1 tablespoon of vegetable oil weighs 13.6 g. Vegetable oil is the neutral fat most often measured by the tablespoon, because it is used a spoonful at a time for frying, baking and dressings. It is almost identical in weight to olive oil, and the two can be swapped freely by the tablespoon without changing a recipe.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from USDA, measured poured. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
Method and source
The figure on this page comes from USDA, measured poured. 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 cup, 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 |
| 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) | 54.5 g |
| 1/3 cup | 72.7 g |
| 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) | 109 g |
| 3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) | 163.5 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 218 g |
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. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
Frying a pancake
A pancake needs 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, 13.6 g, in the pan before the batter goes in. The oil should be hot enough that the batter sizzles, but not so hot that it smokes. Wipe the pan with a little oil between pancakes, rather than adding a fresh tablespoon each time.
A mayonnaise made from scratch
Homemade mayonnaise starts with an egg yolk and builds up to a cup of vegetable oil, added a tablespoon at a time. Each tablespoon must be fully incorporated before the next one goes in, or the emulsion will split. The slow addition is the whole technique, and the tablespoon is the natural unit for it.
A chocolate cake that uses oil
A chocolate cake recipe uses 8 tablespoons of vegetable oil, about 109 g, which is half a cup. Oil-based cakes stay moist for days, and the oil is easier to measure by the cup than by the tablespoon at this scale, but the tablespoon figure is useful if you are halving the recipe.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Solid fats are measured scooped, and the most reliable way is to use the markings on the wrapper: one US stick of butter is 113 g, which is half a cup or 8 tablespoons. For oils, pour into a jug and read at eye level. Melted fat weighs the same as solid fat, so you can melt first and measure by weight if that is easier, but do not measure melted fat by volume and assume it matches the solid figure. When a recipe says softened butter, let it sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes rather than microwaving it, which melts the edges and changes how it creams with sugar.
Scaling with tablespoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of vegetable oil, count out about 7.4 tablespoons, and for 50 g, about 3.7 tablespoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 4 tablespoons means using 2 tablespoons, or 27.2 g, and doubling it means 8 tablespoons, or 109 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: counting out 16 tablespoons is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
When should you weigh vegetable oil 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 cake, and it removes the biggest source of variation in home cooking: the way ingredients pack into a cup or a spoon. Put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the vegetable oil 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 liquids, a jug is fine, but for anything where precision matters, the scale is the tool to reach for.
Storage. Cool, dark cupboard; use within 6 months of opening.
- Add oil to mayonnaise a tablespoon at a time.
- Wipe the pan between pancakes rather than adding more oil.
- Neutral oil is best when you do not want flavour from the fat.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is a tablespoon of vegetable oil?
One tablespoon of vegetable oil weighs 13.6 g, and one teaspoon is about 4.5 g. A cup of vegetable oil is 218 g, based on the USDA density of 0.92 g per millilitre.
Why do some charts say a tablespoon of vegetable oil is 12.4 g?
Because they use the King Arthur figure of 198 g per cup, which appears to be an error carried from a smaller measure. The USDA density gives 218 g per cup, which is 13.6 g per tablespoon, and that matches what a scale shows.
Is vegetable oil the same as canola oil by the tablespoon?
Yes. Canola, sunflower, soybean and generic vegetable oil all have a density of about 0.92 g per millilitre, so they all weigh 13.6 g per tablespoon. Use the same conversion for any of them.
Can I use vegetable oil for frying?
Yes, it is a good all-purpose frying oil, with a smoke point of about 230 degrees. It is neutral in flavour, which makes it suitable for doughnuts, fritters and anything where you do not want the oil to add flavour.
How do I measure a tablespoon of oil accurately?
Pour it into a tablespoon measure and level it off. Oil clings to the spoon, so let it drip for a moment before adding it to the pan. For amounts under a tablespoon, a teaspoon measure is more accurate.
One last practical note: if you fry regularly, keep a dedicated bottle of vegetable oil by the stove and a bottle of olive oil for dressings, so you never reach for the wrong one in a hurry. Label the bottles if they look alike, and replace the frying oil when it darkens or starts to smell stale, because old oil smokes at a lower temperature and gives food an off flavour.
Keeping a conversion note in the kitchen: if you cook from American recipes often, write the gram weights of the ingredients you use most on a card and stick it inside a cupboard door. A short list covering flour, sugar, butter, milk and oil will handle most recipes, and it saves you looking up the same number every time. Update the card when you buy a new ingredient, and note the method next to the weight, because a number without a method is only half a conversion.