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SUBSTITUTIONS

Many of us believe that recipes are rigid and need to followed strictly or you court disaster. But if you know how and when you can substitute ingredients to allow for specific tastes or availability. Below is a list of substitutions. Remember, when you substitute ingredients you do not always end up with the same dish. Sometimes it is better, sometimes it is not. 
Allspice 
1 teaspoon equals 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves. 
Arrowroot 
2 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon cornstarch 
Baking Powder 
1 teaspoon equals 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 3/8 teaspoon cream of tartar 
Bread Crumbs 
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs equals 1 slice bread 
Butter 
1 cup equals 7/8 cup oil or 14 tablespoons solid shortening plus 1/2 tablespoon salt. In baking, substitute oil only if recipe specifies melting butter. 
Buttermilk 
1 cup equals 1 cup yogurt 
Catsup 
1/2 cup equals 1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves. 
Chocolate 
1 ounce unsweetened equals 3 tablespoons carob powder plus 2 tablespoons water 
Chocolate 
1 ounce unsweetened plus 4 teaspoons sugar equals 1 2/3 ounces semisweet chocolate 
Coffee 
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee equals 1 teaspoon instant coffee in 1/2 cup water 
Cracker Crumbs 
3/4 cup equals 1 cup bread crumbs 
Cream 
1 cup whipping cream equals 2/3 cup well chilled evaporated milk, whipped, or 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder whipped with 1 cup ice water 
Egg Yolks 
for thickening 2 yolks equal 1 whole egg 
Flour 
1 tablespoon equals 1 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca or 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, potato starch or arrowroot 
Cake Flour 
1 cup equals 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons of sifted all purpose flour 
All-Purpose Flour 
1 cup equals 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour 
Self Rising Flour 
1 cup equals 1 cup All-Purpose plus 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder plus 1/8 teaspoons salt 
Whole Wheat Flour 
3/4 cup whole wheat flour equals 1 cup white flour. When replacing whole wheat with white in baking, reduce shortening by using 2 tablespoons for every 2 called for. Add a tablespoon or two of liquid for cakes, more for breads 
Garlic 
1 clove equals 1/2 teaspoon powdered, or 1 teaspoon garlic salt (reduce added salt by 1/2 teaspoon) 
Gelatin 
1/4 ounce envelope equals a little less than 1 tablespoon 
Ginger 
1 tablespoon fresh equals 1 teaspoon powdered or 1 tablespoon candied with sugar washed off 
Herbs 
1 tablespoon fresh equals about 1 teaspoon dried 
Hot Pepper Sauce 
Few drops equal dash of cayenne or re pepper 
Lemon Juice 
1 teaspoon equals 1/2 teaspoon vinegar 
Milk 
1 cup skim equals 1/3 cup instant nonfat dry mild plus approximately 3/4 cup water 
Milk 
1 cup whole milk equals 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water 
Milk 
1 cup whole milk equals 1 cup reconstituted nonfat dry milk plus 2 1/2 teaspoons butter or margarine 
Milk 
In baking 1 cup whole milk equals 1 cup fruit juice 
Mushrooms 
6 ounces canned, drained mushrooms equal 1/2 pound fresh 
Mustard 
1 tablespoon prepared equals 1 teaspoon dried 
Onion 
1 small fresh chopped onion equals 1 tablespoon instant minced onion or 1/4 cup frozen chopped onion 
Raisins 
1/2 cup equals 1/2 cup cut, plumped, pitted prunes or dates 
Sour Cream 
1 cup equals 3 tablespoons butter plus 7/8 cup buttermilk or yogurt 
Sour Cream 
for dips, 1 cup equals 1 cup cottage cheese pureed with 1/4 cup yogurt or buttermilk, or 6 ounces cream cheese plus enough milk to make 1 cup 
Sour Milk 
1 cup: place 1 tablespoon lemon juice or distilled white vinegar in the bottom of a measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 1 cup. Stir and let mixture clabber, about five minutes 
Soy Sauce 
1/4 cup equals 3 tablespoons Worcestershire plus 1 tablespoon water 
Sugar 
1 cup equals 1 3/4 cups powdered, but do not substitute when baking 
Brown Sugar 
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar equals 1 cup granulated sugar 
Corn Syrup 
2 cups corn syrup equal 1 cup granulated sugar, but you should not use corn syrup to replace more than half the amount of sugar called for in a recipe. In baking you are taking a chance in making the substitution, but if you must, for each 2 cups sugar, reduce the liquid called for by 1/4 cup 
Honey 
1 cup equals 1 1/4 cups sugar. For baking, also decrease liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup. If there is no liquid in recipe, add 1/4 cup flour. Unless sour cream or sour milk is used in recipe, add a pinch of baking soda 
Molasses 
1 cup unsulphured molasses equals 3/4 cup sugar. In baking decrease liquid by 1/4 cup for each cup of molasses, omit any baking powder and add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
Tomatoes 
1 cup canned equals 1 1/3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes simmered 
Tomato Juice 
3 cups equals 1 1/2 tomato sauce plus 1 1/2 cups water, or 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste plus 3 cans of water, dash of salt, sugar 
Tomato Paste 
1 tablespoon equals 1 tablespoon ketchup 
Tomato Puree 
1 cup equals 1/2 cup tomato paste plus 1/2 cup water 
Tomato Sauce 
1 cup equals 1 can tomato paste plus 1 1/2 cans water and seasoning 
Wine 
for marinade, 1/2 cup equals 1/4 cup vinegar plus 1 tablespoon sugar plus 1/4 cup water 
Worcestershire Sauce 
1 teaspoon equals 1 tablespoon soy sauce plus dash of pepper sauce 
Yeast 
1 cake compressed equals 1 package dried 
Yogurt 
1 cup equals 1 cup buttermilk 
 
Made by 
Nancy Wilkins 
University of Houston Clear Lake 
Spring, 1998