Ingredient Weight Converter · dairy
Plain Greek Yogurt: cups to grams
1 cup of plain greek yogurt weighs 245 grams. Use the converter below for any other amount, or check the quick-reference table.
By Andrew Flores, Editor and publisher, Nathan Management. Last reviewed .
Density source: USDA FoodData Central, cross-checked against the King Arthur Baking weight chart. How these figures are derived and corrected is documented in our editorial standards.
Plain Greek Yogurt baseline: 1 cup = 245 g.
Common amounts
| Cups | Tablespoons | Grams | Ounces (weight) | Milliliters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 4.0 | 61 g | 2.16 oz | 59 mL |
| 1/3 cup | 5.3 | 82 g | 2.88 oz | 79 mL |
| 1/2 cup | 8.0 | 123 g | 4.32 oz | 118 mL |
| 2/3 cup | 10.7 | 163 g | 5.76 oz | 158 mL |
| 3/4 cup | 12.0 | 184 g | 6.48 oz | 177 mL |
| 1 cup | 16.0 | 245 g | 8.64 oz | 237 mL |
| 1.5 cups | 24.0 | 368 g | 12.96 oz | 355 mL |
| 2 cups | 32.0 | 490 g | 17.28 oz | 473 mL |
| 3 cups | 48.0 | 735 g | 25.93 oz | 710 mL |
| 4 cups | 64.0 | 980 g | 34.57 oz | 946 mL |
Spoon weights
Derived from the same 245 g per cup — a US tablespoon is 1/16 of a cup and a teaspoon is 1/48.
| Amount | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 15 g |
| 1 teaspoon | 5.1 g |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.6 g |
| 1/4 teaspoon | 1.3 g |
Plain Greek Yogurt at a glance
- Straining ratio
- roughly 3–4 cups of milk yield 1 cup of Greek yogurt, which is where the protein concentration comes from
- pH
- around 4.4 — it activates baking soda
- Make labneh
- Strain Greek yogurt overnight in cheesecloth with a pinch of salt and it becomes a spreadable fresh cheese
What a cup of plain greek yogurt actually weighs
The published 245 g assumes one specific way of filling the cup. Here is what the same cup weighs under the other common handling methods and product forms, and how far off the recipe you end up.
| How it was measured | Grams per cup | vs. published | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole-milk plain, spooned and leveled | 245 g | published figure | The published figure. |
| Non-fat plain | ~245 g | published figure | Roughly the same weight; the difference shows up as a tighter, chalkier crumb and a sharper tang in the finished bake. |
A tilde (~) marks a working estimate rather than a published figure — it varies with brand, grind, or how hard the cup was packed.
Why measuring plain greek yogurt by cup goes wrong
Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt is strained yogurt — the same culture, with much of the whey drained off. That straining is why it is roughly twice the protein and half the sugar of regular yogurt at the same weight. A cup weighs 245 grams. Non-fat Greek yogurt is leaner and tangier; in baking, whole-milk is the closer match for sour cream and crème fraîche.
Practical tips for working with plain greek yogurt
Greek yogurt is a one-for-one swap for sour cream in cakes, muffins, dressings, and dips. The flavor is slightly tangier and the result is slightly drier — add an extra tablespoon of oil or melted butter per cup substituted if a cake comes out a touch tighter than you want. Don't substitute into a recipe that boils the dairy (stroganoff, for instance) — Greek yogurt breaks at lower temperatures than sour cream.
Note from this ingredient's record: Whole-milk Greek yogurt swaps 1:1 for sour cream in cakes and quick breads with no other adjustment.
Substitutions that work — and what they cost you
Sour cream
Ratio: 1:1
Trade-off: Richer and milder, and more forgiving of heat. Straight swap in any baking application.
Greek yogurt for buttermilk
Ratio: 3/4 cup yogurt thinned with 1/4 cup milk = 1 cup buttermilk
Trade-off: Similar acidity; thin it or the batter will be too stiff to pour.
Greek yogurt for oil in a quick bread
Ratio: Replace up to half the oil, 1:1
Trade-off: Cuts fat and adds protein and moisture, but the crumb turns springier and stales faster.
When plain greek yogurt ruins the recipe
| What you see | What went wrong | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Yogurt curdled into grains in a hot pan sauce | Greek yogurt breaks at a lower temperature than sour cream because it has less fat protecting the proteins. | Take the pan off the heat, temper the yogurt with hot liquid, stir it in at the end, and never let it simmer. |
Storing plain greek yogurt
Refrigerated. The watery layer on top is whey, not spoilage — stir it back in for a creamier result, or pour it off for a thicker one.
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