Substituting one ingredient for another should only be done when you don’t have the necessary ingredient on hand in your kitchen. Substitutions can change the flavor and outcome of the finished baked goods.
Sep 07, 2018 Since oil is lighter than butter (1 cup of melted butter weighs about 227 grams; 1 cup of vegetable or other neutral oil weighs about 218 grams), the texture of oil cakes is lighter too. Preheat oven to 350°. Stockpot, cook macaroni according to package directions, adding broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and celery during the last 6 minutes of cooking. Aug 12, 2014 Q: I’m cooking for someone with many dietary restrictions, including no dairy. There’s a lot of info out there for butter substitutes in the pastry world but not so much in the savory world. My question is what’s a good substitute for butter when it comes to finishing most sauces. Butter not only thickens the sauce, but brings it together and adds incredible flavor, richness and balance. By melting butter, we can substitute butter for oil in most bread product recipes—though we admit to making plenty of muffins with oil instead of butter. There are some products—many pastries for example—where only butter will do. We love to use olive oil in some of our breads.
The following chart gives substitutions that may be used to achieve a product similar to the original when cooking. Find out what to substitute when you’re out of an ingredient – but also remember the following when substituting:
When substituting ingredients, take into account the differences in taste, moisture content, texture and weight.
When substituting for sugar and flour, consider the differences in sweetening and thickening power.
Understand the physical and chemical properties of all ingredients.
Measuring accurately will help avoid disappointment.
A | ||
|---|---|---|
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Alcohol Substitutions | see Alcohol Substitutions In Cooking | |
Almond paste | 1 1/3 cups | 1 3/4 cups ground blanched almonds plus 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar plus 1 egg white plus 1 teaspoon almond extract plus 1/4 teaspoon salt |
Allspice | 1 teaspoon | 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves |
Anchovies | 1 fillet | 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste |
Anise Seed | 1 teaspoon | 1 teaspoon star anise 1 teaspoon cardamom |
Anise Extract | 1 teaspoon | 1 1/2 teaspoon ground anise seed 1/2 teaspoon anise powder |
Apple pie spice | 1 teaspoon | 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice, and either 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom, ginger or cloves |
Arrowroot starch | 1 tablespoon | 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons flour (to thicken) 2 1/4 teaspoons of either potato starch or rice starch |
B | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Baking dish and pan sizes | see Baking Dish and Pan Sizes - How to substitute different pans sizes | |
Baking powder, double acting Rule: 1 teaspoon for every 1 cup flour | 1 teaspoon | 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 5/8 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/3 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter 1/3 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 cup sour milk, buttermilk, or yogurt (decrease liquid amount called for in recipe by 1/2 cup) 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar used with sweet milk to make 1/2 cup (decrease liquid amount called for in recipe by 1/2 cup) 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 cup molasses (decrease liquid amount in recipe by 1 to 2 tablespoons) 1 1/2 teaspoons phosphate or tartate baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons single-action baking powder |
Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)Rule: 1/4 teaspoon for every 1 cup flour | 1 teaspoon | You need to use 2 to 3 times more double-acting baking powder than baking soda. Replace acidic liquid ingredient in recipe with non-acidic liquid. 3/4 teaspoon Ammonium bicarbonate |
Bay leaf | 1 whole | 1/4 teaspoon crushed bay leaves |
Beau Monde seasoning | 1 teaspoon | 1 teaspoon seasoning salt 1/2 teaspoon table salt plus dash of garlic salt, onion salt, and celery salt 1/2 teaspoon Mei Yen seasoning see Beau Monde Seasoning Salt recipe |
Beer | 1 cup | 1 cup water, white grape juice, apple cider or apple juice, diluted peach or apricot syrups. (Substitute equal amounts of liquid.) |
