100 grams of vegetable oil is about 7.3 tablespoons. One tablespoon of vegetable oil weighs about 13.6 g, and one teaspoon is about 4.5 g. It is the neutral workhorse of the kitchen, chosen precisely because it tastes of nothing, and its weight is a small point of dispute: the King Arthur chart lists 198 g per cup, but the USDA density gives 218 g, and we use the USDA figure.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from USDA, measured poured. Neutral-flavoured oil, usually a soybean or canola blend. Frying, baking, dressings and mayonnaise. 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 218 g divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. Neutral-flavoured oil, usually a soybean or canola blend. Frying, baking, dressings and mayonnaise.
A note on disputed figures. USDA density (0.92 g/ml) gives 218 g per cup. The King Arthur chart lists 198 g for vegetable oil, which appears to be an error carried from a smaller measure; we use the USDA density value.
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 vegetable oil |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 4.5 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 13.6 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 27.2 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 40.9 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 54.5 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 68.1 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 81.8 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 109 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 136.2 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 163.5 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 218 g |
| 100 g | 7.3 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 vegetable oil is about 7.3 tablespoons. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
A chocolate cake that stays moist for days
A chocolate cake made with oil instead of butter uses 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil, about 81.8 g, whisked into the batter with the eggs and sugar. Oil makes a cake that stays moist for days, because liquid fat never solidifies the way butter does, so the crumb stays soft even from the fridge. Six spoonfuls is the right amount for a single layer cake; any more and the cake turns greasy instead of moist.
Shallow-frying a batch of fritters
Shallow-frying fritters takes about 10 tablespoons of vegetable oil, roughly 136.2 g, heated in a wide pan until a crumb dropped in sizzles at once. The oil should be about a centimetre deep, hot enough to crisp the outside without soaking the inside. Heat it too cool and the fritters absorb oil and turn soggy; heat it too hot and the outside burns before the middle cooks.
A mayonnaise from scratch
A mayonnaise made from scratch uses 8 tablespoons of vegetable oil, about 109 g, drizzled very slowly into egg yolk and vinegar while whisking. The slow drizzle is the whole technique: the oil has to form tiny droplets in the egg, and if it goes in too fast the mayonnaise splits into a greasy puddle. Neutral vegetable oil is the right choice here, because olive oil would overpower the dressing.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Vegetable oil matters because it is the neutral fat: it adds moisture and richness without adding flavour, which is why it suits chocolate cake, mayonnaise and frying. In baking, oil gives a cake that stays soft for days, because liquid fat does not firm up as it cools the way butter does. At 218 g per cup by USDA density, a tablespoon weighs about 13.6 g, so 100 g is about 7.3 tablespoons. The one dispute worth knowing is the King Arthur chart, which lists 198 g per cup for vegetable oil, a figure that looks like an error carried from a smaller measure; we use the USDA density value of 218 g. For most recipes the difference is small, but for a large cake it adds up, so weigh the oil when the amount is large.
If you do not have a scale, the tablespoon count on this page is your best friend: 7.3 level tablespoons is about 100 g of vegetable oil, and one tablespoon is about 13.6 g. For small amounts, use teaspoons instead, at about 4.5 g each, because a teaspoon is easier to level accurately than a tablespoon. For large amounts, use a cup: one cup of vegetable oil weighs 218 g, so 100 g is about 0.46 of a cup. Count carefully, level every spoon, and remember that the figures are approximate, so when the recipe has to work the first time, a kitchen scale is still the safer choice.
Storage. Cool, dark cupboard; use within 6 months of opening.
- Use vegetable oil where you want no flavour: chocolate cake, mayonnaise, frying.
- Heat it until a crumb sizzles at once; too cool and food absorbs oil.
- Store in a cool, dark cupboard and use within 6 months of opening.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of vegetable oil?
100 grams of vegetable oil is about 7.3 tablespoons, poured, using the USDA density value of 218 g per cup. One tablespoon weighs about 13.6 g. The figure is approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil?
One tablespoon of vegetable oil weighs about 13.6 g, and one teaspoon is about 4.5 g. The King Arthur chart lists a lower figure of 198 g per cup, which appears to be an error; we use the USDA density value of 218 g per cup.
Can I use vegetable oil instead of butter in a cake?
Yes, and the cake will stay moist for longer, because oil is liquid at room temperature and never firms up. Use three quarters as much oil as butter by volume, because butter is only about 80 percent fat. The cake will be denser and less flavoursome, so oil suits chocolate cake better than vanilla sponge.
How many times can I reuse frying oil?
Strain it through a fine sieve after it cools, and reuse it once or twice for similar foods. Throw it away when it darkens, smells sharp, or smokes at a lower temperature than it used to. Never pour used oil down the sink; let it cool and put it in a sealed container for disposal.
Does vegetable oil go bad?
Yes, it goes rancid with heat, light and time, and rancid oil tastes sharp and unpleasant. Keep it in a cool, dark cupboard with the lid on, and use it within 6 months of opening. If it smells like old paint or crayons, throw it away.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is using vegetable oil where flavour matters: it tastes of nothing, so a dressing or a cake that needs olive oil or butter will taste flat. The second mistake is heating oil past its smoke point, which gives fried food a bitter, acrid taste and fills the kitchen with smoke. The third mistake is reusing frying oil too many times: it darkens, picks up flavours and breaks down, so strain it and use it no more than a couple of times. Finally, do not store vegetable oil next to the stove, because heat and light make it go rancid faster, and rancid oil ruins everything it touches.