100 grams of sesame oil is about 7.4 tablespoons. One tablespoon of sesame oil weighs about 13.5 g, and one teaspoon is about 4.5 g. Toasted sesame oil is the most intensely flavoured oil in the kitchen, used by the teaspoon rather than the cup, which is why 100 g of it is a lot more than most recipes ever need at once.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from USDA, measured poured. Toasted sesame oil is dark and intensely nutty; refined sesame oil is neutral. Stir-fries, dressings and marinades; toasted oil is a finishing oil. 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 216 g divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. Toasted sesame oil is dark and intensely nutty; refined sesame oil is neutral. Stir-fries, dressings and marinades; toasted oil is a finishing oil.
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 sesame oil |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 4.5 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 13.5 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 27 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 40.5 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 54 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 67.5 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 81 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 108 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 135 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 162 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 216 g |
| 100 g | 7.4 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 sesame oil is about 7.4 tablespoons. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
A stir-fry for two (Sesame Oil)
A stir-fry for two uses 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, about 27 g, heated in a wok to fry garlic, ginger and chilli. Refined sesame oil is the right choice for frying, because it tolerates the heat, while toasted sesame oil would burn and turn bitter. Two spoonfuls is enough to coat the wok; any more and the stir-fry tastes greasy instead of fresh.
A dressing for a noodle salad
A dressing for a cold noodle salad uses 3 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil, about 40.5 g, whisked with soy sauce, rice vinegar and a little honey. Toasted sesame oil is a finishing oil, so it goes into the dressing, not into the pan: its dark, nutty flavour is the point of the salad, and a little of it carries the whole dish. Three spoonfuls is enough for a salad that serves four.
A marinade for grilled chicken (Sesame Oil)
A marinade for grilled chicken uses 4 tablespoons of sesame oil, about 54 g, mixed with soy sauce, garlic and ginger. The oil carries the flavours of the marinade into the chicken and helps the skin crisp on the grill. Marinate for at least an hour, and brush the leftover marinade over the chicken while it cooks, because the oil keeps the surface from drying out.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Sesame oil matters because it comes in two completely different forms, and using the wrong one ruins a dish. Refined sesame oil is pale and neutral, good for frying and stir-fries. Toasted sesame oil is dark amber, intensely nutty, and used by the teaspoon as a finishing oil in dressings, noodle salads and marinades. At 216 g per cup, a tablespoon of either weighs about 13.5 g, so 100 g is about 7.4 tablespoons, but no recipe uses that much toasted sesame oil at once: it is so strongly flavoured that a tablespoon is often enough for a whole dish. The weight is the same for both kinds, but the flavour and the use are not, so always check which kind the recipe means.
Scaling with tablespoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of sesame oil, count out about 7.4 tablespoons, and for 50 g, about 3.7 tablespoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 100 g means using 50 g, and doubling it means 200 g, or about 14.8 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 toasted sesame oil after opening.
- Toasted sesame oil is a finishing oil; refined sesame oil is for frying.
- Use toasted oil by the teaspoon in dressings; a little carries the dish.
- Refrigerate toasted sesame oil after opening so it stays fresh.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of sesame oil?
100 grams of sesame oil is about 7.4 tablespoons, poured, using the USDA value of 216 g per cup. One tablespoon weighs about 13.5 g. The figure is approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters. In practice, recipes rarely use 100 g of sesame oil at once, because toasted sesame oil is so strongly flavoured.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of sesame oil?
One tablespoon of sesame oil weighs about 13.5 g, and one teaspoon is about 4.5 g. Refined and toasted sesame oil weigh the same per spoonful; what differs is the flavour and the smoke point, not the weight.
What is the difference between toasted and refined sesame oil?
Toasted sesame oil is made from toasted seeds, so it is dark, intensely nutty and used as a finishing oil in dressings and noodle dishes. Refined sesame oil is pale and neutral, and it is used for frying and stir-fries. They are not interchangeable: toasted oil burns in a hot pan, and refined oil has no flavour in a dressing.
Can I fry with sesame oil?
Yes, with refined sesame oil, which tolerates frying temperatures. Do not fry with toasted sesame oil: it is a finishing oil and turns bitter when it gets hot. For a stir-fry, fry in refined sesame oil or another neutral oil, then add a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil at the end for flavour.
How should I store sesame oil?
Refrigerate toasted sesame oil after opening, because it goes rancid quickly at room temperature. Refined sesame oil keeps in a cool, dark cupboard. If either smells sharp or stale, throw it away.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is frying with toasted sesame oil: it burns at frying temperatures and turns bitter, because it is a finishing oil, not a cooking oil. The second mistake is using refined sesame oil in a dressing and wondering where the flavour went: refined oil is neutral, and the nutty flavour comes only from the toasted kind. The third mistake is storing toasted sesame oil in a warm cupboard after opening, where it goes rancid quickly; it belongs in the fridge. Finally, do not use 100 g of toasted sesame oil in a single dish, because it would overpower everything else; a tablespoon or two is the right scale.