Ingredient Substitutions for Home Cooks

It happens to all of us. You're halfway through a recipe and realize there's no buttermilk in the fridge, or the shallots have gone soft. Before you head to the store, check this list. Most of the time, something you already have will do the job.

I've also been honest about when a swap won't work, because some ingredients do something no substitute can.

Baking swaps

Baking is chemistry, so measure these carefully.

You need	Use instead
1 cup buttermilk	1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar, plus milk to make 1 cup. Rest 5 to 10 minutes.
1 cup self-rising flour	1 cup all-purpose flour + 1½ teaspoons baking powder + ¼ teaspoon fine salt
1 cup cake flour	1 cup all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons, add 2 tablespoons cornstarch, then sift
1 teaspoon baking powder	¼ teaspoon baking soda + ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup brown sugar	1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon molasses (2 tablespoons for dark brown)
1 egg (in muffins, quick breads, brownies)	1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, rested 5 minutes, or ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup unsalted butter	½ cup salted butter, and cut the salt in the recipe by about ¼ teaspoon

When it won't work: don't swap baking soda for baking powder one for one. Baking soda is about four times stronger and needs an acid to work. Egg substitutes won't hold up a sponge cake, a soufflé, a custard or meringue.

Dairy swaps

• Heavy cream for a sauce: ¾ cup whole milk + ¼ cup melted butter for each cup. It won't whip, so use it for cooking only.

• Sour cream: plain Greek yogurt, cup for cup. Stir it in off the heat, because yogurt can split if it boils.

• Crème fraîche: sour cream, though crème fraîche is better at surviving a simmer.

• Parmigiano-Reggiano: Grana Padano is the closest match. Pecorino Romano works, but it's saltier, so go easy on the salt. More in my Parmigiano-Reggiano guide.

Flavor swaps

You need	Use instead
1 tablespoon fresh herbs	1 teaspoon dried herbs (one third as much)
1 garlic clove	⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
1 shallot	About 3 tablespoons finely chopped yellow or red onion, plus a tiny bit of garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice	1 tablespoon lime juice, or ½ tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 cup white wine (in cooking)	1 cup chicken or vegetable stock + 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
1 cup red wine (in cooking)	1 cup beef stock + 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon table salt	About 1½ teaspoons Morton kosher salt or 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal

Salt is the swap that catches most people out, because different salts weigh different amounts. My Salt 101 lesson explains why.

When it won't work: dried herbs are fine in a stew but sad sprinkled over a finished dish, so save fresh herbs for the end. There's no real swap for lemon zest, which gives fragrance that juice can't.

Thickening swaps

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch = about 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Cornstarch gives a glossy finish and flour a creamier one.

• To thicken a sauce without lumps, mix the cornstarch or flour with a little cold water first, then stir it into the simmering sauce.

A few words of advice

Swap one thing at a time, especially when you're baking. If a recipe is new to you, make it as written once, then you'll know what it should taste like when you start playing. For more of the basics, have a look at Chef Jon's Kitchen School and my kitchen conversions guide.

Frequently asked questions

What can I use instead of buttermilk?

Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into a measuring cup, top it up to 1 cup with milk and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes until it thickens slightly. Plain yogurt thinned with a little milk works too.

How do I make self-rising flour?

Whisk 1 cup of all-purpose flour with 1½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of fine salt.

How much dried herb equals fresh?

Use about one third as much. One tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs equals roughly 1 teaspoon of dried.

What can I use instead of wine in a recipe?

Use the same amount of stock and add a small splash of vinegar or lemon juice for the acidity wine would have given. Use chicken or vegetable stock in place of white wine, and beef stock in place of red.

Can I replace eggs in baking?

For one or two eggs in muffins, quick breads or brownies, a flax egg or a quarter cup of applesauce per egg works well. For cakes that rely on eggs to rise, custards or meringues, there's no good swap.