{"id":367,"date":"2026-01-08T00:00:51","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T00:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/?p=367"},"modified":"2026-01-08T00:00:51","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T00:00:51","slug":"29-easy-ingredient-substitutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/?p=367","title":{"rendered":"29 Easy Ingredient Substitutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Don’t let a missing ingredient foil your cooking projects. If your pantry’s looking a bit scant because of\u00a0coronavirus<\/a>-induced shortages, or you forgot to snag a certain product on your last trip to the grocery store, there’s no need to toss your\u00a0meal prep<\/a>\u00a0plans in the trash. Check out these 30 substitutions for basic cooking and baking ingredients.<\/p>\n

1. Applesauce as a substitute for oil<\/h2>\n

This substitution adds moisture to baked goods without the fat found in oil. Use a 1:1 ratio, such as 1\/2 cup of applesauce for 1\/2 cup of oil. It\u2019s particularly tasty in muffins, banana breads, and coffee-type cakes. It also works in\u00a0brownies<\/a>\u2014some recipes even call for applesauce specifically.<\/p>\n

2. Yogurt as a substitute for mayonnaise<\/h2>\n
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Yogurt’s good for more than just a light breakfast. | Jin Zan,\u00a0Wikimedia Commons<\/a>\u00a0\/\/\u00a0CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This one works particularly well when it comes to making\u00a0salad dressings<\/a>. (Though you might not want to spread yogurt on your BLT.) You can also use plain yogurt as a substitute for sour cream, either in recipes for baked goods or as a delicious topping for baked potatoes and, in pinch, even Mexican food.<\/p>\n

3. Molasses and sugar as a substitute for brown sugar<\/h2>\n

A combination of 2 tablespoons of molasses mixed with 1 cup of granulated sugar will substitute for 1 cup of brown sugar, firmly packed. Mix thoroughly, preferably in or with a blender or food processor. There are actually a wide\u00a0variety<\/a>\u00a0of substitutes for brown sugar, so you can choose your favorite.<\/p>\n

4. Nutmeg as a substitute for cinnamon<\/h2>\n

Nutmeg is a bit stronger than cinnamon, but at the core, the two spices are quite similar. Allspice can\u00a0also<\/a>\u00a0work a little magic in a recipe that calls for cinnamon, as can ginger, cardamom, cloves, and pumpkin pie spice.<\/p>\n

5. Cottage cheese as a substitute for ricotta<\/h2>\n

Perhaps surprisingly, cottage cheese is\u00a0delicious<\/a>\u00a0in lasagna. And it should work in dishes like stuffed shells, too.<\/p>\n

6. Bourbon or rum for vanilla extract<\/h2>\n
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\"Bottoms<\/picture><\/div>\n
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Bottoms up for baking. | Hans,\u00a0Pixabay<\/a>\u00a0\/\/\u00a0Public Domain<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Not only does this\u00a0work<\/a>\u2014vanilla extract contains alcohol, after all\u2014but it makes cooking more fun! The ratio is 1:1, but who\u2019s measuring?<\/p>\n

7. Flaxseeds as a substitute for eggs<\/h2>\n

This\u00a0trick<\/a>\u00a0is commonly used in vegan cooking. Mix 1 tablespoon of flaxseeds with 2 tablespoons of water and let it sit for approximately 5 minutes. The resulting mixture is the equivalent of one whole egg.<\/p>\n

8. Rolled oats or crushed crackers as a substitute for dry bread crumbs<\/h2>\n

The crackers are a no-brainer\u2014it\u2019s basically the same thing. And the rolled oats (ground) will give any \u201cbreading\u201d a\u00a0healthier<\/a>, earthy vibe.<\/p>\n

9. Butter and unsweetened cocoa powder as a substitute for unsweetened chocolate<\/h2>\n

Swap 1 tablespoon of butter combined with 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa for 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate. You can also replace the butter with shortening or vegetable oil.<\/p>\n

10. Baking soda and cream of tartar as a substitute for baking powder<\/h2>\n

Mix 1\/4 teaspoon of\u00a0baking soda<\/a>\u00a0with 1\/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar for your own makeshift baking powder.<\/p>\n

11. Yogurt and lemon juice as a substitute for buttermilk<\/h2>\n

Making biscuits, but don\u2019t have buttermilk? Use 1 cup of plain yogurt (or 1 cup of milk) plus 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. You can also\u00a0squeeze 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into 1 cup of milk.<\/p>\n

12. Bouillon cube as a substitute for broth<\/h2>\n
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\"Tiny<\/picture><\/div>\n
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Tiny bricks of delicious flavor. | Rainer Z …,\u00a0Wikimedia Commons<\/a>\u00a0\/\/\u00a0CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whether it\u2019s beef, chicken, or vegetable broth you need, combine 1 cube of the bouillon with 1 cup of water.<\/p>\n

