Out of an ingredient? Here’s what you can substitute.

 

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How often have you realized mid-recipe that you were out of a key ingredient? That used to mean a quick dash to the grocery store, but with our current stay-at-home situation, it means you might try and find a replacement.

So, if you’re out of an ingredient, here’s what you can substitute. They’re not all exact flavor matches, but they’ll work in a pinch. Maybe you’ll even like your recipe better with a simple swap!

Out of milk?

• To replace 1 cup of buttermilk, use one cup of milk and 1 teaspoon of either vinegar or lemon juice
• To replace mild, use 1/2 cup of canned evaporated milk and 1/2 cup of water
• To replace 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, use 1/3 cup of melted unsalted butter and 2/3 cup of whole milk
• To replace 1 cup of half & half, use one cup of whole milk and add one tablespoon of unsalted butter OR one cup of evaporated milk

Out of flour?

• Need 1 cup of self-rising flour?  Use 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/2 tsp of salt
• Need 1 cup of all-purpose flour? Use 1 cup and 3 tablespoons of cake flour OR 1 cup of self-rising flour but leave baking powder and salt out of your recipe. You can also use 1 1/2 cups of dry breadcrumbs.
• Need 1 cup of cake flour? Use 1 cup minus 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch
• Need 1 cup of pastry flour? Use 2/3 cups all-purpose flour and 1/3 cup of cake flour

Out of sugar?

• Need 1 cup of granulated sugar? Use 1 3/4 cup of unsifted confectioners’ sugar OR 1 cup of packed brown sugar (light or dark) OR 1 cup of honey, brown rice syrup, or agave nectar minus 2 tablespoons with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda (you’ll also need to reduce your oven temp by 25 degrees and reduce the liquid in your recipe by 3 tablespoons with the last method.)
• Need 1 cup of dark brown sugar? Use 1 cup packed light brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of molasses OR 1 cup of granulated sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of molasses
• Need 1 cup of light brown sugar? Use 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons of molasses OR 1/2 cup of granulated sugar added to 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• Need 1 cup powdered sugar (AKA confectioners’ sugar? Use 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and process until powdery in a food processor

Out of onion?

To replace a medium onion, use:

• 1 cup of chopped, frozen onions
• 1 cup of chopped shallots
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of onion powder
• 1 1/4 cups of chopped leeks, green onions, or scallions (use the light green or white parts only)

Out of lemons?

• To replace a teaspoon of lemon zest, you can use 1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract
• To replace a tablespoon of lemon juice, use 1 1/2 teaspoons of white wine vinegar OR sherry vinegar OR champagne vinegar

Out of butter?

For cooking, any oil will do.

For baking, use the same amounts of these ingredients:

• coconut oil
• lard
• margarine (not light, regular)

If you’ve only got half the amount of butter you need for baking, applesauce can work for the rest and will give it a nice moistness.

Out of eggs?

When baking, swap one egg with one of the following:

• 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds or flax seeds plus 3 tablespoons of water
• 1/2 pureed banana (makes 1/4 cup)
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup blended silken tofu
• FOR CAKES – 2 to 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of water

Out of salt?

Replace each teaspoon with:

• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of Morton kosher salt

Out of sour cream?

Need a cup? Replace it with:

• the same amount of Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup of melted unsalted butter, 3/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice (for baking recipes)
• 3/4 cup cream cheese, 3 tablespoons of milk

Out of broth?

• Need beef broth? Use the same amount of vegetable broth, beer, or red wine
• Need chicken or veggie broth? Use the same about of dry white wine, vermouth, or smaller amounts of water
• Have bullion but no broth? Use 1 bouillon cube and 1 cup of boiling water OR 1 teaspoon bouillon granules and 1 cup of boiling water

Out of wine?

Need red wine? For each cup use:

• 1 cup of beef broth (for stews and sauces)
• 1 cup of beer (for stews)
• 3/4 cup red grape juice, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of water (for marinades)

Need white wine? For each cup use:

• 1 cup sherry, vermouth, sake, mirin, or chicken or veggie broth (for stews and sauces)
• 3/4 cup white grape juice, apple juice, or apple cider added to 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar or lemon juice (for marinades)
  

  Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash

Out of breadcrumbs?

Replace each cup with:

• 1 cup crushed pretzels
• 1 cup crushed cornflakes
• 3/4 cup crushed crackers
• 1 cup crushed chips (potato or tortilla)
• 3 to 4 slices of oven-dried bread, crushed in a food processor
• 1 1/4 cups of crushed croutons
• 1 1/4 cups crushed, dry stuffing

Out of garlic?

Need one clove? Use:

• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (jarred)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (omit 1/2 teaspoon of salt from the recipe)
• 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of minced shallots

Out of rice?

For 1 cup of uncooked rice (white or brown) use these uncooked ingredients:

• 3/4 cup barley
• 1 cup bulgur
• 1 1/3 cups wheatberries
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 1/4 cups couscous
• 2 cups orzo pasta
• 1 1/2 cups kasha

Out of fresh tomatoes?

Need 1 pound of fresh tomatoes? Use:

• 3 tablespoons of tomato paste (might need to add water)
• 1 1/2 cups canned whole tomatoes
• 6 to 8 sun-dried tomato halves, reconstituted in hot water

Out of cocoa powder?

To replace 3 tablespoons, use:

• 2 ounces of semisweet chocolate (decrease the suggested amount of sugar by 3 tablespoons, decrease fat by 1 tablespoon)
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate (decrease the suggested amount of fat by 1 tablespoon)

Out of fresh herbs?

Replace 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs with:

• 1/4 to 1/2 ground or powdered herbs
• 1 teaspoon of dried herbs

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