Ingredient Substitutions N–Z

Find the ingredient you need to replace. Read its original amount, choose one measured substitute, and check the limits before cooking. Alternatives separated into bullets are choices, not ingredients to combine.

US kitchen measures: 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon; 16 tablespoons = 1 cup. These are reference starting points, not tested variations of every recipe. Check allergens. Do not alter a tested canning or preservation formula using this chart.

Find your ingredient: N–Z

Onion

1 small onion

Use ONE of these options:

¼ cup chopped fresh onion
1–2 tablespoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon onion powder

Powder replaces flavor, not the cooked onion’s bulk or texture. Rehydrate dried pieces when needed.

Orange juice

Juice from 1 medium orange

Use this substitute:

Approximately 6–8 tablespoons orange juice

Use as an approximate yield; fruit size varies.

Orange peel, dried

1 tablespoon dried orange peel

Use this substitute:

2–3 tablespoons finely grated fresh orange zest

Use colored zest, not bitter white pith. Moisture and texture change.

Orange peel, fresh

Zest from 1 medium orange

Use this substitute:

Approximately 2–3 tablespoons finely grated orange zest

For flavoring. One teaspoon orange extract can replace about 2 teaspoons dried peel when texture is not required.

Parsley

1 teaspoon dried parsley

Use this substitute:

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Fresh parsley works well at the end of cooking; dried parsley cannot duplicate a leafy garnish.

Peppers, green bell

1 tablespoon dried green bell pepper

Use this substitute:

3 tablespoons chopped fresh green bell pepper

Fresh pepper adds moisture and crunch; cook as the dish requires.

Peppers, red bell

1 tablespoon dried red bell pepper

Use ONE of these options:

3 tablespoons chopped fresh red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped pimiento

Drain jarred pimiento and account for added seasoning.

Peppermint extract

1 tablespoon peppermint extract for a compatible flavor infusion

Use this substitute:

¼ cup chopped fresh mint, infused in the recipe liquid and strained if needed

Fresh mint adds plant material and is much less concentrated. Not a measured equivalent for candy or baked goods with very little liquid.

Pimiento

2 tablespoons chopped pimiento

Use ONE of these options:

3 tablespoons chopped fresh red bell pepper
1 tablespoon dried red bell pepper, rehydrated

Texture and sweetness differ; drain excess soaking water.

Pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Use this substitute:

½ teaspoon cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon ground ginger + ⅛ teaspoon allspice + ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

Mix the spices before measuring into the recipe.

Rennet

1 rennet tablet

Use this substitute:

The liquid rennet quantity specified by the manufacturer for the same volume of milk

No universal teaspoon conversion: tablet and liquid strengths differ. The old one-tablespoon assumption should not be applied to an unverified product.

Rice, uncooked

1 cup uncooked regular rice

Use ONE of these options:

1 cup uncooked converted rice
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 cup uncooked wild rice

Use the replacement grain’s own water ratio and cooking time. These are not one-pot timing equivalents; cooked yield differs.

Rice, cooked

1 cup cooked rice

Use ONE of these options:

1 cup cooked bulgur
1 cup cooked pearl barley

Measure after cooking. Bulgur and barley contain gluten; neither is a rice option for someone avoiding gluten.

Rum

¼ cup rum for flavoring a recipe

Use this substitute:

1 tablespoon rum extract + 3 tablespoons water or the recipe liquid

Extract may contain alcohol. Use a product explicitly labeled alcohol-free if required; not a beverage substitution.

Shortening, melted

1 cup melted shortening

Use this substitute:

1 cup cooking oil

Only when the recipe calls for melted shortening. Oil cannot replace solid shortening in creamed or laminated mixtures.

Shortening, solid

1 cup solid shortening

Use ONE of these options:

1 cup minus 2 tablespoons lard
1⅛ cups butter or baking margarine; reduce added salt by ½ teaspoon when using a salted product

Texture changes because butter contains water. Keep the fat in the state the recipe specifies; not a universal pastry formula.

Shrimp, cooked

1 cup cleaned cooked shrimp

Use ONE of these options:

Approximately ¾ pound raw shell-on shrimp, cleaned and cooked
Approximately one 7-ounce package peeled frozen shrimp, cooked
One 4½–5-ounce can shrimp, drained

Measure the final cooked amount. Raw and cooked seafood are not ready-to-eat equivalents.

Spearmint extract

1 tablespoon spearmint extract for a compatible infusion

Use this substitute:

¼ cup chopped fresh mint, infused in the recipe liquid

Strain if needed. Not equivalent for concentrated candy or frosting flavoring.

Sugar, brown

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Use this substitute:

1 cup granulated sugar

Moisture, flavor and cookie spread change. This simple fallback does not reproduce molasses flavor.

Sugar, powdered

1 cup confectioners’ sugar in a mixture where sugar dissolves

Use this substitute:

¾ cup granulated sugar

Not for uncooked frosting, dusting or a smooth glaze: the grains will remain noticeable.

