Find the Perfect Ingredient Substitute
Public-data reference. for PlainSubstitute.
Curated, tested substitutes for 110+ cooking ingredients, filterable by vegan/gluten-free diets and use cases across 15 categories.
501+ substitutions for 135 common ingredients. Free, accurate, and categorized for every diet.
Substitution Database Coverage
A snapshot of how broad our tested-substitute coverage is across common cooking ingredients. The gauge tracks the share of frequently-substituted ingredients that have at least one tested swap rated three stars or higher.
Tested Substitute Coverage
Substitutes by Ingredient Category
Number of available substitutions in each ingredient category. Categories with more substitutes offer greater flexibility in the kitchen.
Browse by Category
Find Substitutes by Diet
Substitution Guides
View all guides →Complete Guide to Egg Substitutes in Baking
Everything you need to know about replacing eggs in baked goods, with exact ratios and context.
Complete Guide to Sugar Substitutes
Honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, stevia — how each sweetener performs in baking and cooking.
Cooking Without Wine: Best Non-Alcoholic Substitutes
What to use when a recipe calls for red wine, white wine, or other spirits.
Substitution Guides
In-depth guides to mastering ingredient substitutions for cooking and baking.
Baking Substitution Guide
Not all substitutions work in baking. Learn which swaps preserve texture, rise, and flavor — and which ones ruin your recipe.
Understanding Substitution Ratios
Getting the ratio wrong can make or break a dish. This guide covers exact measurements for common ingredient swaps.
Emergency Kitchen Substitutions
Caught without a key ingredient? Here are reliable last-minute swaps for common cooking and baking staples.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PlainSubstitute?
PlainSubstitute is a free database of tested cooking ingredient substitutions. Whether you\'re out of an ingredient, cooking for dietary restrictions, or just experimenting, we have accurate ratios and context for hundreds of substitutions.
Are these substitutions tested?
Yes — each substitution includes accuracy quality ratings (1–5), specific usage context, and ratio guidance based on culinary standards and food science.
Can I filter by dietary preference?
Absolutely. Browse our diet pages to find vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, paleo, keto, and soy-free substitutions.
Do substitutions always work perfectly?
Results vary by recipe. Substitutions that are rated "Excellent" or "Good" work in most contexts. We always note when a substitute changes texture, flavor, or appearance.
Related Guides
Editorial context for the plainsubstitute dataset — methodology, comparisons, and deep dives into the underlying records.
Featured Technique Guides
Practical, technique-first guides to swapping ingredients without ruining the recipe — ratios, timing, dietary constraints and the chemistry behind each substitution. See all guides.
Baking Substitutions
How flour, fat, leavening and dairy swaps interact in a recipe — the chemistry, the ratios, and what fails silently if you change one without compensating elsewhere.
Guide · VeganVegan Substitutions
The structural function each animal-derived ingredient plays in cooking and the plant-based swaps that actually replicate it — from flax egg to aquafaba to coconut cream.
Guide · AllergiesAllergy-Friendly Substitutions
Substituting around the most common food allergens — gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts — with cross-contamination notes and ratio guidance for each.