Dairy-Free Substitutions: Recipe Solutions for the Dairy-Free Cook

Butter

1 cup dairy-free soy margarine, such as Willow Run (reduce the salt in recipe by ½ t. if recipe calls for unsalted)

1 cup canola oil (Note: for many baked recipes, or recipes that use butter to coagulate, emulsify or stabilize, soy margarine will be the better choice. Oil works well as part of meat and vegetable dishes as well as sauces.)

Buttermilk

1 cup soymilk combined with 1 T. apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Allow mixture to rest in the refrigerator for five minutes so that the mixture will thicken correctly.

1 cup plain soy yogurt

2/3 cup soy sour cream blended with 1/3 cup unsweetened soy milk

Cheese

View Full-Size © 2007 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc. Check out these Dairy-Free Cheese Recipes for some great cheese substitutions ideas!

Cream, Light

1 cup dairy-free soy coffee cream

1 cup soymilk mixed with ¼ cup melted dairy-free soy margarine

1 cup whole coconut milk

Cream, Heavy

1/4 cup soy half-n-half, mixed with ¼ cup soy margarine, melted, and ½ c unsweetened soymilk

1 cup cream of coconut

Crème Fraiche

½ cup soy sour cream processed with ½ cup soy cream cheese

½ cup plain soy yogurt processed with ½ cup soy cream cheese

2/3 cup extra firm silken tofu processed with 1/3 cup soy yogurt or soy sour cream

Ghee

1 cup melted soy margarine

1 cup canola oil

Milk

Dairy-free soy, rice, or nut milk

Milk, Evaporated

1 cup soy coffee creamer

1 cup plain soy yogurt

Milk, Sweetened Condensed

1 cup soymilk powder mixed with 2/3 cup sugar heated over low heat with ½ c soy coffee creamer and ½ cup soymilk. Heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth.

1 cup vanilla soy ice cream, melted over low heat with 2 T soymilk powder until slightly thickened

Sour Cream

1 cup soy sour cream

1 cup soy yogurt mixed with 1 T. soymilk powder and salt to taste

1 cup extra firm silken tofu blended or processed with 1 T. apple cider vinegar or lemon juice