Sugar, white

1 cup white granulated sugar

Use this substitute:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

A dry-sugar fallback; expect changes in color, moisture and flavor. Liquid sweeteners require the adjustments in their separate entry.

Sugar replaced with maple syrup

1 cup granulated sugar in a compatible recipe

Use this substitute:

¾ cup maple syrup; reduce another recipe liquid by 3 tablespoons

Not for dry coatings or recipes with no adjustable liquid. Browning and texture change.

Sugar replaced with honey

1 cup granulated sugar as part of a compatible baked recipe

Use this substitute:

1 cup honey; reduce other liquid by ¼ cup, add ½ teaspoon baking soda and lower oven temperature by 25°F

A reformulation, not a universal swap. Replace no more than half the sugar in cakes, cookies or brownies; for gingersnaps, no more than one-third. If there is no liquid to reduce, use a recipe written for honey.

Sugar replaced with corn syrup

1 cup of the granulated sugar in a compatible recipe

Use this substitute:

2 cups corn syrup; reduce other liquid by ¼ cup

Replace no more than half the recipe sugar. The volume changes substantially; not a swap for candy formulas or recipes without adjustable liquid.

Sugar replaced with molasses

1 cup of the granulated sugar in a compatible recipe

Use this substitute:

1 cup molasses + ½ teaspoon baking soda; reduce other liquid by ¼ cup

Replace no more than half the sugar and reassess existing baking powder. Strong flavor and acidity make this unsuitable as an automatic conversion.

Sugar, small amounts

1 teaspoon granulated sugar for sweetening

Use ONE of these options:

½–¾ teaspoon honey
½–¾ teaspoon molasses

For sweetening to taste, not a precision baking conversion.

Sugar substitutes

The amount of sugar required by your recipe

Use this substitute:

Use the exact sugar-equivalent quantity printed on the current sweetener package

Brand formulas, packet sizes and heat stability vary. Legacy Sugar Twin, Sprinkle Sweet, Equal and Sweet 10 measurements are not treated as current universal conversions.

Tapioca, granular

1 tablespoon granular tapioca

Use this substitute:

2 tablespoons pearl tapioca

Pearl size changes hydration and cooking time; follow its package. Not tapioca flour or starch.

Tapioca, quick-cooking thickener

2 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca for thickening

Use this substitute:

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Flour changes clarity and contains wheat; cook it thoroughly in the sauce.

Tomato juice

1 cup tomato juice

Use this substitute:

½ cup tomato sauce + ½ cup water

Season to taste. Do not use this to change tested canning acidity.

Tomatoes, fresh

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

Use this substitute:

One 16-ounce can chopped tomatoes

Drain or retain the juice according to the dish; canned tomatoes may contain salt.

Tomato sauce

One 15-ounce can tomato sauce

Use this substitute:

One 6-ounce can tomato paste + 1 cup water

Whisk smooth and adjust seasoning. Not a preservation recipe.

Tomatoes, canned

One 16-ounce can chopped tomatoes

Use ONE of these options:

Approximately 3 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped
One 16-ounce can stewed tomatoes

Check the measured yield and added seasonings. Fresh tomatoes may need longer cooking.

Tomato soup

One 10¾-ounce can condensed tomato soup

Use this substitute:

1 cup tomato sauce + ¼ cup water

A base for cooking, not an exact flavor match; condensed soup may contain sugar, starch and salt.

Vanilla extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Use this substitute:

A 1-inch piece vanilla bean, split and gently steeped in the recipe liquid

Remove the pod after infusing. Bean strength varies; not suitable when the recipe has no liquid to steep.

Wine

1 cup wine used in ordinary cooking

Use this substitute:

13 tablespoons water + 3 tablespoons lemon juice + 1 tablespoon sugar, mixed; measure the amount needed

The reference blend totals 17 tablespoons, not 16. It lacks wine flavor and may be too acidic for some sauces; not a fermentation or preservation formula.

Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Use this substitute:

1 teaspoon bottled steak sauce

Flavor and allergens vary. Check fish, wheat and other ingredients on the replacement label.

Yeast, active dry

1 teaspoon active dry yeast in conventional bread making

Use this substitute:

1 teaspoon instant yeast

Judge the dough by its rise, not the same clock time. Bread machines and compressed yeast need product-specific guidance; an old packet is not automatically one tablespoon.

Yogurt, plain

1 cup plain yogurt

Use ONE of these options:

1 cup sour cream
1 cup cottage cheese blended smooth
1 cup buttermilk in a recipe that can accept a thinner liquid

Not for culturing yogurt. Thickness and acidity differ; buttermilk is not a substitute for thick yogurt in every dip.

Looking while cooking? Enter an ingredient in the recipe’s “Need a substitute?” box. Measured answers appear under the box; selecting an answer opens that ingredient without leaving the recipe.