100 g of tomato paste is about 6.1 tablespoons, approximately. One tablespoon of tomato paste weighs 16.4 g, and one teaspoon weighs 5.5 g, so the arithmetic is simple: 100 g divided by 16.4 g per tablespoon gives 6.1 tablespoons. 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.
Spoonable and pourable ingredients are the ones cooks measure least carefully, and that is exactly why they deserve a proper conversion. A tablespoon of tomato paste weighs 16.4 g, and most recipes use two or three tablespoons at a time — amounts where a heaped spoon is a large percentage error. Whether tomato paste is spooned, scooped or poured, the weight behind the spoon is what keeps a dressing, a marinade or a sauce the same every time you make it.
About Tomato Paste
Concentrated cooked tomatoes; intensely savoury. Sauces, stews, marinades and chilli. That is why tomato paste shows up in recipes measured by the tablespoon: a tablespoon is the natural unit for a condiment, a spread or a sauce base, while a cup is the unit for a large batch. Knowing that one tablespoon weighs 16.4 g lets you move between the spoon and the scale without stopping to work it out. Tomato paste is concentrated and intense: a tablespoon carries the flavour of several tomatoes, so weighing keeps sauces consistent.
Storage. Refrigerate after opening; freeze leftovers in spoonfuls.
Grams to tablespoons table
The table below converts grams of tomato paste into tablespoons, using 16.4 g per tablespoon. Use it when a recipe gives a weight and you want to measure by spoon, or when a packet tells you the weight and you want to know how many spoonfuls that is. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
| Grams | Tablespoons |
|---|---|
| 10 g | 0.6 tbsp |
| 20 g | 1.2 tbsp |
| 25 g | 1.5 tbsp |
| 30 g | 1.8 tbsp |
| 40 g | 2.4 tbsp |
| 50 g | 3.1 tbsp |
| 60 g | 3.7 tbsp |
| 70 g | 4.3 tbsp |
| 75 g | 4.6 tbsp |
| 80 g | 4.9 tbsp |
| 90 g | 5.5 tbsp |
| 100 g | 6.1 tbsp |
Tablespoons to grams table
Working the other way round, here is what each spoonful of tomato paste weighs. One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure below is the cup weight of 262 g divided by 16. Sixteen tablespoons make one cup, which is why the last row of the table matches the cup weight exactly.
| Tablespoons | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 16.4 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 32.8 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 49.1 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 65.5 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 81.9 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 98.2 g |
| 7 tablespoons | 114.6 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 131 g |
| 9 tablespoons | 147.4 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 163.8 g |
| 16 tablespoons | 262 g |
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 | 65.5 g |
| 1/3 cup | 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon | 87.3 g |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tablespoons | 131 g |
| 2/3 cup | 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons | 174.7 g |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tablespoons | 196.5 g |
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons | 262 g |
| 1 1/2 cups | 24 tablespoons | 393 g |
| 2 cups | 32 tablespoons | 524 g |
Worked examples
A dressing whisked up for a salad
A salad dressing for four people often starts with 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, about 32.8 g, whisked with oil, vinegar and seasoning. Two tablespoons is enough to coat a large bowl of leaves without drowning them, and weighing it keeps the dressing balanced — too much of a strong condiment overwhelms the oil and vinegar, too little and the dressing tastes flat. Whisk it in a small bowl until it emulsifies, taste, and adjust the seasoning before pouring it over the salad.
A marinade scaled up for a barbecue
A marinade for a barbecue that calls for 100 g of tomato paste needs about 6.1 tablespoons, which is a generous amount for several pieces of meat or a whole tray of vegetables. Weigh the tomato paste into a bowl, add the oil, acid and spices, and whisk until combined. Marinating in a measured amount matters because the marinade is the flavour of the whole dish: too little and the meat tastes plain, too much and the surface turns soggy instead of browning on the grill.
A quick sauce for two
A quick sauce for two people made with 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, about 49.1 g, warmed gently with a little stock or cream, is ready in five minutes. Three tablespoons is enough to coat a pan of pasta or a pair of chicken breasts without leaving a pool of sauce on the plate. Keep the heat low and stir often, because sauces made with condiments catch easily, and taste before serving — a spoonful more or less changes the seasoning of the whole dish.
How the figure is measured
Tomato Paste 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 262 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.
Scaling the recipe up and down
Tablespoons scale cleanly once you know the weight of one spoon. A recipe that calls for 8 tablespoons of tomato paste needs 131 g, and doubling it to 16 tablespoons means 262 g, exactly one cup. Halving works the same way: 4 tablespoons is 65.5 g, and 2 tablespoons is 32.8 g. The rule that matters is to scale every ingredient by the same factor, because changing one ingredient without changing the others throws the recipe out of balance.
When a recipe gives a weight instead of spoonfuls, work backwards: 100 g of tomato paste is about 6.1 tablespoons, and 50 g is about 3.1 tablespoons. Round to the nearest half tablespoon when you are measuring by hand, and accept that the result will be a gram or two off, which is fine for most cooking. For large amounts, stop counting spoons and switch to a cup measure or a scale: counting out 16 tablespoons is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
If you do not have a scale
If you do not own a kitchen scale, the tables on this page are your best substitute — but they only work if the spoon is filled the right way. Use a proper set of measuring spoons, fill the tablespoon spooned and levelled, and level it off with the back of a knife. Do not use a tablespoon from the cutlery drawer, do not heap the spoon, and do not scoop straight from the bag, because each of those habits adds an unpredictable amount. For a single tablespoon the error is small in absolute terms but large as a percentage, so for baking and for any recipe you plan to repeat, a basic digital scale is worth the small cost: it turns every conversion on this page from an approximation into a certainty.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 g of tomato paste?
About 6.1 tablespoons. The calculation is 100 g divided by 16.4 g per tablespoon, which gives 6.1. In practice, measure that many 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 grams is 1 tablespoon of tomato paste?
One tablespoon of tomato paste weighs 16.4 g, approximately. The figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 262 g by 16, since one tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup. One teaspoon is 5.5 g, and one cup is 262 g.
How many tablespoons of tomato paste are in a cup?
There are 16 tablespoons in one US cup, so one cup of tomato paste is 16 tablespoons and weighs 262 g. Half a cup is 8 tablespoons (131 g), a quarter cup is 4 tablespoons (65.5 g), and three quarters of a cup is 12 tablespoons (196.5 g).
Is 16.4 g per tablespoon exact or approximate?
It is approximate. The cup weight of 262 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.
Can I measure tomato paste with a regular eating spoon?
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 — especially for a condiment, where a spoonful too much changes the whole dish.
How should I store tomato paste?
Refrigerate after opening; freeze leftovers in spoonfuls. Keep it sealed and away from heat and light, and check the date on the jar or bottle. An opened condiment that smells off or has changed colour is past its best, and it is not worth risking a whole dish to save a spoonful.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the spoon heaped instead of levelling it, which adds an unpredictable extra amount every time.
- Measuring a sticky or thick condiment with a dry spoon, so half of it stays behind on the spoon and the recipe gets short measure.
- Pouring straight from the bottle into the pan, which makes the amount a guess rather than a measurement.
- Tasting and adjusting without measuring the adjustment, so the recipe can never be repeated.
The thread running through all of these is the same: condiments are strong, and small errors in measuring them become large errors in flavour. Measure tomato paste 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.