Brandy | 1/4 cup | 1 tsp brandy extract plus enough water or liquid called for in recipe to make 1/4 cup Water, white grape juice, apple cider or apple juice, diluted peach or apricot syrups. (Substitute equal amounts of liquid.) |
Bread Crumbs, dry | 1 cup | 1 cup crushed cracker crumbs 1 cup matzo meal 1 cup crushed cornflakes 1 cup ground oats 1 cup crushed potato chips |
Bread Crumbs, Soft | 3/4 cup | 1 slice soft or fresh bread |
Broth, beef or chicken | 1 cup | 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup boiling water 1 cup boiling water 1 teaspoon powdered broth base dissolved in 1 cup boiling water |
ButterRule: Don't use spreads or low-fat butter in baking | 1 cup | 7/8 to 1 cup hydrogenated fat (shortening) and 1/2 teaspoon salt 7/8 cup lard plus 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup margarine 7/8 cup oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt 7/8 cup oil To reduce fat and calories - applesauce or prune puree for half of the butter in the recipe |
Buttermilk (sour milk) | 1 cup | 1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoons vinegar (white or cider) or lemon juice (let stand 5 minutes before using) 1 cup milk plus 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar 1 cup mild-flavored soy milk, plus 1 tablespoons vinegar (white or cider) or lemon juice (let stand 5 minutes before using) 1 cup plain or low fat yogurt 1 cup sour cream 1 cup water plus 1/4 cup buttermilk powder |
C | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Cajun Spice | 1 tablespoon | 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper |
Cake Flour | 1 cup | 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons |
Can sizes and equivalents | see Can Sizes and Equivalents | |
Cardamon, ground | 1 teaspoon | 1 teaspoon ground anise |
Catsup | 1 cup | 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 tbsp vinegar for use in cooking) |
Chervil, fresh | 1 tablespoon chopped | 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley |
Chicken stock base, instant | 1 teaspoon | 1 chicken bouillon cube |
Chicken stock base, instant | 1 tbsp dissolved in 1 cup water | 1 cup canned chicken broth1 cup homemade chicken broth or chicken stock |
Chili sauce | 1 cup | 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp vinegar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, dash of ground cloves, and dash of allspice |
Chives, finely chopped | 2 teaspoons | 2 teaspoons finely chopped green onion tops |
Chocolate chips, semi-sweet Also check out Chocolate Substitution Chart | 1 ounce | 1 ounce sweet cooking chocolate 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate plus 1 tablespoon sugar |
Chocolate chips, semi-sweet chips, melted | 6-ounce package | 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, 2 tablespoons shortening, and 1/2 cup sugar |
Chocolate, semi-sweet | 1 2/3 ounces | 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate and 4 teaspoon sugar |
Chocolate, unsweetened | 1 square or 1 ounce | 3 tablespoons cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon butter or margarine 3 tablespoon carob powder plus 2 tablespoons water |
Chocolate, white | 1 ounce | 1 ounce milk chocolate 1 ounce sweet dark chocolate |
Cocoa powder, natural unsweetened | 3 tablespoons | 1 ounce (square) chocolate (decrease fat called for in recipe by 1/2 tablespoon) 3 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa plus 1/8 teaspoon cream tartar, lemon juice or white vinegar 3 tablespoons carob powder |
Cocoa, Dutch Processed | 3 tablespoons | 3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda (reduce fat in recipe by 1 tablespoon) 3 tablespoons carob powder |
Coconut | 1 tablespoon grated, dry | 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh grated coconut |
Coconut cream, canned | 1 cup | 1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream |
Coconut milk, canned | 1 cup | 1 cup whole milk |
Coffee, strong brewed | 1/4 cup | 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 3 tablespoons hot water |
Condensed cream of mushroom soup | 1 (10.75-ounce can) | 1 (10.75 ounce can) condensed cream of celery, cream of chicken, or golden mushroom soup. |
Cornmeal, self-rising | 1 cup | 7/8 cup plain, 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt |
Cornmeal, stone ground | 1 cup | 1 cup regular milled cornmeal, corn grits, polenta, or maize meal |
