🍳 Common Cooking Substitutions Guide
The purpose of a cooking substitutions guide is to give you the freedom of flexibility — instead of rushing out to the store, you can feel confident using the next best ingredient. The final appearance, taste, and texture may be altered (especially in baking), but combining these suggestions with your own intuition may make something even better than the original recipe.
🧁 Baking Essentials
🥛 Dairy Substitutions
Ingredient | Substitution |
1 cup Buttermilk | 1 tbsp white vinegar + 1 cup milk; OR 1 tbsp lemon juice + 1 cup milk; OR ¾ cup yogurt + ¼ cup milk; OR ¾ cup sour cream + ¼ cup milk |
1 cup Milk | ½ cup water + ½ cup heavy cream — heavy cream is essentially just milk with the water removed, so this substitution works perfectly |
Sour Cream | Due to their similar consistencies and tangy flavors, Greek yogurt works as the perfect substitution for sour cream. Use a 1:1 ratio and continue making the recipe according to the original instructions. |
Cream Cheese | Neufchâtel; or pureed and strained cottage cheese or ricotta mixed with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon |
Coconut Milk | Mix 2½ cups of water with 2 cups of unsweetened shredded coconut, boil, cool, blend, and strain |
🥚 Egg Substitutions
Ingredient | Substitution |
1 Egg (in baked goods) | 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 2½ tbsp powdered egg substitute + water, or half a mashed banana with ½ tsp baking powder |
1 Egg (flax alternative) | 1 tbsp ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp warm water replaces one egg in the batter |
🧈 Fats & Oils
Ingredient | Substitution |
1 cup Butter | Substitute butter for oil at a ratio of 1 cup butter to ⅞ cups oil. This works for both salted and unsalted butter. Margarine and shortening can also be substituted at the same ratio. |
Oil (in baking) | Applesauce can substitute for oil in a 1:1 ratio — if the recipe calls for 1 cup of oil for baking, use 1 cup of applesauce. |
Apple sauce, Greek yogurt, or roasted garlic mixed with olive oil |
🍬 Sweeteners
Ingredient | Substitution |
Light/Dark Corn Syrup (baking) | Honey, agave, brown rice syrup, cane syrup, maple syrup, or golden syrup. Alternatively, for 1 cup light corn syrup, combine 1 cup sugar and ¼ cup hot water. |
You can make a substitute in a pinch with brown sugar, water, lemon juice, and cinnamon. | |
Sugar (in cooking/baking) | Pureed fruit can substitute for sugar in cooking and baking. Keep frozen purees on hand so they're as convenient as the sugar bowl. |
Honey (as binder) | If honey is used for stickiness or binding (e.g., no-bake oatmeal bites), substitute with another "sticky" sweetener such as molasses or possibly maple syrup. |
🌿 Herbs & Spices
Ingredient | Substitution |
1 tbsp Fresh Herbs | Use 1 tsp dried herbs |
Warm Spices (cinnamon, cardamom, apple pie spice) | Many of the warmer spices can confidently stand in for each other |
Savory Spices (cumin, paprika, chili powder) | The more pungent and savory ones (think cumin, paprika, and chili powder) can stand in for each other |
Tender Herbs (basil, parsley, tarragon) | Tender and leafy herb varieties are vastly interchangeable, as are woody herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano) |
Salt | Use herbs and spices instead of salt, or put lemon wedges on the table — a squeeze of lemon brings a bright zing so the salt won't be missed |
🍅 Pantry & Sauce Substitutions
Ingredient | Substitution |
1 tbsp Tomato Paste | 3 tbsp tomato puree or tomato sauce (optionally reduce to thicken) |
Cornstarch (as thickener) | Substitute flour for cornstarch using twice the amount — e.g., if the recipe requires 1 tbsp of cornstarch, use 2 tbsp of flour |
Apple Cider Vinegar | Lemon juice, unseasoned rice vinegar, or white wine vinegar |
Worcestershire Sauce | Fish sauce, soy sauce, or sherry vinegar |
Soy Sauce | Tamari or liquid aminos are very good substitutes for soy sauce |
🥩 Meat Substitutions
Ingredient | Substitution |
Ground Beef | Ground bison, ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or ground lamb |
Chicken Breast | Chicken tenders, chicken thighs, ground chicken, pork chops, turkey cutlets, or white fish (cod or halibut) |
Beef Roasts (round or chuck) | Beef stew meat, pork shoulder, or whole chicken |
💡 General Tips
When substituting, think about what role the original ingredient plays in the dish — consider the amount, taste, texture, and even cooking time.
In general, with notable exceptions of baking and thickening agents, substituting ingredients that are like another item is usually a safe bet — the flavors might differ but the dish will probably be a success.
Your final product made with the substituted ingredient may differ slightly from the original, but it will still be acceptable in flavor, texture, and appearance.