Running out of an ingredient is frustrating, but with a little know-how the solution may be closer than you realize. Get creative in your kitchen with these simple ingredient substitutions.

Tip for the cook: Choose your substitutions wisely. Do not use a sweet substitute for a savory recipe or a strongly flavored substitute for a mildly flavored recipe.

Ingredient Alternative
Bread crumbs Replace with equal amounts of one of the following:

  • Crushed cereal or crackers.
  • Toasted or fresh bread.
  • Oats that have been pulsed in a food processor.

Try with our Classic Turkey Meatloaf.

Butter or oil in baked goods Replace with equal amounts of one of the following:

  • Unsweetened applesauce.
  • Mashed banana.
  • Mashed avocado.
  • Pumpkin purée.

Try with our Whole Wheat Gingerbread Cookies.

Buttermilk  

For one cup, replace with one of the following:

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus 1 cup milk, let sit for 5 minutes before using.
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus 1 cup milk, let sit for 5 minutes before using. ½ cup milk mixed with ½ cup plain Greek yogurt.
  • ¼ cup milk mixed with 3/4 cup regular plain yogurt.

Try with our Shepherd’s Pie.

Chicken broth Replace with equal amounts of one of the following:

  • Vegetable broth.
  • Beef broth.
  • Water.
  • Tomato juice.
  • Bouillon cubes or granules to water (following package directions.)

Try with our Hearty Minestrone Soup.

Egg, whole in baking 1 egg equals:

  • 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed combined with 3 tablespoons water.
  • 3 tablespoons aquafaba (liquid from canned, unsalted chickpeas).
  • ¼ cup prepackaged liquid egg substitute or egg whites
  • ¼ cup mashed banana
  • ¼ cup applesauce
  • 2 tablespoons water combined with 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil.

Try with our Pumpkin Pancakes.

Flour
  • Use bread flour and all purpose flour interchangeably.
  • Use whole wheat flour and white whole wheat flour interchangeably.
  • Substitute whole wheat flour for up to 25% of the all purpose flour in a recipe.
  • Make your own self rising flour by adding 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt to every cup of all purpose flour.

Try with our Turkey Burger Casserole.

Fruit, fresh Frozen fruit.

If baking with frozen berries that contain a lot of moisture, like strawberries or raspberries, you may need to defrost and drain.

Try with our Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Squares.

Herbs, fresh Replace with dried or ground herbs.

  • 1 teaspoon dried herbs for every tablespoon of fresh.
  • For ground herbs use a ratio of 1:4.

Try with our Roasted Root Vegetables.

Honey Equal parts maple syrup or agave nectar.

Try with Our Date Night Dinner for Two.

Lemon juice, fresh Replace with one of the following:

  • Lime juice.
  • Vinegar.
  • Orange juice.

Try with our Moroccan Braised Winter Squash with Couscous.

Sour cream Replace with equal amounts of Greek yogurt.

Try with our Greek-style Seven-layer Dip.

Sugar Brown and white can be used interchangeably, however brown sugar contains moisture and may require a very slight decrease in wet ingredients or slight increase of dry ingredients.

Try with our Pumpkin Streusel Bread.

Tomatoes, fresh Canned tomatoes.

  • Chop whole canned tomatoes to create diced tomatoes.
  • Pulse whole tomatoes in a food processor to create crushed.

Try with our Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Spaghetti Squash.

Vegetables, fresh Replace with canned (drained well) or frozen vegetables.

Canned or frozen vegetables will require a shorter cooking time than many of their fresh counterparts.

Try with our Hearty Lentil Soup.

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