The Best Vegan Substitutes for Butter, Eggs, Milk & More

Making meals vegan-friendly doesn't mean sacrificing flavour, texture, or satisfaction. With the right substitutes, you can transform almost any recipe into a plant-based version that's just as delicious—and often healthier—than the original. Whether you're cooking for yourself, accommodating guests, or simply exploring more plant-based options, understanding how to swap common animal-based ingredients is essential. The key to successful vegan cooking isn't just replacing ingredients one-to-one—it's understanding what role each ingredient plays in a recipe and choosing the best plant-based alternative to achieve the same result. Here's your comprehensive guide to the most effective vegan substitutes for butter, eggs, milk, and other common non-vegan ingredients. Vegan Butter Substitutes Butter adds richness, moisture, and flavour to both sweet and savoury dishes. Fortunately, there are excellent plant-based alternatives that perform beautifully in cooking and baking. Best Options: Vegan butter (store-bought). Brands like Earth Balance, Miyoko's, and Becel Vegan work 1:1 in most recipes. They're ideal for baking, sautéing, and spreading. Coconut oil. Works well in baking and adds a subtle sweetness. Use refined coconut oil if you don't want coconut flavour. Replace 1:1 by volume. Olive oil. Excellent for savoury cooking and some baked goods. Use ¾ cup oil for every 1 cup butter. Avocado or mashed banana. Great for muffins, quick breads, and brownies. Replace 1:1, but expect a denser texture and slight flavour change. Nut butters. Almond or cashew butter adds richness to cookies and energy bars. Replace 1:1 for butter in no-bake recipes. When to Use What: Baking (cakes, cookies, pastries): Vegan butter or coconut oil Sautéing and pan-frying: Vegan butter, olive oil, or coconut oil Spreading on toast: Vegan butter Quick breads and muffins: Coconut oil, mashed banana, or applesauce Vegan Egg Substitutes Eggs serve multiple functions in recipes—they bind, leaven, add moisture, and create structure. The best substitute depends on what the egg is doing in your recipe. Best Options: Flax eggs. Mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water. Let sit for 5 minutes until gel-like. Works well as a binder in muffins, pancakes, and quick breads. Replaces 1 egg. Chia eggs. Same ratio as flax eggs (1 tablespoon chia seeds + 3 tablespoons water). Slightly more neutral flavour. Replaces 1 egg. Applesauce. Use ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce per egg. Adds moisture and works well in cakes and muffins. May make baked goods denser. Mashed banana. Use ¼ cup mashed banana per egg. Best for recipes where banana flavour complements the dish (pancakes, muffins, quick breads). Aquafaba. The liquid from a tin of chickpeas. Use 3 tablespoons per egg. Excellent for meringues, mousses, and light, fluffy baked goods. Can be whipped like egg whites. Commercial egg replacers. Products like Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer or Ener-G work well for binding. Follow package directions. Silken tofu. Use ¼ cup blended silken tofu per egg. Works well in dense cakes, brownies, and quiches. When to Use What: Binding (cookies, muffins, veggie burgers): Flax or chia eggs Moisture (cakes, brownies): Applesauce, mashed banana, or silken tofu Leavening (light cakes, meringues): Aquafaba Scrambles and omelettes: Firm tofu, crumbled and seasoned Vegan Milk Substitutes Plant-based milks are widely available and work beautifully in almost every application. The key is choosing the right type for your recipe. Best Options: Oat milk. Creamy, neutral flavour. Excellent for coffee, baking, and savoury dishes. Works 1:1 in most recipes. Almond milk. Light and slightly nutty. Great for smoothies, cereals, and baking. Works 1:1. Soy milk. High in protein, creamy texture. Excellent for baking, sauces, and coffee. Works 1:1. Coconut milk (tinned, full-fat). Rich and creamy. Perfect for curries, soups, and desserts. Use 1:1 for cream in recipes. Coconut milk (carton). Lighter than tinned. Good for drinking, cereals, and baking. Works 1:1. Cashew milk. Creamy and neutral. Excellent for sauces, soups, and baking. Works 1:1. Rice milk. Thin and sweet. Best for drinking and cereals. Works 1:1 but may need thickening in recipes. When to Use What: Baking (cakes, muffins, pancakes): Oat, soy, or almond milk Coffee and tea: Oat or soy milk (they froth well) Creamy sauces and soups: Cashew milk or tinned coconut milk