Sauce, Peanut, Made From Peanut Butter, Water, Soy Sauce: How Many Grams in a Tablespoon?
Peanut sauce made from peanut butter, water, and soy sauce is a dense emulsion typical of Southeast Asian cooking. At 1.217 g/ml — the same as teriyaki sauce — its density is driven by the peanut butter fraction (dense from fat and protein) combined with the dissolved solids in soy sauce. A tablespoon weighs approximately 18 g; a cup weighs approximately 288 g. Consistency varies significantly: thin versions (more water) are pourable and lighter; thick versions (more peanut butter) are closer to a paste and may weigh more per cup due to denser packing. Used in satay, cold noodle dishes, spring rolls, and stir-fries.
Quick convert
- US cup = 236.588 mL
- 1 tbsp = 14.787 mL
- 1 tsp = 4.929 mL
Reference table
| tbsp | g |
|---|---|
| 1 | 18 |
| 2 | 36 |
| 3 | 54 |
| 4 | 72 |
| 5 | 90 |
FAQ
- Why does peanut sauce have such high density despite being liquid?
- Peanut sauce's high density (1.217 g/ml) comes from peanut butter, which contains dense fats and proteins (density ~1.1–1.2 g/ml when measured as a solid). When emulsified with water, the emulsion's density depends on the ratio — more peanut butter means higher density. Soy sauce also contributes ~1.08 g/ml. The result is considerably heavier per cup than most other liquid sauces.
- Does the consistency of peanut sauce affect its gram weight per cup?
- Yes, significantly. A thin restaurant-style peanut sauce (mostly water with a small amount of peanut butter) may be closer to 1.10 g/ml (~260 g/cup), while a thick paste-style peanut sauce can exceed 1.30 g/ml. The USDA value (1.217 g/ml) is a reference average for the peanut butter + water + soy sauce formulation. Always measure your specific preparation by weight.
- How many grams is a quarter cup of peanut sauce?
- At 1.217 g/ml, a quarter cup (59.1 ml) of peanut sauce weighs approximately 72 g. This is about 12 g more than a quarter cup of water (59 g) — a meaningful difference when scaling recipes that call for peanut sauce in tablespoon or cup amounts.