Metric and US Conversion Chart

I have an increasing number of visitors coming to this site from the US who have asked if I can provide US equivalents for the Metric quantities I use. Having worked in the US I know there can be considerable differences. These apply not only to the quantities of foods used but also the terms referred to in cooking.  There are also additional name differences e.g. we refer to coriander but the Americans call this cilantro.

Cooking with English cookbooks in America can be just as frustrating an experience for US cooks as that endured by his or her counterpart on the otherside of the Atlantic with a US cookbook.

In an effort to make this transition smooth and reliable for both countries and cooks, here is my detailed conversion chart that has served me well for almost all the recipes I have cooked to date for the website and in my book ‘Return to Slender’.

Remember to only use one set of measures, they are not interchangeable. If  in doubt then don’t hesitate to email info@bariatriccookery.com for more information.

 

THIS CHART CAN BE USED FOR THE ARCHIVE RECIPES ON THE SITE. CURRENT AND FUTURE RECIPES WILL ALL HAVE DUAL METRIC AND US QUANTITIES.

 

LIQUID MEASURES

METRIC/US

5 ml (or 1 tsp)/1 tsp

15 ml (or 1 tbsp)/1 tbsp

30 ml (or 2 tbsp)/3 tbsp

45 ml (or 3 tbsp)/1/4 cup

50 ml/4 tbsp

90 ml (or 6 tbsp)/1/2 cup

150 ml/2/3 cup

300 ml/11/4 cups

450 ml/2 cups

600 ml/21/2 cups

900 ml/33/4 cups

1 litre/41/4 cups

1.2 litres/5 cups

 

BUTTER/MARGARINE EQUIVALENTS

Metric/US

25g/2 tbsp

40g/3 tbsp

50g/4 tbsp

65g/5 tbsp

75g/6 tbsp

100g/scant 1/2 cup

225g/1 cup

450g/2 cups

 

EGG WHITE EQUIVALENTS

2 large egg whites/1/4 cup egg white

 

SUET EQUIVALENT

Metric/US

50g shedded suet/6 tbsp chopped suet

 

PEANUT BUTTER EQUIVALENT

Metric/US

3 tbsp peanut butter/1/4 cup peanut butter

 

BREADCRUMB EQUIVALENTS

Metric/US

25g fresh soft breadcrumbs/1/2 cup fresh soft breadcrumbs

100g fresh soft breadcrumbs/2 cups fresh soft breadcrumbs

275g fresh soft breadcrumbs/5cups fresh soft breadcrumbs

 

MAYONNAISE EQUIVALENT

Metric/US

150 ml mayonnaise/2/3 cup mayonnaise

 

YEAST EQUIVALENTS

Metric/US

1 tbsp dried yeast/11/2 packages active dry yeast

2 tsp dried yeast/1 package active dry yeast

 

SUGAR EQUIVALENTS

Metric/US

100g granulated sugar/1/2 cup sugar

150g granulated sugar/3/4 cup sugar

225g granulated sugar/1 cup sugar

450g granulated sugar/2 cups sugar

100g castor sugar/1/2 cup superfine sugar

100g icing sugar/scant 1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar

450g icing sugar/3 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar

25g brown sugar/2 tbsp brown sugar

50g light soft brown or demerara sugar/1/4 cup light brown sugar

75g light soft brown or demerara sugar/6 tbsp light brown sugar

450g light soft brown or demerara sugar/2 cups light brown sugar

 

FLOUR EQUIVALENTS

Metric/US

15g plain flour/2 tbsp all-purpose flour

3 tbsp plain flour/1/4 cup all-purpose flour

25g plain flour/1/4 cup all-purpose flour

50g plain flour/1/2 cup all-purpose flour

100g plain flour/1 cup all-purpose flour

450g plain flour/4 cups all-purpose flour

100g self-raising flour/1 cup all-purpose flour sifted with 1 tsp baking powder

 

BRAN EQUIVALENTS

Metric/US

25 g/1/2 cup

100g/2 cups

 

 

CHOCOLATE EQUIVALENTS

Metric/US

50g/1/3 cup grated chocolate

175g/1 cup chocolate pieces

 

DIGESTIVE BISCUIT/GRAHAM CRACKER EQUIVALENT

Metric/US

225g crushed digestive biscuits/3 cups graham cracker crumbs

 

COCOA POWDER EQUIVALENT

Metric/US

25g/1/4 cup cocoa powder

 

GELATINE EQUIVALENT

Metric/US

14 g envelope powdered gelatine/1/2-oz envelope powdered gelatine

 

