In quarantine so you decide to do a little cooking – you’re in the groove but dammit there is something missing…sigh! What can you substitute? Yup, I totally understand & have been in this situation a few times too. Some substitutions take a little more thinking than a simple sultana for raisin swap out.
Photo by Calum Lewis on Unsplash
Truthfully, I also find these substitutes pretty useful when adapting recipes (dairy free, egg free, gluten free). Here are some of my favs plus I’ve provided some extra info for some.
👉 Butter
High fat substitutes work the best, as they retain moisture & help with binding. Use a ratio of 1:1, unless stated.
👨🍳 Coconut oil / coconut butter / coconut yoghurt
👨🍳 Avocado, mashed
👨🍳 Olive oil
Note: use half the amount of olive oil for whatever recipe indicates for butter
👨🍳 Nut butter – whatever type you have on hand, I find them pretty interchangeable
👨🍳 Tahini
👉 Eggs (1 egg)
Eggs do a few things when cooking, so I have tried to group similar processes together. FYI: This section has a lot of extra notes.
Binding
👨🍳 Chia seeds
What: 1 tbspn chia seeds + 2½ tbspn water
How: Add chia seeds to a small dish & add water. Stir & let rest for 5 minutes to thicken. It should be gel-like & thick.
Notes: not an exact 1:1 substitution in every recipe. Why? because it doesn’t bind + stiffen during baking quite like an egg.
Good for: pancakes, muffins, biscuits & generally a lot of baked recipes.
👨🍳 Flaxseed meal
What: 1 tbspn flaxseed meal + 3 tbspn water
How: Add flaxseed meal with water to a dish. Stir, then let stand for 5 minutes to thicken.
Notes: A good 1:1 substitution, although similar to a chia egg it doesn’t bind + stiffen during baking.
Good for: pancakes, muffins, biscuits & baked recipes
Binding & whipping
👨🍳 Aquafaba AKA chickpea brine
This is a relatively new thing & I’ve experimented a little but not heaps. This one takes a bit of patience (& I suspect practice). I know people who have had loads of success with this, honestly my results have been a bit meh.
What: 3 tbspn aquafaba (chickpea brine) + pinch of cream of tartar = approx. 2 cups whipped
How: Using a mixer it takes approx. 3-6 minutes to get soft peaks (depending how thick the aquafaba was initially). Bottom line – it takes time to get soft peaks, so you need patience. Adding a pinch of cream of tartar in, will help mixture to whip up a little quicker & make peaks firmer.
Notes: The trick for success seems to be the use of a hand mixer or stand mixer, don’t bother trying to do this by hand. Besides taking forever, the results aren’t as good. This option is great if you need a rising quality, plus it will provide a lighter, fluffier texture.
Good for: Unwhipped – use as an egg binder; semi-stiff peaks – whipped egg substitute THINK: lighter cakes; stiff peaks THINK: meringues & macaroons.
Moisture & sweetness
👨🍳 Fruit or vegetables
What: ½ banana, mashed; ¼ cup fruit puree (apple, pear, pumpkin, etc)
Notes: This is my favourite option. Why? it is usually readily available & I can sneak in some extra fruit or vege.
Good for: pancakes, muffins, biscuits, & baked recipes
Creaminess & sweetness
👨🍳 Peanut paste
What: 3 tbspn peanut paste
Notes: OK, I know not everyone likes peanut paste & that is OK, just sub in another nut or seed butter. I use them interchangeably with no problems.
Good for: biscuits & baked recipes
👨🍳 Soft tofu
What: ¼ cup soft tofu
How: Mash it up & sub it in.
Good for: Ideal for custards & tarts
👉 Flour (1 cup)
I have based my list on plain flour, which is also known as all-purpose flour.
👨🍳 ¾ cup coarse cornmeal
👨🍳 ¾ cup rice flour
👨🍳 1 cup rolled oats
Note: I tend to blitz them a little in the food processor
👨🍳 1 ½ cup oat flour
👉 Milk (1:1)
👨🍳 Dairy milk
👨🍳 Soy milk
👨🍳 Oat milk
Note: very creamy option
👨🍳 Almond milk
👨🍳 Coconut milk
Note: will give a slight coconut flavour
👨🍳 Rice milk
Note: great nut & soy free option
👉 Plus, some randoms I find useful
Almond meal (1:1)
👨🍳 Sunflower seed meal
Note: great substitute for nut allergies or nut free school lunchbox recipes
Rolled oats (1:1)
👨🍳 Quinoa flakes
Good for: baking recipes.
Cream (1:1)
👨🍳 Coconut cream
Note: It will impart a coconut flavour
Good for: great for baking, cooking, whipping or puddings.
Sour cream (1 cup)
👨🍳 Plain Greek yoghurt
👨🍳 1 cup whole milk + 1 tbspn lemon juice OR vinegar
Baking powder (1 tsp.)
👨🍳 1½ tsp. cream of tartar + ½ tsp. baking soda
👨🍳 1/4 tsp. baking soda + ½ tsp. cream of tartar
Cream of tartar (1 tsp.)
👨🍳 2 tsp white vinegar
👨🍳 2 tsp lemon juice
Breadcrumbs (1 cup)
👨🍳 1 cup cracker crumbs
👨🍳 1 cup corn flake crumbs
👨🍳 1 cup rolled oats.
Cream cheese (1 cup)
👨🍳 1/2 cup plain yogurt + ½ cup ricotta cheese
Lemon juice (1 tsp.)
👨🍳 1 tsp. white wine
👨🍳 1 tsp. vinegar
Rice (1:1)
👨🍳 Brown rice
👨🍳 Barley
Soy sauce (½ cup)
👨🍳 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce + 1 tbspn water
Vinegar (½ cup)
👨🍳 ½ cup white wine
👨🍳 2/3 cup lemon juice
There are loads of other substitutes out there, so you may have a few more which you use successfully. Happy cooking Peeps.
#Life101 #Recipe #DairyFree #GlutenFree #Vegan #Vego #Keto #ConsciouslyNutritious