13. Baking soda and lemon juice as a substitute for yeast<\/h2>\n

You can\u00a0replace<\/a>\u00a01 teaspoon of active dry yeast with 1\/2 teaspoon of baking soda combined with 1\/2 teaspoon of lemon juice.<\/p>\n

14. Chicken broth as a substitute for beer<\/h2>\n

If you’d rather drink your beer than cook with it, use chicken broth instead in batters and breads.<\/p>\n

15. Honey as a substitute for corn syrup, and vice versa<\/h2>\n

This one\u2019s an easy swap, as they\u2019re both sweet and have a similar consistency. The ratio is 1:1.<\/p>\n

16. Lemon juice as a substitute for vinegar<\/h2>\n

The ratio is 1:1, and you can also do 2 teaspoons of white wine per 1 teaspoon of vinegar.<\/p>\n

17. Mashed avocado as a substitute for mayonnaise<\/h2>\n
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\"Mashed<\/picture><\/div>\n
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Mashed avocado is good for more than just toast. | Foodie Factor,\u00a0Pexels<\/a>\u00a0\/\/\u00a0Public Domain<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They have a\u00a0similarly<\/a>\u00a0fatty, creamy consistency.<\/p>\n

18. Tomato paste diluted with water as a substitute for tomato sauce<\/h2>\n

Use 3\/4 cup of tomato paste plus 1 cup of water. Add some stewed or freshly chopped tomatoes for a heartier, more robust\u00a0sauce<\/a>.<\/p>\n

19. Margarine as a substitute for butter<\/h2>\n

No, they don\u2019t taste exactly the same, but when used in baking, it truly makes very little difference. Put it this way: If it\u2019s a choice between brownies and no brownies, you\u2019re going to use that margarine.<\/p>\n

20. Vegetable shortening as a substitute for butter<\/h2>\n

This won\u2019t mimic the flavor of butter, but it will replicate its texture and\u00a0emulsifying<\/a>\u00a0effect. Don\u2019t spread it on your bread, though.<\/p>\n

21. A mixture of butter and milk as a substitute for half-and-half<\/h2>\n

Use a\u00a0ratio<\/a>\u00a0of 1 cup of milk to 1 tablespoon of butter.<\/p>\n

22. Remove two tablespoons of all-purpose flour as a substitute for cake flour<\/h2>\n

Take 1 cup of all-purpose flour and remove 2 tablespoons. Nigella Lawson\u00a0recommends<\/a>\u00a0adding two tablespoons of cornstarch.<\/p>\n

23. An easy tomato sauce concoction as a substitute for ketchup<\/h2>\n

All it takes is 1 cup of tomato sauce with a\u00a0teaspoon<\/a>\u00a0of vinegar, plus 1 tablespoon of sugar.<\/p>\n

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24. Substitute lemon for lime, and lime for lemon<\/h2>\n

You can do this for pretty much any recipe that calls for either.<\/p>\n

25. Substitute brown sugar and cream of tartar for molasses<\/h2>\n

All it is 3\/4 cup brown sugar\u00a0plus<\/a>\u00a01 teaspoon cream of tartar. To recreate the gooey consistency of molasses, add some hot water to the mixture.<\/p>\n

26. Every member of the onion family can substitute for one another<\/h2>\n
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\"There<\/picture><\/div>\n
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There aren’t many layers to swapping onions. | Paul Brennan,\u00a0Public Domain Pictures<\/a>\u00a0\/\/\u00a0Public Domain<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whether it\u2019s a leek or a shallot or a green onion or a regular onion, or even onion powder.<\/p>\n

27. Swap orange juice for any other type of citrus juice<\/h2>\n

We\u2019re talking grapefruit or lemon or lime.<\/p>\n

28. Worcestershire sauce can substitute for soy sauce<\/h2>\n

Just mix 1\/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce with 1 tablespoon of water.<\/p>\n

29. Broth as a substitute for wine<\/h2>\n

Just like in the instance of any recipe requiring beer, wine can be replaced with a bit of broth (chicken or beef).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Don’t let a missing ingredient foil your cooking projects. If your pantry’s looking a bit scant because of\u00a0coronavirus-induced shortages, or you forgot to snag a certain product on your last trip to the grocery store, there’s no need to toss your\u00a0meal prep\u00a0plans in the trash. Check out these 30 substitutions for basic cooking and baking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":368,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stars"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=367"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/367\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":369,"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/367\/revisions\/369"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsliked.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}