The basic conversions
In recipes, «tablespoon» and «teaspoon» are standard measures, not whatever spoon is in your drawer. A measuring tablespoon is 15 ml and a teaspoon is 5 ml. A regular soup spoon can hold anywhere from 10 to 20 ml, so a set of measuring spoons is worth having.
| Measure | Milliliters | Equals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon (tsp) | 5 ml | ⅓ tablespoon |
| ½ teaspoon | 2.5 ml | |
| ¼ teaspoon | 1.25 ml | |
| 1 tablespoon (tbsp) | 15 ml | 3 teaspoons |
| 2 tablespoons | 30 ml | ⅛ cup · 1 fl oz |
| 4 tablespoons | 60 ml | ¼ cup |
| 5 tbsp + 1 tsp | 79 ml | ⅓ cup |
| 8 tablespoons | 118 ml | ½ cup |
| 16 tablespoons | 237 ml | 1 cup · 8 fl oz |
Differences between countries
- US: tablespoon of 14.8 ml, cup of 236.6 ml.
- UK, Canada, New Zealand: tablespoon of 15 ml, metric cup of 250 ml.
- Australia: the tablespoon is 20 ml (4 teaspoons). Keep it in mind with Australian recipes.
Level or heaping?
Unless the recipe says otherwise, measures are level: fill the spoon and sweep a knife across the top. A heaping tablespoon of flour or sugar can hold almost twice as much.