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Dairy Free Substitutions for Cooking

Dairy Free Substitutions for Cooking

By: Bob's Red Mill | November 17 2017

If you are just starting out the dairy free journey, then you may have noticed that things are not quite as straightforward as you thought, especially when it comes to cooking. Depending on why you have decided to go dairy free, there are tons of different substitutes, none of which are created equal, and they all have their own pros and cons. The world of dairy free cooking may be mysterious, but we are here to help you learn about the best dairy free substitutions for cooking.

Why Go Dairy Free?

This is the most important question to ask yourself because it will determine which substitutions are best for your new dairy-free diet. There are several reasons that you may become dairy free. You may have a dairy allergy, in which case you cannot eat any milk or milk byproducts for fear of breaking out in an allergic reaction. You may also have a lactose intolerance, in which case your body simply has trouble breaking down the lactose that is found in milk. While these two conditions can both be treated by avoiding milk altogether, they are different issues and need slightly different consideration. For instance, there are lactose-free milk options and products that you can buy, but these still contain proteins that cause milk allergies, so you should not consume lactose-free milk if you are allergic to milk. Another reason for giving up milk is if you are becoming a vegan or have ethical problems with consuming animal products like milk. Many people object to the treatment of dairy cows, and this could be overcome by only consuming milk from cows that are free-range and raised under better conditions. However, if you object to consuming animal products of all kinds, then you will need to find substitutions that are all plant-based, which is surprisingly not as difficult as you may think! One more common reason people cut milk out of their diets is for health reasons. You could be trying to remove foods that are high in fat content, or you may simply want to decrease your saturated fats or sugars, both of which are found in high concentrations in milk. Milk has also been known to be an acne trigger, so if this is your goal, or simply an added bonus, you may be in for a treat! No matter your reasons for giving up milk in your diet, you will need to pay attention to the nutrients that you typically get from milk, to ensure you are getting those elsewhere instead. The most common, of course, is calcium, which you can also get in high concentration from leafy greens like kale and collard greens. You can also take a calcium supplement, and pair that with vitamin D to increase your bone strength and protect from arthritis and osteoporosis. Milk is also a high source of protein, so make sure you are getting your protein elsewhere. This can be through meat or substitutes like tempeh and tofu as well as soy. Make sure you do not rely on one source for all of your nutrients though, so mix it up between different types of food to make sure you get a good balance of many different vitamins and minerals!

Substitutes for Dairy in Cooking

When substituting anything in cooking or baking, it is important to understand the purpose of the original ingredient in your recipe. Milk and dairy products are often used to make recipes creamier, thicker, or smoother in texture, so keep this in mind when you are experimenting with different substitutions because you will want to use something that serves a similar purpose for the most similar results. We have a ton of substitutes we like to use, so we will explore a few of our favorites below.

Milk Alternatives

Milk is the most basic dairy food, so finding good milk substitutes is the key to finding good dairy alternatives. Our favorite milk substitute is almond milk, as it is healthy and crisp, plus absolutely delicious. You can also make nut milks out of cashews, macadamia nuts, pistachios, and pecans, just to name a few. Hazelnut milk is downright dreamy (dairy free Nutella, anyone?) and you can actually learn to make nut milks at home. You get the added benefit of the healthy fats and other nutrients found in whichever nut variety you choose. Soy milk is, of course, another popular option, and probably the most prevalent milk substitute. Soy milk is also high in protein and can serve you well as a buttermilk substitute too if you add apple cider vinegar. Coconut milk, hemp milk, rice milk, oat milk, and seed milks are a few other varieties that we love as well. Keep in mind that you may get a light flavor of whatever the milk is made from, so some milks may complement certain recipes beautifully (coconut milk in ice cream, for instance). There are so many options out there; we recommend trying as many as you can before you choose a favorite. Almond and soy milk, as well as coconut milk, will likely be your most easily accessible milk alternatives, as these are available in most grocery stores nowadays. It stands that pretty much any milk substitute could then be used to make any other type of dairy substitute, but not all milks are created equally, so we have some favorite alternatives for different dairy options.

