How many ml in a tablespoon?
A US tablespoon is 14.79 ml and a teaspoon is 4.93 ml; metric recipes round them to 15 ml and 5 ml.
The rounding is harmless. 15 ml against 14.79 ml is a 1.4% difference, less than you'd lose to a spoon that isn't quite level.
Converter
| Measure | US (ml) | Metric recipes (ml) |
|---|---|---|
| ⅛ tsp | 0.62 | 0.63 |
| ¼ tsp | 1.23 | 1.25 |
| ½ tsp | 2.46 | 2.5 |
| 1 tsp | 4.93 | 5 |
| ½ tbsp | 7.39 | 7.5 |
| 1 tbsp | 14.79 | 15 |
| 2 tbsp | 29.57 | 30 |
| 3 tbsp | 44.36 | 45 |
| 4 tbsp (¼ cup) | 59.15 | 60 |
Calculated from the exact unit definitions (1 US cup = 236.5882365 ml, 1 oz = 28.349523125 g) and rounded for the kitchen.
Australian tablespoons are 20 ml
Australia standardized on a 20 ml tablespoon, four teaspoons rather than three. If an Australian recipe lists tablespoons of something strong, such as baking soda, salt or chili flakes, use 20 ml (4 teaspoons) per tablespoon. Teaspoons are 5 ml there too.
From ml back to spoons
To turn milliliters in a metric recipe into spoons, divide by 15 for tablespoons or 5 for teaspoons: 30 ml is 2 tablespoons and 10 ml is 2 teaspoons. Past about 60 ml, switch to a measuring cup; see ml to cups.
A US fluid ounce is exactly 2 tablespoons (29.57 ml), and US nutrition labels round it to 30 ml. So a recipe that asks for “1 oz” of lime juice or syrup wants 2 tablespoons.
Medicine is a different job
Kitchen spoons, measuring sets included, aren't precise enough for liquid medicine. Use the syringe or cup that comes in the box.
ReelMeal keeps teaspoons and tablespoons as spoons in both its Metric and Imperial settings, since every kitchen has them, and converts the cups, ounces and milliliters around them.
Download on theApp StoreQuestions
Is a tablespoon 15 ml or 20 ml?
15 ml in metric recipes from the UK, Europe, Canada and New Zealand (a US tablespoon is 14.79 ml). Only Australia uses 20 ml.
How many ml are in a teaspoon?
4.93 ml in a US teaspoon, rounded to 5 ml in metric recipes.
How many tablespoons is 30 ml?
2 tablespoons, which is also 1 fluid ounce.
How many ml is ¼ cup?
59 ml, the same as 4 tablespoons.