Cooking Substitutions

Below is a list of common cooking substitutions for ingredients that you might discover you’ve run out of just as you are about to prepare a meal.

It happens to all of us at some time or another. We’re all ready to prepare a meal, and at the last minute discover we’re out of that one necessary ingredient. Before you run out to your nearest grocers or Supermart, have a check of the list below. Hopefully it will help.

Don't Have This	Need this Amount	Try This
Allspice	1 tsp	1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Arrowroot	1 tbsp	2 tbsp all-purpose flour OR1 tbsp cornstarch
Baking Powder	1 tsp	1/4 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Bay Leaf	1 whole	1/4 tsp crushed
Brown Sugar	1 cup	1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tbsp molasses or dark corn syrup
Buttermilk	1 cup	1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice, 1 cup milk, mix together then let stand for a few minutes
Cayenne Pepper	1/8 tsp	couple of drops of Tabasco sauce, or other hot pepper sauce
Celery Salt	1 tsp	1/4 tsp crushed celery seed mixed with 3/4 tsp salt
Chili Red Hot	1 tsp	1 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
Chili Powder	1 tbs	2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Chinese Five Spice	1 tsp	1/4 tsp each of ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger and crushed anise seeds
Cinnamon Sugar	1 cup	7/8 cup granulated sugar, 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
Cornmeal, self-rising	1 cup	1 cup plain cornmeal, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
Cornstarch	1 tbsp	2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Cream of Tartar	1 tsp	3 tsp lemon juice
Curry Powder	1 tbsp	1/2 tsp ground cardamom, 1/2 tsp cayenne, 1/2 tsp ground coriander seed, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp turmeric
Dried Herbs	1 tsp	2 tsp fresh, same type
Fresh Herbs	1 tbsp	1 tsp dried herbs, same type
Garlic	1 clove	1/8 tsp garlic powder OR3/4 tsp minced garlic
Garlic Salt	1/2 tsp	1/8 tsp garlic powder
Ginger, fresh	1/2 tsp	1/4 tsp ground ginger
Italian Seasoning	1 tbsp	1/2 tsp each of basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, sage and thyme
Molasses	1 cup	1/2 cup honey
Nutmeg	1/4 tsp	1/4 tsp cinnamon, ginger
Pepper flakes	1 tsp	1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Poultry Seasoning	1 tsp	3/4 tsp sage, 1/4 ground thyme
Sage	1 tsp	1 tsp poultry seasoning
Sour Cream	1 cup	1 cup plain whole yogurt
Vanilla Bean	1-inch piece	1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Yogurt	1 cup	Sour cream

There are a lot more cooking substitutions out there. But these are some of the more common ones. Print off this list and keep it with your recipes, so that next time you discover that you are out of a certain ingredient you need right way, you won't also be totally out of luck. Hopefully anyway! :)

Done with cooking substitutions? Go to Practical Meal Planning Home.

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