Corn syrup | 1 cup | 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 liquid (use whatever liquid is called for in the recipe) 1 cup honey 1 cup light corn syrup 3/4 cup light corn syrup and 1/4 cup molasses 1 cup maple-flavored syrup |
Cornstarch (for thickening) | 1 tablespoon | 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour 2 tablespoon granulated tapioca 1 tablespoon potato or rice starch 1 tablespoon arrowroot 4 teaspoon. instant tapioca |
Cottage cheese | 1 cup | 1 cup farmer's cheese 1 cup ricotta cheese |
Cracker crumbs | 1 cup | 1 cup dry bread crumbs 1 cup ground oats 1 cup matzo meal |
Cream, half-and-half | 1 cup | 1/2 cup whole milk, plus 1/2 cup light cream 7/8 cup milk and 1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine 1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted 3 tablespoons oil plus enough milk to equal 1 cup 1/2 cup coffee cream plus 1/2 cup milk |
Cream, heavy (36 to 40% fat) | 1 cup | 3/4 cup milk and 1/3 cup butter or margarine (for use in cooking or baking) 2/3 cup buttermilk plus 1/3 cup oil 1 cup evaporated skim milk equal parts of part skim milk ricotta cheese and nonfat yogurt beaten until smooth (this mixture cannot be heated because of separation) |
Cream, light (18 to 20% fat) | 1 cup | 3/4 cup milk and 3 tablespoons butter or margarine (for use in cooking or baking) 1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted |
Cream, whipped | any amount | Chill a 13 ounce can of evaporated milk for 12 hours. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Whip until stiff. Beating until stiff, 1/2 cup ice-cold water and 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk. Slowly add 1/2 cup sugar while beating. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice (for cooking only) 1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed |
Cream cheese | 1 cup | 1 cup pureed cottage cheese 1 cup plain yogurt, strained overnight in a cheesecloth |
Cream of tartar | 1 teaspoon | 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar |
Creme fraiche | 1 cup | Combine 1 cup heavy cream and 1 tablespoon plain yogurt. Let stand for 6 hours at room temperature 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup sour cream plus 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 cup mascarpone cheese |
Currants | 1 cup | 1 cup raisins 1 cup chopped dates 1 cup other dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, cherries) |
D | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Dill plant, fresh or dried | 3 heads | 1 tablespoons dill seed |
E | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Egg | 1 whole (3 tablespoons or 1.7 ounce) | 3 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon thawed frozen egg 2 1/2 tablespoons sifted, dry whole egg powder and 2 1/2 tablespoons warm water 2 yolks and 1 tablespoon water (in cookies) 2 yolks (in custards, cream fillings, and similar mixtures) 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1 tablespoon liquid (in baking) 1 egg in every 3 can be replaced with 1 tablespoon cornstarch in baking Soften 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin in 3 tablespoons cold water; add 3 teaspoons boiling water; cool and beat until frothy; add to recipe (reduce other liquid by 2 tablespoons) 1/4 cup commercial egg substitute |
Egg white | 1 white (2 tablespoons) | 2 tablespoons thawed frozen egg white 2 teaspoons sifted, dry egg white powder plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water |
Egg yolk | 1 yolk (1 1/2 tablespoons) | 2 tablespoons sifted, dry egg yolk powder and 2 teaspoons water 1 1/3 tablespoons thawed frozen egg yolk |
Extracts (such ash lemon or peppermint) | 1 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon | 1/4 teaspoon of oil of similar flavor 2 drops oil of similar flavor |
F | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Fish sauce | 1 teaspoon | 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon light soy sauce with salt |
Flour, all-purpose (for thickening) | 1 tablespoon | 1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, arrowroot starch, potato starch, or rice starch 1 tablespoon granular tapioca 1 tablespoon waxy rice flour 1 tablespoon waxy corn flour 2 tablespoons browned flour 1 1/2 teaspoon whole wheat flour and 1/2 teaspoon all purpose flour |
