Vegan Ingredient Substitutes
Understanding ingredient substitution is the single skill that makes vegan cooking genuinely effortless. Once you know what each animal product does — binds, emulsifies, adds fat, adds protein — finding the right plant-based replacement becomes logical rather than guesswork. This guide covers every common substitution with specific ratios, best uses and brands available in UK supermarkets.
Recipes
Tips
- Keep aquafaba (the liquid from a tin of chickpeas) in the fridge — it replaces egg whites in almost every application.
- Nutritional yeast adds a savoury, cheesy flavour to sauces and sprinkled on pasta — one of the most versatile ingredients in vegan cooking.
- Cashews soaked overnight and blended with water make a rich cream that works in sauces, soups and desserts.
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What can replace eggs in vegan cooking? +
For binding: flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water). For richness and moisture: silken tofu, mashed banana or apple sauce. For egg whites: aquafaba. For scramble: firm tofu with turmeric and black salt.
What is the best vegan replacement for butter? +
In baking: Naturli Vegan Block or Flora Plant Butter work almost identically to dairy butter. For spreading: any vegan spread. For cooking: olive oil or coconut oil depending on the dish.
What replaces dairy milk in cooking? +
Oat milk is the most versatile — it has a neutral flavour and works well in sauces, baking and hot drinks. Soy milk is the closest match to dairy milk nutritionally. Coconut milk adds richness and a slight sweetness, ideal for curries and desserts.
What is the best vegan cheese substitute? +
For melting: Violife and Sheese melt reasonably well. For a parmesan-like flavour: nutritional yeast blended with cashews and salt. For cream cheese: Violife or homemade cashew cream cheese. Commercial vegan cheese has improved significantly over the past five years.
What replaces cream in vegan cooking? +
Oat cream (Oatly), soy cream, or coconut cream are the most common replacements. Cashew cream (soaked cashews blended with water) makes the richest and most neutral-tasting vegan cream for fine sauces.
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