Curries and Asian dishes: Tinned coconut milk Smoothies: Any plant milk, depending on flavour preference Vegan Cream Substitutes Heavy cream adds richness and body to sauces, soups, and desserts. Plant-based alternatives can achieve similar results. Best Options: Tinned coconut cream. The thick cream from the top of a chilled tin of full-fat coconut milk. Whips beautifully and works 1:1 for heavy cream. Cashew cream. Blend 1 cup raw cashews (soaked) with ½ cup water until smooth. Rich, neutral, and versatile. Works 1:1. Oat cream. Store-bought oat cream (like Oatly) works well in coffee and cooking. Use 1:1. Silken tofu blended with plant milk. Creates a creamy base for sauces and soups. Adjust thickness with more or less milk. When to Use What: Whipped cream: Coconut cream (chilled and whipped) Creamy pasta sauces: Cashew cream or oat cream Soups and curries: Coconut cream or cashew cream Coffee: Oat cream Vegan Cheese Substitutes Cheese is one of the trickier ingredients to replace, but plant-based options have improved dramatically in recent years. Best Options: Store-bought vegan cheese. Brands like Violife, Daiya, and Nuts for Cheese melt and taste remarkably similar to dairy cheese. Use 1:1. Nutritional yeast. Adds a cheesy, umami flavour to sauces, popcorn, and pasta. Use 2–3 tablespoons per serving. Cashew cheese. Blend soaked cashews with lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt for a creamy, spreadable cheese. Great for dips and sauces. Tofu ricotta. Crumble firm tofu and mix with lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic, and herbs. Perfect for lasagne and stuffed shells. When to Use What: Melting (pizza, grilled cheese): Store-bought vegan cheese Sprinkling (pasta, salads): Nutritional yeast Creamy sauces (mac and cheese, Alfredo): Cashew cheese or nutritional yeast-based sauce Ricotta (lasagne, stuffed pasta): Tofu ricotta Vegan Meat Substitutes Plant-based proteins can replicate the texture and satisfaction of meat in most dishes. Best Options: Tofu. Versatile and absorbs flavours well. Press and marinate for best results. Works in stir-fries, scrambles, and grilled dishes. Tempeh. Nutty, firm, and high in protein. Great for stir-fries, sandwiches, and crumbled "meat" dishes. Seitan. Wheat-based protein with a chewy, meat-like texture. Excellent for stews, stir-fries, and sandwiches. Lentils and beans. Hearty and protein-rich. Perfect for bolognese, tacos, burgers, and stews. Mushrooms. Meaty texture and umami flavour. Portobello caps work well as burger patties; chopped mushrooms add depth to sauces and stews. Jackfruit. Shreds like pulled pork when cooked. Best for BBQ sandwiches and tacos. When to Use What: Stir-fries and scrambles: Tofu Tacos and bolognese: Lentils, beans, or tempeh Pulled "pork": Jackfruit Burgers: Portobello mushrooms, black beans, or store-bought veggie patties Stews and roasts: Seitan or mushrooms Vegan Honey Substitutes Honey adds sweetness and moisture. Plant-based alternatives work beautifully in most recipes. Best Options: Maple syrup. Rich, complex sweetness. Works 1:1 in most recipes. Agave nectar. Mild and neutral. Works 1:1 for honey. Date syrup. Deep, caramel-like flavour. Works 1:1. Brown rice syrup. Mild sweetness. Works 1:1 but less sweet than honey. Vegan Gelatine Substitutes Gelatine is used to set desserts and jellies. Plant-based alternatives work just as well. Best Options: Agar-agar. Derived from seaweed. Use 1 teaspoon agar powder per 1 tablespoon gelatine. Sets at room temperature. Pectin. Derived from fruit. Works well for jams and jellies. Follow package directions. Carrageenan. Derived from seaweed. Works well for puddings and custards. Final Thoughts: Vegan Cooking Is Easier Than You Think Making meals vegan-friendly doesn't require specialty ingredients or complicated techniques. With a few staple substitutes in your pantry—plant-based milk, vegan butter, flax seeds, and nutritional yeast—you can adapt almost any recipe to be plant-based without sacrificing flavour or satisfaction. The more you experiment with these substitutes, the more intuitive vegan cooking becomes. Start with simple swaps, taste as you go, and don't be afraid to adjust based on your preferences. Whether you're fully plant-based or simply exploring more vegan meals, these substitutes will help you cook with confidence and creativity.

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The Best Vegan Substitutes for Butter, Eggs, Milk & More

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