Flour, all-purpose Note: Specialty flours added to yeast bread recipes will result in a reduced volume and heavier product. | 1 cup sifted | 1 cup and 2 tablespoons cake flour 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons unsifted all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1 cup rolled oats 1/3 cup cornmeal or soybean flour and 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup cornmeal, bran, rice flour, rye flour or whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup whole wheat flour or bran flour and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup rye or rice flour 1/4 cup soybean flour and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour |
Flour, cake | 1 cup sifted | 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour |
Flour, self-rising | 1 cup | 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus 1/1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt |
Flour, whole wheat | any amount | Substitute whole wheat flour for 1/4 to 1/2 of the white flour called for in a recipe |
G | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Garlic | 1 clove, small | 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon instant minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic salt (reduce amount salt called for in recipe) |
Garlic Salt | 3/4 teaspoon | 1 medium-size clove or 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic |
Gelatin, powdered (plain or unflavored) | 1 envelope (1/4 ounce), 1 tablespoon granulated | 2 teaspoons agar agar 4 sheets gelatin |
Gelatin, leaf or sheet | 4 leaves or sheets | 1 (1/4 ounce) envelope powdered gelatin |
Gelatin, flavored | 3-ounce package | 1 tablespoon plain gelatin and 2 cups fruit juice |
Ghee | 1 tablespoon | 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon vegetable oil |
Ginger root, fresh | 1 teaspoon freshly grated | 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 tablespoon candied ginger, rinsed and finely chopped |
Green onions, fresh | 1/2 cup chopped | 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped leek 1/2 cup chopped shallots |
H | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Herbs, fresh | 1 tablespoon finely cut | 1 teaspoon dried ground herbs 1 teaspoon dried crumbled herbs |
Herring | 8 ounces | 8 ounces sardines |
Honey | 1 cup | 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup liquid (use liquid called for in recipe) 1 cup light molasses, light or dark corn syrup, light treacle syrup, or maple syrup |
Horseradish | 1 tablespoon fresh | 2 tablespoons bottled |
Hot pepper sauce | 1 teaspoon | 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper plus 1 teaspoon vinegar |
I | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Italian Seasoning | Combine 1 teaspoon basil, 1 tablespoon fresh or dried parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon oregano | |
L | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Lemon juice, freshly squeezed | 1 tablespoon juice | 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice |
Lemon, whole | 1 medium | 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon rind (zest) |
Lemon peel, dried | 1 teaspoon | 1 to 2 teaspoons grated fresh lemon peel (zest) grated peel of 1 medium lemon 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract |
Lemon zest (peel) | 1 teaspoon | 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract 2 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon lime zest |
Lemon grass | Equal amount of grated lemon zest moistened with a bit of fresh lemon juice | |
Lime juice, freshly squeezed | 1 tablespoon juice | 1 tablespoon bottled lime juice 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice |
Lime zest (peel) | 1 teaspoon | 1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel (zest) |
M | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Macaroni, (4 cups cooked) | 2 cups uncooked | 2 cups spaghetti, uncooked 4 cups noodles, uncooked |
Maple sugar | 1/2 cup | 1 cup maple syrup (reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup) 3/4 cup granulated white sugar plus 1 teaspoon pure maple extract 1 cup granulated white sugar |
Maple Syrup | about 2 cups | Combine 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water, bring to clear boil; take off heat; add 1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring 1 cup honey |
Marshmallows, miniature | 1 cup | 8 to 10 large marshmallows |
Marshmallow creme | 1 jar | melt 16 ounces of marshmallows and 3 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup in a double broiler |
Mascarpone cheese | 1 cup | 1 cup creme fraiche 1 cup sour cream |
Mayonnaise (for use in salads and salad dressings | 1 cup | 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 cup either yogurt, salad dressing, or sour cream 1 cup cottage cheese pureed in blender |
Me Yen seasoning | 1 teaspoon | 1 teaspoon Beau Monde seasoning 1/2 teaspoon table salt |
Milk, evaporated (whole or skim) | 1 cup plus | 1 cup liquid whole milk 1 cup regular cream, whipping, or heavy cream |
Milk, skim | 1 cup | 4 to 5 tablespoons non-fat dry milk powder and enough water to make one cup, or follow manufacturer's directions |
Milk, skim | 1/4 cup | 4 teaspoons non-fat dry milk powder and enough water to make 1/4 cup, or follow manufacturer's directions 2 tablespoons evaporated skim milk and 2 tablespoons water |
Milk, sweetened condensed | 1 can (about 1 1/3 cups) | Heat the following ingredients until sugar and butter are dissolved: 1/3 cup and 2 tablespoons evaporated milk, 1 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons butter or margarine |
Milk, whole | 1 cup | 1 cup reconstituted non-fat dry milk and 2 tsp butter or margarine 1/2 cup evaporated milk and 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup condensed milk plus 1/2 cup water 4 tablespoons whole dry milk and 1 cup water, or follow manufacturer's directions 1 cup fruit juice or 1 cup potato water (for use in baking) 1/4 cup non-fat dry milk and 2 tsp butter or margarine and 7/8 cup water 1 cup soy or almond milk 1 cup water plus 1 1/2 tsp butter in baking 1 cup buttermilk plus 1/2 tsp baking soda (decrease baking powder in recipe by 2 tsp) |
Mint leaves, fresh chopped | 1/4 cup | 1 tablespoon dried mint leaves |
Molasses | 1 cup | 1 cup honey, dark corn syrup, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, or barley malt syrup 3/4 cup sugar, increase liquid by 5 tablespoons, decrease baking soda by 1/2 teaspoon, and add 2 teaspoons baking powder to recipe |
Mushrooms, fresh | 1 pound | 3 ounces dried mushrooms plus 1 1/2 cups water 1 (10-ounce) can |
Mustard, dry | 1 teaspoon | 1 tablespoon prepared mustard 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds |
Mustard, Dijon | 1 tablespoon | 1 tablespoon dry mustard mixed with 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, and a pinch of sugar |
N | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Nuts, chopped, ground or whole | 1 cup | 1 cup similar nuts (your favorite) prepared in the same way 1 cup rolled oats, browned (in baked products) |
O | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Oil (for sauteing) | 1/4 cup | 1/4 cup melted margarine, butter, bacon drippings, shortening, or lard |
Old Bay Seasoning | see Old Bay Seasoning Recipe | |
Onion, fresh | 1 small | rehydrate 1 tbsp instant minced onion |
Onion | 1 small | 1/4 cup chopped, fresh green onions 1 1/3 teaspoons onion salt 1 to 2 tablespoons instant minced onion 1 teaspoon onion powder 2 tablespoons dried minced onion |
Orange, whole | 1 medium | 6 to 8 tablespoons juice and 2 to 3 tablespoon grated rind (zest) |
Orange juice, freshly squeezed | 1 cup | 1 cup reconstituted frozen orange concentrate 1 cup other citrus juice (of your choice) |
Orange peel (zest), fresh | 1 medium | 2 to 3 tablespoons grated fresh orange peel (zest) 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon orange extract |
P | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Parmesan cheese, grated | 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese or grated Romano cheese |
Parsley, fresh | 1 teaspoon chopped | 1 teaspoon dried parsley 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil |
Peanut Butter | 1 cup | 1 cup of another nut butter (such as almond or hazelnut butter) 1 cup tahini (sesame paste) |
Pepper, white | 1 teaspoon | 1 teaspoon black pepper |
Peppers, green bell | 1 tablespoon dried | 3 tablespoons fresh green pepper, chopped |
Peppers, red bell | 1 tablespoon dried | 3 tablespoons fresh red bell pepper, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped pimento |
Peppermint, dried | 1 tablespoon | 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint |
Pimento | 2 tablespoons, chopped | rehydrate 1 tablespoon dried red bell peppers 3 tablespoons fresh red bell pepper, chopped |
Polenta, dry | 1 cup | 1 cup cornmeal 1 cup maize meal 1 cup corn grits |
Poultry seasoning | 1 teaspoon | 1/2 teaspoon ground sage, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary |
Pumpkin pie spice | 1 teaspoon | 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon allspice, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg |
R | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Raisins | 1 cup | 1 cup dried currants 1 cup dried blueberries, cranberries, or cherries 1 cup other dried fruit (chopped into small pieces) |
Rennet | 1 tablet | 1 tablespoon liquid rennet |
Rice (3 cups cooked) | 1 cup regular, uncooked | 1 cup uncooked converted rice 1 cup uncooked brown rice 1 cup uncooked wild rice 1 cup bulgur or pearl barley, cooked |
Ricotta cheese | 1 cup | 1 cup cottage cheese |
Rum | 1/4 cup | 1 tablespoon rum extract plus enough liquid to make 1/4 cup |
S | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Saffron | equal amount of Turmeric | |
Shortening, melted | 1 cup | 1 cup cooking oil (cooking oil should not be substituted if recipe does not call for melted shortening) |
Shortening, solid (used in baking) | 1 cup | 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons lard 1 cup butter 1 cup margarine |
Sour cream, cultured | 1 cup | 3/4 cup sour milk and 1/3 cup butter or margarine 3/4 cup buttermilk and 1/3 cup butter or margarine Blend until smooth: 1/3 cup buttermilk, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 cup cottage cheese 1 cup plain yogurt 3/4 cup milk, 3/4 tsp lemon juice, and 1/3 cup butter or margarine |
Spearmint, dried | 1 tablespoon | 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint |
Star Anise, ground | 1 teaspoon | 1 teaspoon ground anise seed 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed |
Sugar, brown (light or dark) | 1 cup firmly packed | 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup unsulpured molasses 1/2 cup liquid brown sugar 1 cup raw sugar |
Sugar, superfine | 1 cup | 1 cup granulated white sugar processed in a food processor or grinder |
Sugar, white | 1 cup | 1 cup corn syrup, decrease liquid called for in recipe by 1/4 cup (never replace more than 1/2 cup sugar called for in recipe with corn syrup) 1 1/3 cup molasses (decrease liquid called for in recipe by 1/3 cup) 1 cup caster (superfine) sugar 1 cup powdered (confectioners') sugar 1 cup brown sugar (light or dark), firmly packed 1 cup honey (decrease liquid called for in recipe by 1/4 cup) |
T | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Tahini | 1 tablespoon | 1 tablespoon peanut butter |
Tapioca, instant or quick-cooking | 1 tablespoon | 2 tablespoons pear tapioca, soaked |
Tapioca, quick-cooking for thickening | 1 tablespoon | 1 tablespoon of flour |
Tomatoes, canned | 1 cup | 1 1/3 cups diced fresh tomatoes simmered 10 minutes |
Tomatoes, fresh | 2 cups, chopped | 1 (16-ounce) can tomatoes |
Tomatoes, packed | 1 cup | 1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water |
Tomato Juice | 1 cup | 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 1/2 cup water |
Tomato Sauce | 2 cups | 3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water |
Tomato Soup | 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can | 1 cup tomato sauce plus 1/4 oz. can cup water |
Treacle | 1 cup | 1 cup light or dark brown sugar |
V | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Vanilla bean | 1/2 bean | 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract |
Vanilla Extract, pure | 1 teaspoon | 1/2 vanilla bean 1/2 to 1 teaspoon other extract (such as almond, peppermint, lemon, orange, etc.) |
Vegetable Shortening, solid | 1 cup | 1 cup butter 1 cup lard 1 cup margarine |
Vinegar, Balsamic | 1 tablespoon | 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or cider vinegar |
Vinegar, regular (white or cider) | 1 tablespoon | 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice |
W | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Worcestershire sauce | 1 teaspoon | 1 teaspoon bottled steak sauce |
Y | ||
Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes |
Yeast, active dry | 1 tablespoon | 1 yeast cake, compressed 1 package active dry yeast 1 tablespoon instant or fast-rising active yeast |
Yogurt, plain | 1 cup | 1 cup buttermilk 1 cup cottage cheese blended until smooth 1 cup sour cream |
Extracted from oil-bearing seeds, vegetable oils usually have a light yellow color with a mild tolerable odor. You can use vegetable oils in many different recipes and even replace butter with vegetable oil to enjoy better health benefits. Vegetable oil improves metabolism, decreases risk of heart disease, and provides you with loads of omega-3 fatty acids. Does this mean you can use it in any recipe that requires butter? Let's find out now!
