What this calculator does
Find out how many milliliters are in your tablespoons, or how many tablespoons are in your milliliters. Tablespoons turn up in almost every recipe: oil for a pan, soy sauce for a marinade, butter for a roux. Say a recipe in tablespoons meets a kitchen with metric measures, or the other way round. Then you need the size of the spoon in milliliters.
The US tablespoon is half a US fluid ounce. That makes it exactly 14.78676478125 mL, and that's what this page uses. Metric countries settled on a rounder 15 mL tablespoon, and Australia uses a 20 mL one. So where a recipe comes from matters more than the decimals.
Where it's used
Why this math matters outside the classroom:
- Recipes. A recipe needing 2 tbsp of oil uses about 29.6 mL.
- Metric spoons. A metric tablespoon is 15 mL, only about 0.2 mL more than a US tablespoon.
- Australian spoons. An Australian tablespoon holds 20 mL, about 1.35 US tablespoons.
- Drink measures. Bartenders without a jigger measure a 30 mL pour as about 2 US tablespoons.
- Salad dressing. Scaling a dressing that uses 5 tbsp of vinegar to a metric jug means measuring about 74 mL.
Grade level and standards: Grades 5–6; Common Core State Standards for Mathematics 6.RP.A.3.d. © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.
How to use it
- Enter a number of tablespoons, or a volume in milliliters.
- Choose tablespoons to milliliters, or milliliters to tablespoons.
- Read the converted amount and steps. The table runs from half a spoon up to a full cup's worth (16 tbsp).
What the inputs mean
- Value to convert
- US tablespoons for tbsp → mL, or milliliters for mL → tbsp. Half a tablespoon is 0.5.
- Direction
- Which unit you typed. The reference table switches to match.
Formula and method
mL = tbsp × 14.78676478125 tbsp = mL ÷ 14.78676478125 1 tbsp = ½ US fl oz = 3 tsp
tbsp means US tablespoons, mL means milliliters, fl oz means fluid ounces and tsp means teaspoons.
A US fluid ounce is exactly 29.5735295625 mL, and a tablespoon is exactly half of one. So turning tablespoons into milliliters is one exact multiplication.
For milliliters to tablespoons, the calculator divides by the same exact value. So 15 mL comes out as 1.0144 US tablespoons.
Worked example
A dressing calls for 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- 1 US tbsp is exactly 14.78676478125 mL, so multiply: 2 × 14.78676478125.
- 2 × 14.78676478125 = 29.5735295625 mL.
Result: 2 tablespoons is about 29.6 mL, which is also exactly one US fluid ounce.
Understanding the result
Here's a handy shortcut: call a tablespoon 15 mL. That's 1.4% more than the US spoon. It's far less than the difference between a heaped and a level spoonful. So 3 tbsp ≈ 45 mL and 4 tbsp ≈ 60 mL are fine for cooking.
Useful numbers to remember: 1 tbsp = 3 tsp, 2 tbsp = 1 fl oz, 4 tbsp = ¼ cup, and 16 tbsp = 1 cup (236.6 mL).
Watch out for this one: an Australian tablespoon is 20 mL, a third larger than the US one. Some recipes from Australia list baking powder, salt or gelatin by the tablespoon. To match, use 4 US-size teaspoons, not 3.
Assumptions and limitations
- “Tablespoon” means the US customary tablespoon (½ US fl oz).
- Spoons are measured level.
- Metric (15 mL) and Australian (20 mL) tablespoons aren't separate options here.
- It converts volume, not weight. A tablespoon of honey weighs much more than a tablespoon of flour.
- Ordinary dinner spoons vary widely in size and aren't standard measures.
Frequently asked questions
How many mL are in a tablespoon?
A US tablespoon holds exactly 14.78676478125 mL, about 14.8 mL. Metric tablespoons are 15 mL, and Australian ones are 20 mL.
How many tablespoons are in 100 mL?
About 6.76 US tablespoons, or 6⅔ metric (15 mL) tablespoons.
Is a soup spoon the same as a tablespoon?
Not reliably. Everyday eating spoons come in many sizes. For recipes, use a measuring spoon. For medicine, use the dosing device that comes with the product, not any kitchen spoon.
How this calculator is checked
Method: US tablespoon = ½ US fl oz = 1/256 US gal = 14.78676478125 mL exactly. The calculation is covered by automated tests with known reference values and edge cases. Last updated 2026-10-18. Found a problem? Tell us.
Embed this calculator
Put this Tablespoons to Milliliters Converter on your own website or blog for free. Paste this code where you want it to appear: