How many mL in a tablespoon?
1 Tbsp = 14.79 mL
rounded to 15 mL on labels · 3 tsp · 1/2 fl oz
Converter
Other cup standards
US cups: 1 · nutrition-label cups (240 mL): 0.986 · metric cups (250 mL): 0.946 · UK fluid ounces: 8.33
One US tablespoon is 14.79 mL, the same as three teaspoons or half a fluid ounce. Measuring spoons with metric markings, nutrition labels and metric recipes all treat it as 15 mL. That rounding is harmless in cooking, so a recipe asking for 15 mL of oil or soy sauce wants one level tablespoon.
Going the other way, 30 mL is about 2 Tbsp (1 fl oz) and 45 mL is about 3 Tbsp. For amounts under about 1/4 cup (59 mL), counting level tablespoons is more accurate than reading the lines near the bottom of a large liquid measuring cup.
| Tablespoons | mL (exact) | mL (label) |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 Tbsp | 7.39 | 7.5 |
| 1 Tbsp | 14.79 | 15 |
| 1 1/2 Tbsp | 22.18 | 22.5 |
| 2 Tbsp | 29.57 | 30 |
| 3 Tbsp | 44.36 | 45 |
| 4 Tbsp | 59.15 | 60 |
| 5 Tbsp | 73.93 | 75 |
| 6 Tbsp | 88.72 | 90 |
| 8 Tbsp | 118.29 | 120 |
| 10 Tbsp | 147.87 | 150 |
| 12 Tbsp | 177.44 | 180 |
| 16 Tbsp | 236.59 | 240 |
| mL | Tablespoons | Teaspoons |
|---|---|---|
| 5 mL | 0.34 | 1 |
| 10 mL | 0.68 | 2 |
| 15 mL | 1.01 | 3 |
| 20 mL | 1.35 | 4.1 |
| 25 mL | 1.69 | 5.1 |
| 30 mL | 2.03 | 6.1 |
| 45 mL | 3.04 | 9.1 |
| 50 mL | 3.38 | 10.1 |
| 60 mL | 4.06 | 12.2 |
| 100 mL | 6.76 | 20.3 |
Half tablespoons
Many spoon sets include a 1/2 Tbsp measure, which holds about 7.39 mL, the same as 1 1/2 tsp. If yours does not, use 1 tsp plus 1/2 tsp.
Tablespoons and medicine
A tablespoon from the silverware drawer is not a measuring tablespoon, and sizes vary a lot. For medicine, use the dosing cup or syringe that comes with the medicine, not kitchen spoons.
Questions
Is 1 tablespoon 15 mL?
Close enough for cooking: a US tablespoon is 14.79 mL, and labels and metric recipes round it to 15 mL.
How many mL in 2 tablespoons?
About 29.6 mL, which is exactly 1 US fl oz. Labels usually call it 30 mL.
How many tablespoons in 100 mL?
About 6 3/4 Tbsp (6.76). With US measures, use 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp.
Sources: US customary units: NIST Handbook 44 · nutrition-label cup: FDA 21 CFR 101.9. How we calculate.