How Many Tablespoons in 1/3 cup?
How Many Tablespoons are in ⅓rd Cup?
Measuring ingredients can get confusing fast—especially when a recipe calls for something like ⅓ cup, and all that’s available is a tablespoon. Instead of guessing or digging through a drawer for the right cup, here’s a clear breakdown of how it all works.
Let’s keep it simple.
The Quick Answer
There are 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon in ⅓ cup.
Or, in numbers:
⅓ cup = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
That’s a total of 16 teaspoons
Why This Helps
Whether doubling a recipe, halving it, or just trying to measure without dirtying another cup, knowing the tablespoon equivalent saves time and effort.
Conversion Chart: Cups to Tablespoons
Here’s a simple chart to keep on hand:
| Cups | Tablespoons |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons |
| ¾ cup | 12 tablespoons |
| ⅔ cup | 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons |
| ½ cup | 8 tablespoons |
| ⅓ cup | 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon |
| ¼ cup | 4 tablespoons |
| ⅛ cup | 2 tablespoons |
✔ Tip: There are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon, and 16 tablespoons in 1 cup.
Measuring Tips
- Level the spoon: To get an accurate tablespoon, level off the top with a flat edge.
- Use dry vs. liquid tools properly: Dry measuring cups are best for flour, sugar, etc. Liquid ones for water, oil, and similar.
- No ⅓ cup? Use 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon instead.
Quick Reference: Tablespoons in Fractions of a Cup
| Fraction of a Cup | Tablespoons | Teaspoons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 16 tbsp | 48 tsp |
| ¾ cup | 12 tbsp | 36 tsp |
| ⅔ cup | 10 tbsp + 2 tsp | 32 tsp |
| ½ cup | 8 tbsp | 24 tsp |
| ⅓ cup | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp | 16 tsp |
| ¼ cup | 4 tbsp | 12 tsp |
| ⅛ cup | 2 tbsp | 6 tsp |
When You Need to Scale
If a recipe calls for ⅔ cup, just double the ⅓ cup conversion:
⅔ cup = 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
Need to halve ⅓ cup? That’s:
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
Final Takeaway
| Measurement | Tablespoons |
|---|---|
| ⅓ cup | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp |
No more guessing or overfilling spoons. This conversion makes it easy to adapt recipes or measure without a full set of cups. It’s a simple kitchen hack that saves time and improves accuracy.
