Top Ten Ingredient Substitute Rescues

How often are you in the middle of a cooking project when you discover you're missing an essential ingredient? Have you ever mistaken the salt for sugar and, mid-way through mixing, realized that you're actually out of sugar? Perhaps you don't have any eggs and the grocery store is closed. It certainly happens to me occasionally, and I have fallen back on these top ten handy ingredient substitute tricks.

1. Buttermilk

GoodLifeEats

Squeeze one tbsp fresh lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Add milk until the amount reaches one cup. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. The milk should look curdled. Stir.

2. Eggs

Care2

To replace one egg, stir together until thick and gelatinous: 1 tbsp ground flax seeds and 3 tbsp water (or other liquid). You can make a bigger batch by increasing the ingredient amounts. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

3. Catsup

Gourmet

To make Catsup, purée 1 (32 oz) can tomatoes with juice in a blender until smooth. Cook 1 medium chopped onion and 4 cloves chopped garlic in 2 tbsp vegetable oil with 1/4 tsp salt in a 4-qt heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground allspice, and 1/2 tsp pepper and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute. Add 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 cup vinegar. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until very thick, 45 to 55 minutes. Purée ketchup in blender until smooth. Chill for 2 hours.

4. Nutella

Tasty Kitchen

Roast 1 cup hazelnuts at 350° for 8-10 minutes until they darken a little. Transfer the hazelnuts to a towel and rub off the skins if you can. In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts to a smooth butter, about 5 minutes, scraping the sides as needed. Add 1/4 cups cocoa powder, 5 tbsp agave, 1 tbsp vanilla, 1 tbsp hazelnut oil and a pinch sea salt. Process until well blended, about a minute. Store in a glass mason jar in the refrigerator.
Bring to room temperature prior to serving.

5. Sour Cream

JustBestRecipes

As a non-dairy replacement for sour cream, try using nuts. Soak 1 cup brazil (or other) nuts overnight in 1/2 cup water. Drain. Combine nuts, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp sea salt in a food processor. Process until light and creamy, about 3 or 4 minutes.

6. Ricotta

Dr Patels Diet

Tofu can be used as a ricotta cheese substitute in lasagna, casserole, and pasta dishes. Wrap (14 oz) firm tofu in 3 or 4 layers of cotton towels and gently press out as much water as possible, changing the towels once or twice as needed. Transfer tofu to a large bowl and add 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp fresh chopped basil, sea salt and black pepper to taste.

7. Baking Powder

Buzzle

Sieve 2 tbsp cream of tartar with a tbsp each of baking soda and cornstarch mixed together. These three components can be mixed together to obtain larger amounts of a baking powder substitute, but always in the ratio of 2:1:1. Also, this mixture should not be stored for a long time as otherwise its effectiveness is lost.

8. Mayonnaise

DivineDinnerParty

In Spain, Alioli is served with tapas dishes. It is a great substitute for regular mayonnaise. Ingredients should be room temperature before making. Sprinkle 6 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped) with pinch of salt. Mash into a paste with the side of a knife. Mix together 1 egg and garlic paste in a food processor. In a separate bowl, combine 1 tbsp lemon and 1 cup olive oil. With the food processor running, add oil and lemon mixture in a thin stream, allowing it to thicken and emulsify. If Alioli begins to seperate, stop adding oil and mix until becomes smooth, then continue adding oil.

9. Red Food Coloring

CookingWithChopin

Lop the top off a beet and peel it. Wrap it in foil completely. Bake it for about 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees (F) until you can pierce it very easily with a fork. Puree beet in a food processor. Add several tbsp of water to help it become a very smooth puree.

10. Brown Sugar

Alaska From Scratch

To make one cup of brown sugar, you need 1 cup white sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses. Decrease the liquid in your recipe by 1/4 cup OR 1 cup white sugar OR 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar.

Check out AllRecipes for a simple, thorough list of common ingredient substitutes.