10 Plant-Based Ingredients To Substitute For Meat, Dairy And Eggs
Whether your reasoning is health, price, or focused on sustainability, it's clear that plant-based foods are in focus. But simply eating tofu, beans and vegetables can get dull for those who are used to eating meat—no matter how delicious the recipes are. Beyond buying ready-made plant-based proteins at your local grocery store or fast food joint, is there a way to prepare recipes you love at home, minus the animal-based ingredients?
We asked ourselves the same question and discovered (through multiple trials and errors) that cooking some of our favourite recipes without eggs, butter and dairy is, indeed, possible. The key is finding ingredients that can be used independently, or combined with others, to create something that is comparable in texture and flavour to the real deal. Here are our 10 must-have ingredients to store in your plant-based pantry—and how to use them.
Ground flax meal
Ground flax meal can be used as an egg replacement and binding agent in many baking recipes, like banana bread. Its viscosity also makes it a great thickener and emulsifier for salad dressings. Make your own by grinding whole flaxseeds in a coffee grinder. Freeze leftovers in a covered container for up to three months. Try this in our plant-based banana bread recipe and plant-based Caesar salad recipe.
Dairy-free beverages
Unsweetened plant-based milks with neutral flavours—like oat or almond—are best for replacing dairy milk, whether the dish is savoury or sweet. Try it in our oat milk crepes recipe and creamy plant-based pasta Alfredo recipe.
Raw cashews
After an overnight soak and a whirl through the blender, raw cashews (unroasted and unsalted) take on a lovely creaminess that works well in sweet and savoury recipes. Its neutral flavour is great for adding flavours to. We like it for making a vegan crema to serve with tacos. Try our cashew crema recipe.
Psyllium husk
Psyllium husk, a plant-based fibre, absorbs water incredibly well, giving it a gel-like texture and making it an ideal binding agent for some recipes, like our tofu "chicken" nuggets.
Chickpea flour
Chickpea flour is a versatile ingredient that can be used as an egg alternative in certain recipes. When cooked with enough liquid, chickpea flour takes on a tofu-like texture, which is ideal for our plant-based quiche recipe. With less liquid, it can take on a pancake-like quality, which we use as an ‘omelet’ in our chickpea omurice recipe.
Smoked tofu
Smoked tofu is drier than extra-firm and has a smoky barbecue flavour with plenty of texture and bite. Try it in our cold spicy peanut noodles with smoked tofu recipe or tofu "chicken" nuggets recipe.
Refined coconut oil
Refined coconut oil doesn’t have a distinct coconut flavour, and makes a great butter replacement. We love using coconut oil in plant-based baking, like pie pastries and banana bread. Try our plant-based banana bread recipe and plant-based flaky pie dough.
Capers
Chopped capers have a briny and tangy flavour that works well as an anchovy substitute, especially in our plant-based Caesar salad recipe.
Cultured coconut
Unsweetened cultured coconut is a smooth and velvety coconut-based yogurt. Use it for sweet or savoury recipes that call for traditional yogurt, like the raita in our sheetpan aloo gobi and chickpeas with coconut raita.
Nutritional yeast
We love using nutritional yeast as a Parmesan cheese substitute. It has a deep umami savouriness that evokes a cheesy flavour. But use a light hand: too much and your dish will taste like yeast. Try it in our creamy plant-based pasta Alfredo recipe and plant-based Caesar salad recipe.
GET CHATELAINE IN YOUR INBOX!
Subscribe to our newsletters for our very best stories, recipes, style and shopping tips, horoscopes and special offers.
Subscribe to Chatelaine!
Want to streamline your life? In our Spring 2025 issue, we’ll show you how—whether it’s paring down your wardrobe, decluttering your messiest spaces or spending way less time cooking thanks to an easy, mostly make-ahead meal plan for busy weeknights. Plus, our first annual Pantry Awards.