JAM/JELLY EQUIVALENT

Metric/US

100g/1/3 cup jam or jelly

 

CHEESE EQUIVALENTS

Metric/US

50g/1/2 cup grated Cheddar or hard cheese

100g/1 cup grated Cheddar or hard cheese

113 g carton/1/2 cup cottage cheese

225g/1 cup cream cheese

4 tbsp/1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

50g/1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

75 g/3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 

DRIED FRUIT AND NUT EQUIVALENTS

Metric/US

50g seedless raisins/1/3 cup seeded raisins

50g/1/3 cup mixed dried fruit

225g sultanas/11/2 cups seedless white raisins

50g/1/3 cup chopped dried apricots

50g/1/4 cup peanuts

50g/1/2 cup flaked almonds

50g/1/2 cup chopped walnuts

25g/1/4 cup ground almonds

150g desiccated coconut/12/3 cups shredded coconut

 

COOKED HAM /CHICKEN EQUIVALENTS

Metric/US

50g/1/4 cup chopped cooked ham or chicken

100g/1/2 cup diced cooked ham or chicken

 

PRAWNS/SHRIMP EQUIVALENTS

Metric/US

100g peeled prawns/2/3 cup shelled shrimp

 

VEGETABLE EQUIVALENTS

Metric/US

3 tbsp/1/4 cup diced cucumber

3 tbsp/1/4 cup diced peppers

3 tbsp/1/4 cup diced celery

50g/1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

 

OLIVE EQUIVALENT

Metric/US

50g stoned black olives/1/3 cup pitted ripe olives

 

KETCHUP EQUIVALENT

Metric/US

4 tbsp/1/3 cup tomato ketchup

 

RICE EQUIVALENTS

Metric/US

100g/1/2 cup raw rice

225g/generous 1 cup raw rice

100g/2/3 cup cooked long-grain rice

 

LENTIL EQUIVALENTS

Metric/US

50g/1/4 cup raw lentils

100g/1/2 cup raw lentils

 

SPLIT PEA EQUIVALENT

Metric/US

175g/3/4 cup raw split peas

 

EQUIVALENT TERMS AND FOODS

Metric/US

cling film/saran wrap

cocktail stick/toothpick

flan tin/pie pan

greaseproof paper/waxed paper

grill/broil

liquidise/blend

mince/grind

packet/package

piping bag/pastry bag

polythene/plastic

roasting tin/roasting pan

ssandwich tin/layer cake pan

stoned/pitted

Swiss roll tin/jelly roll pan

top and tail/stem and end

courgette/zucchini

aubergine/eggplant

coriander/cilantro

hard-boiled eggs/hard-cooked eggs

soured cream/dairy sour cream

spring onions/scallions

plain flour/all-purpose flour

streaky bacon/bacon slices

belly of pork/salt pork

stock cube/bouillon cube

double cream/heavy cream

tomato puree/tomato paste

salt beef/corned beef brisket

sultanas/seedless white raisins

stewing beef/beef stew meat

desiccated coconut/shredded coconut

minced beef/ground beef

middle neck or scrag end of lamb/lamb neck slices

lamb chump chops/lamb leg chops

lamb’s liver/lamb liver

cornflour/cornstarch

wholemeal flour/whole meal flour

lamb cutlets/rib lamb chops

black olives/ripe olives

rump or topside steak/beef round or rump steak

natural yogurt/plain yogurt

paprika/paprika pepper

pork fillet/pork tenderloin

pinch of/dash of

black treacle/molasses

seedless raisins/seeded raisins

single cream/light cream

stoned/pitted

cooked beetroot/cooked beets

broad beans/lima beans

swede/rutabaga

marrow/zucchini squash

cooking apples/baking apples

sticks of celery/stalks of celery

celeriac/celery root

anchovy essence/anchovy extract

mixed peel/chopped candied peel

dark brown ale or Guinness cream stout/dark beer or Guinness cream stout

vanilla essence/vanilla extract

demerara sugar/light brown sugar

golden syrup/corn syrup

lard/shortening

icing sugar/confectioner’s sugar

spong fingers/ladyfingers

coffee essence/coffee extract

digestive biscuits/graham crackers

caster sugar/superfine sugar

gingernuts/gingersnaps

biscuits/cookies

frozen puff pastry/frozen puff paste

stewing steak/beef stew meat

pastry/dough

choux pastry/choux paste

glace cherries/candied cherries

bicarbonate of soda/baking soda