1 teaspoon of tomato paste weighs 5.46 g. A teaspoon is one forty-eighth of a cup, and a cup of tomato paste is 262 g spooned and levelled, so the maths is 262 ÷ 48 = 5.46 g. The same cup divided by 16 gives the tablespoon weight of 16.4 g, and there are 3 teaspoons in every tablespoon. If you cook from recipes written in cups and spoons, this page is the bridge between the two, and the worked examples show the conversion inside real dishes rather than in isolation.
Tomato paste is the most concentrated ingredient on this site: a teaspoon holds 5.46 g, and a cup is 262 g, which makes it heavier per spoon than any other condiment here. That concentration is the whole point — a spoonful of tomato paste gives a sauce the depth of a whole tin of tomatoes, and the spoon table is what keeps a sauce from turning into tomato soup. Paste is also the ingredient where a single extra teaspoon matters most: it is intensely savoury, and there is no way to take it back once it is stirred in.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from USDA, measured spooned and levelled. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
Conversion table
One teaspoon is one forty-eighth of a cup, so every figure in this table is the cup weight divided by 48, rounded to two decimal places. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
| Teaspoons | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 tsp | 5.46 g |
| 2 tsp | 10.92 g |
| 3 tsp | 16.38 g |
| 4 tsp | 21.83 g |
| 5 tsp | 27.29 g |
| 6 tsp | 32.75 g |
| 7 tsp | 38.21 g |
| 8 tsp | 43.67 g |
| 9 tsp | 49.12 g |
| 10 tsp | 54.58 g |
| 11 tsp | 60.04 g |
| 12 tsp | 65.50 g |
The tablespoon figures are included too, because most recipes switch between teaspoons and tablespoons, and 3 teaspoons make 1 tablespoon.
| Tablespoons | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 16.4 g |
| 2 tbsp | 32.8 g |
| 3 tbsp | 49.1 g |
| 4 tbsp | 65.5 g |
| 5 tbsp | 81.9 g |
| 6 tbsp | 98.2 g |
| 7 tbsp | 114.6 g |
| 8 tbsp | 131.0 g |
| 9 tbsp | 147.4 g |
| 10 tbsp | 163.8 g |
| 11 tbsp | 180.1 g |
| 12 tbsp | 196.5 g |
| 13 tbsp | 212.9 g |
| 14 tbsp | 229.2 g |
| 15 tbsp | 245.6 g |
| 16 tbsp | 262.0 g |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every tablespoon figure is the cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place.
Cups to grams for reference
When a recipe jumps from spoons to cups, use this table instead of counting out 16 tablespoons. Every figure is the cup weight multiplied by the fraction, rounded to one decimal place, and all figures are approximate.
| Cups | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 65.5 g |
| 1/3 cup | 87.3 g |
| 1/2 cup | 131.0 g |
| 2/3 cup | 174.7 g |
| 3/4 cup | 196.5 g |
| 1 cup | 262.0 g |
One cup of tomato paste weighs 262 g, so a quarter cup is 65.5 g and half a cup is 131.0 g. Those two figures cover most everyday scaling, and the full table above covers the rest.
How the measurement works
The figure on this page comes from USDA, measured spooned and levelled. Concentrated cooked tomatoes; intensely savoury. Sauces, stews, marinades and chilli.
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. The method matters more than the number itself, because the same spoon of tomato paste measured two different ways can give two different weights, and the USDA value assumes the spooned and levelled method every time.
Worked examples
A spoonful in a pasta sauce
A pasta sauce for two takes 3 teaspoons (16.38 g) of tomato paste fried in olive oil before the tinned tomatoes go in, and frying the paste first is the point — it caramelises, loses its tinny edge, and turns sweet and deep. The amount matters because paste is concentrated: three teaspoons is plenty, and five will make the sauce taste of paste, not tomatoes.
Tomato paste in a chilli
A chilli for four takes 5 teaspoons (27.29 g) of tomato paste stirred in with the spices before the beans go in, and the paste gives the chilli its body. Stir it into the hot oil and cook it for a minute before adding any liquid, or it will taste raw and metallic.
A glaze for roast vegetables
A glaze for a tray of roast vegetables takes 4 teaspoons (21.83 g) of tomato paste whisked with oil, honey and a little water, and the spoon measure keeps the glaze thin enough to coat instead of clumping. Brush it on halfway through roasting, or the sugars in the paste burn before the vegetables are done.
Practical guidance
Spoon tomato paste in level and do not heap it: paste is thick and holds its shape, so a heaped spoon can hold half as much again as a level one, and half as much again tomato paste is enough to ruin a sauce. Tomato paste from a tube is easier to measure than paste from a tin, because you can squeeze out exactly what you need — but the weight per spoon is the same either way. If you are measuring from a tin, spoon the paste out and level it with a knife, and freeze the rest in spoonfuls.
Tomato paste is the ingredient that most rewards a tube over a tin: an opened tin goes mouldy in the fridge within a week, while a tube keeps for months. If you only have a tin, spoon the leftover paste into an ice-cube tray and freeze it — each cube is roughly a tablespoon, about 16.4 g, and you can drop it straight into a hot pan. Refrigerate an opened tube and use it within three months.
Scaling with spoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of tomato paste, count out about 18.3 teaspoons, and for 50 g, about 9.2 teaspoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 4 teaspoons means using 2 teaspoons, or 10.92 g, and doubling it means 8 teaspoons, or 43.67 g. 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, since counting out teaspoons one by one is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
When should you weigh tomato paste instead of measuring it? Whenever the recipe has to work the first time, and whenever the amount is large. A kitchen scale 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 cup or a spoon. Put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the tomato paste until the display shows the number you need. There is nothing to wash afterwards except the bowl, and the result is the same every time. For small amounts, a level spoon is accurate enough, and for anything where precision matters, the scale is the tool to reach for.
Storage. Refrigerate after opening; freeze leftovers in spoonfuls.
- Level every spoon with the back of a knife.
- Use spoons for small amounts, and a scale for large ones.
- Keep the same spoon for the whole recipe so errors stay consistent.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 teaspoon of tomato paste?
One level teaspoon of tomato paste weighs approximately 5.46 g. That figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 262 g by 48, and it assumes the ingredient is measured spooned and levelled. All figures on this page are approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
How many grams is a teaspoon of tomato paste?
About 5.46 g. A teaspoon of tomato paste weighs 5.46 g, and a tablespoon weighs about 16.38 g. It is the heaviest condiment per spoon on this site, because tomato paste is concentrated tomatoes with most of the water cooked out.
Why should I fry tomato paste before adding liquid?
Because raw tomato paste tastes tinny and metallic. Frying it in oil for a minute caramelises the sugars, deepens the flavour and removes the raw edge. It is the single biggest improvement you can make to a pasta sauce or a chilli, and it costs nothing but a minute.
How do I store leftover tomato paste?
Spoon it into an ice-cube tray and freeze it — each cube is roughly a tablespoon, about 16.4 g, and you can drop it straight into a hot pan. An opened tin goes mouldy in the fridge within a week, so freezing is the only way to keep it. A tube keeps for months refrigerated.
How many teaspoons of tomato paste are in a tablespoon?
There are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon, so 1 tablespoon of tomato paste weighs approximately 16.4 g, which is three times the teaspoon weight of 5.46 g. Use the tablespoon table on this page when a recipe switches between the two units.
How should I store tomato paste?
Refrigerate after opening; freeze leftovers in spoonfuls. Keeping it stored properly also keeps its weight consistent, since an ingredient that has absorbed moisture or dried out will not weigh the same per spoon as a fresh one.