How many tablespoons are there in an ounce?
by Karine Lemoine
An English recipe says “1 ounce” of liquid and you don't know how many tablespoons that corresponds to in your kitchen?
This unit of measurement, which is very common in American cookbooks, is however converted very simply once you know the exact equivalence.
Table of Contents
Here's how to go from ounces to tablespoons, and some useful tips to avoid making mistakes depending on the type of ingredient.
Basic equivalence
An American fluid ounce (fl oz) is exactly 2 tablespoons, about 30 ml. This rule applies to liquids: water, oil, milk, sauce, vinegar... An American soup spoon measures approximately 14.8 ml, which is very close to the standard French soup spoon (15 ml). You can therefore use your usual spoons without major precision concerns.
Fluid ounces and ounces of weight: do not confuse
The word “once” refers to two different things in culinary English: the fluid ounce, which measures a volume, and the ounce, which measures a mass.The conversion to tablespoons only works for liquids. For a dry ingredient such as flour or sugar expressed in ounces, you should weigh rather than measure by volume, because the density of each ingredient changes the correspondence.
Practical conversion chart
For liquids, remember these common equivalences:
- 1 fluid ounce = 2 tablespoons = about 30 ml
- 2 fluid ounces = 4 tablespoons = about 60 ml (1/4 American cup)
- 4 fluid ounces = 8 tablespoons = about 120 ml (1/2 American cup)
- 8 fluid ounces = 16 tablespoons = approximately 240 ml (1 American cup)
Our tips
►Use your French spoons without fear
The difference between a French soup spoon (15 ml) and an American spoon (14.8 ml) is negligible for everyday cooking. So you can follow an American recipe without buying specific utensils.
►Always check whether it is a liquid or a solid
Before converting an ounce into spoons, make sure the recipe is talking about a liquid ingredient. For a dry ingredient, a kitchen scale is still more reliable than a volume conversion.
In summary, one fluid ounce is equivalent to 2 tablespoons, or about 30 ml, an easy equivalent to remember to adapt your English recipes.
You can also read:How many ounces are there in a quarterandHow many ounces are there in a gallon.
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