This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more information.
Many times you’re in your kitchen making a meal and it turns out you’re all out of at least one of the ingredients needed to complete that meal. This can be super annoying and so today, we’ve decided to share a list of 10 most common cooking substitutes everyone absolutely must know. This handy little list is guaranteed to save one or two of your recipes someday…maybe even right now!
As the title suggests, this list contains only 10 of the most common cooking substitutions, but, for a more exhaustive list of common cooking substitutes, you can also check out this nifty list of 47 emergency cooking substitutes in the form a printable that you can print, frame and add into your kitchen for connivence and style. Click the image below to be taken to the Digital Ingredient Substitution Printable – With 47 Emergency Substitutes.
10 common cooking substitutions worth knowing
Eggs
Everyone is always running out of eggs. If you’re looking a substitute for a common ingredient like eggs, try out either 2 tablespoons of powdered egg or 1 tbsp flaxseed soaked in 3 tbsp water to replace 1 whole egg.
Milk
Another common ingredient that often needs to be substituted is milk. Therefore, if you’re looking for ways to replace milk in a recipe, use ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water to replace 1 cup of milk or check out these other easy milk replacements if you have no evaporated milk.
Also, feel free to check out these milk substitutes for specific recipes such as these substitutes for milk in cereal or substitutes for milk in hamburger helper for even more ideas.
Sugar
Sugar is one of the most common foods people run out of. Therefore, if you’re looking for effective ways to alternate for sugar in a pinch try ¾ tsp stevia powder, 1 cup coconut sugar or 1 cup honey to replace 1 cup of sugar.
Butter
Butter plays an important part in many recipes, so if you’re ever out of butter and looking for a replacement try using 1 cup applesauce, 1 cup mashed avocado to replace butter in baking and 1 cup of vegetable oil to replace butter in cooking.
Buttermilk
If you’re every out of a common ingredient like buttermilk, consider replacing 1 cup of buttermilk with 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar.
Also feel free to check out other less common ways to substitute for buttermilk in specific recipes. These include ideas like ways to substitute for buttermilk in biscuits or substitutes for buttermilk in fried chicken.
Heavy cream
Heavy cream makes it on the list of 10 common food substitutes it is a very common kitchen ingredient that often needs substituting. if you are out of heavy cream, you can effectively replace 1 cup fo heavy cream with 2/3 cup whole milk + ⅓ cup melted butter.
Also, check out a more comprehensive list of ways to replace heavy cream here.
Baking powder
Baking powder is a very common ingredient that often needs to be substituted. To effectively replace baking powder, you will need ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar as a sub for 1 tsp.
Sea salt
Sea salt is something that most people always have stocked. But for those of us who sometimes forget to up on salt, it is okay to use 1 tsp kosher salt or 1 tsp table salt to replace sea salt in most recipes.
Mayo
Mayo is a popular ingredient that you may need to substitute often. Whether for dietary purposes or because there is none left. For every cup of 1 cup mayo substitute with 1 cup sour cream.
All-purpose flour
Lastly, on the list of 10 common food substitutes, all-purpose flour is another commonly used ingredient that often needs to be replaced. For every cup of all-purpose for, use 1 cup cake flour, 1 cup pastry flour or 1 cup bread flour instead.
For more specific information, also check out this list of flour substitutes for cookies for other ideas on how to replace all-purpose flour in cookies.
All of these are good to know, but, if you want to have more kitchen substitutes in your arsenal, check out this out:
Nifty food substitutions chart
This nifty food substitutions chart includes all 10 of these common food substitutes listed here, along with 37 more useful food substitutes that everyone who cooks needs to know. This food substitution chart is a digital printable that comes in various sizes and can be easily printed, framed and hung or displayed in your kitchen for super easy access.
With this printable, you won’t need to ran to google every-time you’re looking for a substitutes in the middle of preparing a meal. What’s more, this printable sheet is stylish, simple and functional, so feel free to grab a copy by clicking this link right here to be take to the Digital Ingredient Substitution Printable.
More food substitutes
- 47 substitutes for common food ingredients
- Substitutes for sour cream in banana bread
- Substitutes for evaporated milk in pumpkin pie
- 47 common ingredient substitutions
