You are looking for an answer on how many tablespoons in an ounce, then you are in the right place and at the right time to discover the secrets of precise measurements.
I’m not a professional, but years in front of the stove brought me a lot of experience and sweet troubles of cooking. Still, I don’t like to cook without proper measures.
When my boys were little, I had to improvise a lot because of time shortage and picky bellies – and that’s fine, but sometimes, I wish to follow a recipe blindly to avoid possible errors.
Doing that isn’t as easy as it seems, but it can be entertaining. Whenever I see “a tablespoon of” in my cookbook, I laugh. Why?
Because there are seven different tablespoons of various sizes in my drawer, over the years, I bought or received many sets of cutlery as a gift – and lost a piece or two from all of them!
But there is always one or two pieces that remain and are dear to me, so I keep them.
And for the results, we have a drawer full of different-style spoons, be it a difference in colors or, yeah, you’ve guessed it – size!
How Many Tablespoons in an Ounce?
So how can a tablespoon be an accurate measure?
To be honest, the size varies in small proportion, and also, in most cases, it doesn’t really matter. But for times when size does matter (hehe), this guide will be useful.
It is natural, when I look at my seven different spoons, to ask myself: Is a tablespoon a real measure? Countless hours on the internet later, I found out that it is a legit measure not only in the kitchen but also in cocktail bars. Bartenders use it quite a lot, shoulder to shoulder, with a teaspoon. The use of the spoon stretches from measuring sugar, jello powder to all sorts of liqueur!
Tablespoon (tbsp) is used for both dry and liquid measurements!
Also, Learn How Many Cups Are In A Liter
What is an ounce?
Since the tablespoon is the same in both metric and imperial systems, the ounce is not implied.
I discussed the distinction between the imperial and metric systems before, but first, let’s review what an ounce is.
The imperial system uses an ounce as a unit of measurement for weight, volume, and mass.
In the United States, a fluid ounce (oz fl or fl oz) equals to 29,6 milliliters.
And for weights, as dry measurements, we use an ounce. One dry ounce weighs approximately 28,6 grams.
More Handy Guide For Precise Measuring: Find Out How Many Oz Are In A Quart
What’s the difference between dry and liquid measurements?
Fluid ounce and ounce maybe share the name, but they have vast differences when it comes to measuring. When it comes to measuring liquids and dry ingredients, rules are not the same.
When we say that one cup has eight ounces, we mean liquid ones. One cup of dry ingredient, (flour for example) has 4,5 ounces.
So if you want to put your measurement skill to a new level, you should learn how to measure liquid and dry components correctly!
1. How to measure liquid
I strongly recommend using cups meant to measure liquids. There is a significant difference in measuring water and peanuts.
Cups for liquids usually have handles and are designated to make pouring easy. They usually have engraved lines that indicate the amount of fluid.
Their design helps you to pour the exact amount you want and without spilling.
Here is a table to convert cups into ounces if you are not a fan of them:
| 1 cup | 8 fluid ounces | 1/2 pint | 237 ml |
| 2 cups | 16 fluid ounces | 1 pint | 474 ml |
| 4 cups | 32 fluid ounces | 1 quart | 946 ml |
If your recipe calls for a tablespoon of liquid :
- One U.S. cup has 16 tablespoons, which means that one fluid ounce has two tablespoons!
2. How to measure dry measurements
The safest way to measure dry elements is to put them on the scale or to use dry measuring cups. If you use the cup, be sure to make a flat edge.
One cup weighs 8 ounces and 16 tablespoons, so one ounce has two tablespoons.
Keep in mind that when it comes to the dry ounce, a tablespoon of the ingredient must have a flat edge.
If you have trouble with these measurements, I made a table to make it slightly more manageable for you:
| 2 tablespoons | 1/8 cup | 1 fluid ounce | 28.3 grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 tablespoons | 1/4 cup | 2 fluid ounces | 56.7 grams |
| 8 tablespoons | 1/2 cup | 4 ounces | 113.4 grams |
| 12 tablespoons | 3/4 cup | 6 ounces | 170 grams |
| 32 tablespoons | 2 cups | 16 ounces | 1 pound or 453,6 grams |
| 64 tablespoons | 4 cups | 32 ounces | 2 pounds or 907 grams |
Measuring in teaspoons
When I cook with hot spices, a tablespoon seems a lot, and it’s easy to overdo. Half of a tablespoon is not precise, primarily if you use groceries with intense aroma and taste.
Cumin, for example, has a unique and robust taste and overdoing, means you will ruin the meal. So accurate dosing of some ingredients sometimes means a big difference. There is also a way to replace cumin if you want.
If you want your measurement to be more precise, you will be glad when you find out that I calculated measures into teaspoons (tsp):
- One tablespoon has three teaspoons
Here is something to help you calculate:
| 3 teaspoons | 3/4 ounce | 14,3 grams |
|---|---|---|
| 6 teaspoons | 1 ounce | 28,6 grams |
| 12 teaspoons | 1/4 cup | 2 ounces |
| 28 teaspoons | 1 cup | 8 ounces |
Final thoughts
With a little bit of practice, you’ll be an expert in how many tablespoons in an ounce, cup, grams, etc.
If you still have doubts, you can buy measuring spoons. They are colorful, and easy to use and every well-supplied has them!
If you have additional questions or you want to add some pieces of information, please be free to do so – knowledge is meant to be shared! 🙂
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