cheese with a grainy texture. Lasagna, stuffed pasta, pancakes and desserts. 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 15.4 g lets you move between the spoon and the scale without stopping to work it out.
Storage. Refrigerate; use within 1 week of opening.
Tablespoon to grams table
| Tablespoons | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 5.1 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 15.4 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 30.8 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 46.1 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 61.5 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 76.9 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 92.2 g |
| 7 tablespoons | 107.6 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 123 g |
| 9 tablespoons | 138.4 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 153.8 g |
| 11 tablespoons | 169.1 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 184.5 g |
| 13 tablespoons | 199.9 g |
| 14 tablespoons | 215.2 g |
| 15 tablespoons | 230.6 g |
| 16 tablespoons | 246 g |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is the cup weight of 246 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 | 61.5 g |
| 1/3 cup | 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon | 82 g |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tablespoons | 123 g |
| 2/3 cup | 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons | 164 g |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tablespoons | 184.5 g |
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons | 246 g |
| 1 1/2 cups | 24 tablespoons | 369 g |
| 2 cups | 32 tablespoons | 492 g |
Worked examples
A filling for stuffed vegetables
A filling for stuffed peppers or mushrooms uses 3 tablespoons of ricotta cheese, about 46.1 g, mixed with breadcrumbs, herbs and a little seasoning. Three tablespoons is enough to bind the filling and give it richness without making it heavy. Spoon the mixture in loosely rather than packing it tight, because the filling swells slightly as it cooks and a packed filling turns dense.
A salad topping for lunch
A lunch salad for one person takes 2 tablespoons of ricotta cheese, about 30.8 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 ricotta cheese, about 61.5 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.
How the figure is measured
Ricotta 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 246 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.
Storage and keeping
Storage. Refrigerate; use within 1 week of opening. Keeping ricotta cheese properly stored matters for the conversion as well as for the flavour, because an ingredient that has absorbed moisture or dried out weighs differently per spoon than a fresh one. Store it as the data file recommends and check it before you measure: if it has clumped, hardened or gone stale, the spoon weight will be off and the recipe will be too.
Buy ricotta cheese in amounts you will use within its storage life, and keep it in a sealed container rather than an open bag, which lets in air and moisture. Label the container with the date you opened it, so you are not guessing later whether it is still good. A fresh ingredient measures more predictably than an old one, and predictable measuring is what makes the numbers on this page useful in a real kitchen.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is a tablespoon of ricotta cheese?
One tablespoon of ricotta cheese weighs 15.4 g, approximately. The figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 246 g by 16, since one tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup. One teaspoon is 5.1 g, and one cup is 246 g.
How many tablespoons of ricotta cheese are in 100 g?
About 6.5 tablespoons. The calculation is 100 g divided by 15.4 g per tablespoon, which gives 6.5. In practice, measure 6.5 level tablespoons and accept that the result will be a gram or two off, or weigh the ingredient directly if the recipe needs to be exact.
How many tablespoons of ricotta cheese are in a cup?
There are 16 tablespoons in one US cup, so one cup of ricotta cheese is 16 tablespoons and weighs 246 g. Half a cup is 8 tablespoons (123 g), a quarter cup is 4 tablespoons (61.5 g), and three quarters of a cup is 12 tablespoons (184.5 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 15.4 g per tablespoon exact or approximate?
It is approximate. The cup weight of 246 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.
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 ricotta 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.