Can You Substitute Vegetable Oil for Butter?
Yes, you can. In fact, using vegetable oil in place of butter is actually a heart-healthy idea. Since butter contains saturated fat, it can increase your cholesterol levels and put you at an increased risk of type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Vegetable oils, including corn oil, safflower oil, and olive oil contain monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, which lower cholesterol levels and ultimately protect you from heart disease.
How to Substitute Vegetable Oil for Butter
While you can use vegetable oil to replace butter most of the times, it is still important to know how to do it properly. In case of baking, you can replace a cup of butter with 7-8 cups of vegetable oil. Although it usually works fine, it is better to understand the main purpose of using butter in any particular recipe. Every recipe is different, so you may require a different amount of vegetable oil for substitution.
1. Using Vegetable Oil in Breads and Muffins
Can I Use Vegetable Oil Instead Of Butter For Mac And Cheese Soup
When using vegetable oil in place of butter in breads and muffins, replace it with equal amount of butter. It means you should be using 4 tbsp. of vegetable oil for every ¼ cup of butter. Oil usually works great in these baked goods, which is mainly because breads and muffins usually need something moist. It also means that you should not substitute vegetable oil for butter in recipes such as cakes and cookies because they require butter to be creamed with eggs and sugar first. If you really want to use vegetable oil, be sure to use an additional tablespoon of oil to ensure the batter seems moist enough.
2. Using Oil for Vegetables
Can I Use Vegetable Oil Instead Of Butter For Mac And Cheese Topping
Instead of going for veggies slathered in butter, you will be better off tossing veggies, such as peppers, carrots, tomatoes, onions, etc., with oil and roasting them at high heat. The veggies will become moist and sweet – they even become caramelized in the oven. You can always use an extra virgin olive oil for this purpose or even consider combining a few oils for a more robust taste.
3. Using Vegetable Oil to Spray the Pan
You can always use vegetable oil in place of butter to spray the pan. Simply pour some oil in a sauté pan when cooking veggies or meat. This is a much healthier option. You can also do the same when cooking pancakes, scrambled eggs, and French toast.
4. Using Vegetable Oil for Dipping
Olive oil is usually the best option here, and you cannot go wrong when serving it with crusty breads. For an added taste, you can include chopped garlic, salt, rosemary, or balsamic vinegar in it. Try this tasty dip and you are sure to forget about butter. Keep in mind that traditional vegetable oils are rather bland when you use them for dipping.
When to Avoid Using Vegetable Oil in Place of Butter
Can I Use Vegetable Oil Instead Of Butter For Mac And Cheese Dip
As mentioned already, you can substitute vegetable oil for butter in most recipes, but there certainly are situations when you will be better off sticking with butter or else the end product will be a bit different.
- In Cakes: In cakes and many other baked goods, a creaming of sugar and butter is essential. You can still substitute oil but you are not going to get perfect results. The reason is that you incorporate air while creaming, and the air bubbles produced in this case contribute to fluffy cakes. The best thing is to make a partial substitution only.
- In Brownies: You may enjoy brownies more when sticking with butter. Still, you can get satisfactory results by replacing butter with an equal amount of vegetable oil. The result may not be the same but it will not be horrible either.
- In Pies: Butter is usually a better choice when making pies and that is mainly because the piecrust requires a flaky texture that comes from butter. You just cannot use oil and hope to get the same texture. A better idea would be to try using vegetable shortening.
- In Cookies: If you are making cookies, the chances are your recipe requires creaming butter and sugar. That is when you may want to stick with butter. You may go for equal substitution of oil, but that is more likely to produce denser cookies. A better option would be to use 1/3rd of the butter or replace it with banana or applesauce.
Warning
You can substitute vegetable oil for butter in most recipes without having to worry about a huge difference in flavor. However, you need to know a few things about vegetable oils when using them in your recipes.
- For instance, walnut oil, olive oil, and other cold-pressed oils are not great in high-temperature cooking mainly because they have a low heat tolerance.
- Moreover, you need to keep in mind that using certain oils for baking may result in greasy goods, so you may have to experiment a bit to find the best substitute.