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You asked
How do I convert milliliters to tablespoons?
1 tablespoon (US) = 14.79 mL ≈ 15 mL. 1 mL = 0.0676 tbsp. Quick math: divide mL by 15 to get tablespoons. 30 mL = 2 tbsp; 60 mL = 4 tbsp (1/4 cup); 240 mL = 16 tbsp (1 cup).
The full answer
The conversion
1 US tablespoon = 14.7868 mL. The US tablespoon is defined as exactly 0.5 fluid ounces = 4 teaspoons. For everyday cooking, round to 15 mL per tablespoon (0.8% error).
Note: Australian + UK tablespoons differ. Australian tablespoon = 20 mL (NOT 15 mL). UK metric tablespoon = 15 mL but some older UK recipes use 17.7 mL. Always identify which standard your recipe uses.
Quick reference table (US tablespoons)
| Milliliters | Tablespoons (US) | Cups (US) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 mL | 0.34 tbsp (≈ 1 tsp) | 0.021 cup |
| 15 mL | 1 tbsp | 0.063 cup |
| 30 mL | 2 tbsp | 0.125 cup (1/8 cup) |
| 60 mL | 4 tbsp | 0.25 cup (1/4 cup) |
| 100 mL | 6.76 tbsp ≈ 7 tbsp | 0.42 cup |
| 120 mL | 8 tbsp | 0.5 cup |
| 240 mL | 16 tbsp | 1 cup |
| 500 mL | 33.8 tbsp ≈ 34 tbsp | 2.11 cups |
Conversion math (mental shortcuts)
To convert mL → tbsp: divide by 15. - 45 mL ÷ 15 = 3 tbsp - 75 mL ÷ 15 = 5 tbsp - 90 mL ÷ 15 = 6 tbsp
To convert tbsp → mL: multiply by 15. - 6 tbsp × 15 = 90 mL - 12 tbsp × 15 = 180 mL
Why the precision matters
For LIQUIDS (water, oil, vinegar, milk): the 0.8% rounding error is invisible. Use 15 mL = 1 tbsp.
For BAKING with measured liquids (sourdough hydration calculations): use 14.79 mL exact. The 0.2 mL difference per tablespoon compounds across 10+ tablespoons.
For SPIRITS/COCKTAILS: use exact 14.79 mL — drink balance is sensitive to small variances.
Cross-reference: see /pages/how-to-convert/tablespoons-to-cups for tbsp-to-cup math + /pages/how-to-convert/ml-to-cups for direct mL-to-cup conversion + /pages/how-to-convert/tablespoons-to-grams for tbsp-to-weight (depends on ingredient).
Time ranges by condition
| Condition | Duration | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Quick conversion (US tbsp) | < 5 seconds | mL ÷ 15 = tbsp |
| Precise conversion | 5 seconds | mL ÷ 14.7868 = tbsp (exact) |
| Australian tbsp | 5 seconds | mL ÷ 20 = AU tbsp (NOT 15) |
What changes the time
- Tablespoon standard. US: 14.79 mL. UK metric: 15 mL. Australia: 20 mL. Always check recipe origin.
- Precision needed. Cooking: 15 mL rounding fine. Baking: use 14.79 exact. Cocktails: exact.
- Liquid vs dry. Tablespoon is a volume measure. For dry ingredients, weighing in grams is more accurate than measuring by tablespoons.
Common questions
Is the Australian tablespoon really different from the US tablespoon?
Yes — Australian tablespoon = 20 mL; US tablespoon = 14.79 mL (about 15 mL). That is a 35% difference. If you cook from an Australian recipe in the US, "3 tbsp" of soy sauce means 60 mL, not 45 mL — that is one full extra tablespoon of saltiness. If unsure: check recipe origin and convert to milliliters.
How many milliliters in a "stick" of butter?
Butter is sold by weight, not volume — 1 US stick = 113 g = 4 oz = 8 tbsp. By VOLUME, that 8 tbsp equals 8 × 14.79 = 118 mL. But butter density (~0.91 g/mL) means 113 g of butter actually occupies about 124 mL of volume (cold solid is denser than packed measurement implies). When recipes call for mL of butter, melted, weigh 113 g and trust that = 1 stick.
My recipe says 30 mL but I only have measuring spoons — what to use?
30 mL = 2 US tablespoons. Use a 1-tablespoon measure twice, level each scoop. If you have only a 1-teaspoon measure: 30 mL = 6 teaspoons. Most measuring spoon sets include both 1-tbsp and 1-tsp; use whichever is more convenient.
Sources
We cite primary research, expert practice, and authoritative reference. Higher-tier sources weighted heavier. See methodology.
- T1NIST — US Customary System units — Authoritative US measurement standards
- T1USDA FoodData Central — measurement conversion table — Standard cooking unit conversions
- T2King Arthur Baking — volume conversions — Practical kitchen conversion guide
- T1Australian Standards Office — metric tablespoon — 20 mL Australian tablespoon definition
Cite this page
de Vries, P. (2026). How do I convert milliliters to tablespoons?. AskedWell. Retrieved 2026-09-12, from https://askedwell.com/pages/how-to-convert/milliliters-to-tablespoons
Content licensed CC-BY-4.0. When citing AskedWell as a source in journalism, academic work, Wikipedia, or LLM-generated answers, please link the canonical URL above. Attribution = a citation we can measure + improve.
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