Emergency Cooking Substitutions
If you must make a substitution for a recommended ingredient, try the folllowing:
Instead of:
Amount:
Use:
Arborio rice
1 cup cooked
1 cup uncooked short-grain white rice, regular long-grain rice or brown rice
Baking powder
1 tsp
1/4 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp
1 Tbsp sherry or cider vinegar
Bread crumbs,
dry
1/4 cup
Bread crumbs,dry
Beer
1 cup
1 cup nonalcoholic beer, apple cider or beef broth
Broth,
chicken, beef or vegetable
1 cup
1 tsp chicken, beef or vegetable bouillon granules (or 1 cube) dissolved in 1 cup boiling water
Brown sugar,
packed
1 cup
1 cup granulated sugar mixed with 2 Tbsp molasses or dark corn syrup
Buttermilk or sour milk
1 cup
1 Tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup; let stand a few minutes. Or 1 cup plain yogurt.
Chocolate
Semisweet baking
1 oz
1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate plus 1 Tbsp sugar
Semisweet chips
1 cup
6 oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped
Unsweetened baking
1 oz
3 Tbsp baking cocoa plus 1 Tbsp vegetable oil or melted shortening or margarine
Cornstarch
1 Tbsp
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour or 4 tsp quick-cooking tapioca
Corn syrup
Light
1 cup
1 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup water
Dark
1 cup
1 cup light corn syrup; 3/4 cup light corn syrup plus 1/4 cup molasses; 1 cup maple-flavored syrup
Eggs
1 large
2 egg whites; 1/4 cup fat-free cholesterol-free egg product; 2 egg yolks (for custard or puddings); or 2 egg yolks plus 1 Tbsp water (for cookies or bars)
Flour
All-purpose
1 cup
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp cake flour
Cake
1 cup
1 cup minus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
Self-rising
1 cup
1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt
Garlic,
finely chopped
1 medium clove
1/8 tsp garlic powder or 1/4 tsp instant minced garlic
Gingerroot,
grated or finely chopped
1 tsp
3/4 tsp ground ginger
Herbs,
chopped fresh
1 Tbsp
3/4 to 1 tsp dried herbs
Lemon juice,
fresh
1 Tbsp
1 Tbsp bottled lemon juice or white vinegar
Lemon peel,
grated
1 tsp
1 tsp dried lemon peel
Milk,
regular or low-fat
1 cup
1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water; or nonfat dry milk prepared as directed on package
Mushrooms,
fresh
1 cup cooked sliced
1 can (4 oz) mushroom pieces and stems, drained
Mustard,
yellow
1 Tbsp
1 tsp ground mustard
Poultry seasoning
1 tsp
1/4 tsp ground thyme plus 3/4 tsp ground sage
Pumpkin or apple pie spice
1 tsp
Mix 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/8 tsp ground allspice and 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg.
Sour cream
1 cup
1 cup plain yogurt
Tomato juice
1 cup
1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water
Tomato paste
1/2 cup
1 cup tomato sauce cooked uncovered to reduce to 1/2 cup
Tomato sauce
2 cups
3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water
Tomatoes,
canned
1 cup
About 1 1/3 cups cut-up fresh tomatoes, simmered 10 min
Wine,
Red
1 cup
1 cup nonalcoholic wine, apple cider, beef broth, tomato juice or water
White
1 cup
1 cup nonalcoholic wine, white grape juice, apple juice, chicken broth or water
Yeast,
regular or quick active dry
1 pkg (1/4 oz)
2 1/4 tsp regular or quick active dry or 1 package (0.6 oz) compressed cake yeast
Yogurt,
plain
1 cup
1 cup sour cream