Butter Alternatives

Coconut oil is a favorite alternative to butter, as it is vegan-friendly and dairy free. Coconut oil also has a similar consistency to butter, and it behaves like butter through temperature changes (hardens in cold temperatures, melts in warm temperatures). For this reason, you will probably find it very similar to working with butter. You can even cream softened coconut oil with sugar for a base in cakes and cookies! You will also get a delicious hint of coconut whenever you incorporate coconut oil into your recipes, so it is best for recipes that will be benefited by this flavor (we refer you back to the cakes and cookies reference! Yum.).

Non-Dairy Cheese

Cheese is a tricky thing to replicate without milk, although there are a lot of alternatives out there. It turns out that cheesy flavor and texture can be replicated in some surprising ways that you would probably never have expected. The problem with vegan cheeses is that the texture of many of them does not support the typical melting or blending that you are used to, so you just have to be careful when swapping them out in your recipes, as a simple 1:1 swap may not always work the way you expect it to. Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast that is made from sugar cane and beet molasses. Weird, right? Well, it turns out that it is a magical cheese substitute that you did not know about. You can sprinkle it into almost any cheesy recipe for a delicious vegan and gluten friendly option. This is how your vegan friends have been snacking on mac and cheese, pizza, and delicious creamy pasta. Nutritional yeast is high in B vitamins and most similar to parmesan cheese in flavor, so it is perfect for an Italian treat! Sliced tofu is thought to mimic the flavor and texture of mozzarella cheese, so if you are craving a caprese then this is your go-to option! You can also make cheese alternatives out of nuts, just like making milk out of nuts. This is best with cashews and almonds, to name a few, and the cheese will have slightly different flavors based on the nuts you used, so you can create your favorite varieties. Just pay attention to oil content and melting capacity with your cheese subs, as these can vary a great deal more than with your milk cheeses! Eating dairy free can seem like it takes a lot of sacrifices, but as it turns out, there are so many delicious substitutes that you will still be able to indulge in all of your favorite foods! We still do not recommend eating mac n cheese three times a day, but if you vary your diet as much as possible you will be sure to receive the best, balanced range of nutrients that your body needs!

by Bob's Red Mill

tips and tricks Dairy-Free

6 Comments

sheila Weydert
November 19 2017 at 4:18 pm
I having some trouble making my pie crust. I am trying to adapt it for my daughter who has allergies to both wheat and dairy. I am using Bob's 1 to 1 gluten free Baking Flour but I'm having difficulty with rolling out the crust. It wants to break and crumble. Any good ideas?

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1. Sarena Shasteen
  November 20 2017 at 9:15 am
  Hi Sheila, we highly recommend you contact our customer service department at (800) 349-2173 so they can guide you through the process in detail.
  
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texasgal
December 28 2017 at 9:01 am
Looking for a lactose free substitute for 'cream'.

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1. Sarena Shasteen
  January 2 2018 at 3:26 pm
  That would depend on the recipe, but the cream on top of real coconut milk should do the trick. If you have more questions and would like to speak with our recipe specialist, please call 800-349-2173.
  
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Patrick
March 28 2019 at 10:43 am
The two things I have found it hardest to substitute for are:
1) Buttermilk: I've tried a lot, and the two I use most often are nut-milk yogurt drink (kefir?), or a 1/3 to 2/3 mix of nut yogurt and nut milk.
2) Melted butter: a completely different animal than solid or soft butter, especially when it comes to emulsifying. The best substitute I've found is melted coconut oil, which has been processed enough to have very little flavor. So you get the softness and crumb similar to butter, but it adds zero flavor.

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janet c Eason
September 8 2019 at 3:30 pm
This was super helpful as my seven year old is lactose intolerant now

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