Cooking Basics

On-the-Fly Substitutions for 35 Common Ingredients

When supplies are running low, a good substitution can be your best friend.
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Published Apr. 22, 2020.

In the last few weeks, I’ve gotten pretty crafty at making substitutions when I cook. And it turns out, my fellow Test Kitchen test cooks have, too. Since we’re all in the position of cooking with what we’ve got and minimizing waste, I put together a list of the substitutions that we’re using in our home kitchens. (And yes, this is our second installment of ingredient substitutions! The first article focused mostly on baking ingredients, but also included some savory items.)

These are the substitutions that we use in a pinch either at home or at the grocery store because they make sense and will add the approximate flavor profile to our recipes. And while we’re all looking forward to the day we can procure the exact ingredients that a recipe calls for, these helpful hints will help you get a great meal on the table by using what you have.

Unless otherwise specified, these substitutions work both ways, and are for equal parts by weight.

Produce

IngredientQuantitySubstitute

Fresh garlic

1 clove

¼ teaspoon granulated garlic

Onion

1 medium

1 cup chopped onion, or same amount of leek, shallot, or white part of scallion

Any

Collard greens, mustard greens, spinach, or Swiss chard

Any

Baby kale, Swiss chard, or baby arugula

Any

Yukon gold potatoes (baby size, if possible)

Minced chives

Any

Minced scallion greens

Lemon

1

2 limes

Lemon or lime juice

1 tablespoon

1-2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

ReaLemon Lemon Juice from concentrate and TruLemon Crystalized Lemon Juice are acceptable in cooked applications such as lemon curd or a pan sauce

Any

Anaheim or bell pepper

1

2 Thai chilies (heat levels vary)

6

1 serrano or 2 jalapenos (heat levels vary)

Meat and Fish

IngredientSubstitution(s)

Beef chuck roast or other meat with considerable connective tissue such as pork shoulder, pork butt, brisket, shank, or pot roast

Portuguese linguica or Polish kielbasa

Haddock, striped bass, or halibut

Ground beef

Italian sausage

Pork tenderloin

Refrigerator Staples

IngredientSubstitution(s)

Sour cream

Full-fat Greek yogurt

Parmesan cheese

Pecorino, asiago, grana padano, cotija, or manchego

Feta cheese

Goat cheese, queso blanco, mozzarella

Active dry yeast (bloom in warm water before using)

Kalamata olives

Pantry Items

IngredientQuantitySubstitution(s)

Vegetable oil for browning and sauteing

Any

Canola, olive, refined coconut, and grapeseed oils

Vegetable oil, for frying

Any

Corn oil

Any

Balsamic or sherry vinegar

Korean red pepper flakes (aka gochugaru or Korean chili powder)

2 tablespoons

2 tablespoons ancho chile powder + ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons

Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru) or 1¾ teaspoons ancho chili powder + ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Any

Chipotle powder or chipotle Tabasco + pinch cayenne

Any

Chili powder

Any

Canned whole or diced tomatoes with their juice

Any

Great Northern beans

1 tablespoon

1 teaspoon fermented black bean paste or sauce

Any

Dry sherry

Cane vinegar

¼ cup

¼ cup distilled white vinegar plus ¾ teaspoons sugar

Makrut lime leaves

3

One (3-inch) strip each of lemon and lime zest

Dried arbol chilies

Any

¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

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