Vegan Dairy Substitutes Guide: Milk, Butter, Cheese & More
Dairy is the ingredient category people worry about most when going vegan — and it's also the one with the best substitutes. Unlike eggs, which do complex structural jobs, most dairy ingredients are primarily about fat, moisture, and flavor. That makes them surprisingly easy to replace once you know which plant-based alternative matches the job.
This guide covers every common dairy ingredient — milk, butter, heavy cream, sour cream, yogurt, cheese, buttermilk, and condensed milk — with the exact substitute, ratio, and cooking notes for each. Most are 1:1 swaps. A few need small adjustments, and I'll flag those clearly.
Milk Substitutes
Plant-based milks replace dairy milk 1:1 in almost every recipe. The main consideration is which milk matches the flavor and protein needs of your dish.
| Dairy Milk | Best Vegan Swap | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole milk | Soy milk (unsweetened) | 1:1 | Closest in protein and richness; best for baking |
| Skim milk | Almond milk (unsweetened) | 1:1 | Thin and low-fat; good for everyday cooking |
| Creamy / rich milk | Oat milk | 1:1 | Naturally creamy; great for sauces and lattes |
| Coconut flavor wanted | Coconut milk (carton) | 1:1 | Light coconut flavor; use canned for richness |
| Buttermilk | 1 cup soy milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice | 1:1 | Let sit 5 min to curdle; works in biscuits, pancakes |
For a deeper comparison of all plant milks in cooking, see our best vegan milk alternatives for cooking guide.
Butter Substitutes
Butter is one of the easiest dairy ingredients to replace. Vegan butter sticks are formulated to match the fat content (about 80%) and water content of dairy butter, so they work 1:1 in baking, sautéing, and frosting.
Vegan butter
Use stick-form vegan butter (like Miyoko's, Earth Balance sticks, or Country Crock Plant Butter) at a 1:1 ratio. Avoid tub-style spreads — they have higher water content and will make baked goods spread and cookies go flat. Sticks are what you want.
Coconut oil
Refined coconut oil works 1:1 in baking and has no coconut flavor. Use it cold for pie crusts and pastries. Unrefined (virgin) coconut oil adds a coconut flavor — fine for tropical or chocolate recipes, not ideal for savory dishes.
Olive oil and avocado oil
For sautéing and savory cooking, olive oil and avocado oil are usually better than butter — they have higher smoke points and better flavor for most savory dishes. Use 3/4 cup oil per 1 cup butter in baking (oil is 100% fat; butter is about 80% fat).
When butter matters most
In recipes where butter flavor is central — shortbread, croissants, buttercream frosting — use a high-quality vegan butter stick. The newer cultured vegan butters (Miyoko's, Forager) have a tang that closely mimics European-style dairy butter. In recipes where butter is just a cooking fat, oil is fine and often better.
Heavy Cream Substitutes
Heavy cream is just milk with a much higher fat content (36%+). To replace it, you need something equally rich.
Coconut cream
Use full-fat coconut cream (the thick part at the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk, or canned coconut cream) at 1:1. It whips, it thickens sauces, and it works in desserts. The downside is a coconut flavor, which is great in curries and tropical desserts but can clash in Italian or French dishes.
Homemade cashew cream (neutral and versatile)
This is the best all-purpose vegan heavy cream because it's rich, neutral, and easy to make:
- Soak 1 cup raw cashews in water for 4–6 hours (or pour boiling water over them and soak 30 minutes for a quick version).
- Drain and rinse.
- Blend with 1/2 cup fresh water until completely smooth and creamy — 1–2 minutes in a high-speed blender.
- Use 1:1 for heavy cream in sauces, soups, pasta, and desserts.
For a lighter cream, add more water. For a thicker cream, use less. This keeps in the fridge for 4–5 days and freezes well.
Evaporated milk and condensed milk
For evaporated milk: simmer cashew cream or full-fat coconut milk on the stove until reduced by half. For sweetened condensed milk: simmer full-fat coconut milk with 1/2 cup sugar until reduced by half and thickened — about 30–40 minutes. Both work in fudge, pies, and Vietnamese coffee.
Cheese Substitutes
Cheese is the hardest dairy product to replace because its flavor and melt come from complex milk protein chemistry. But there are good options for every use case.
For flavor (Parmesan, sharp cheddar tang)
Nutritional yeast is the foundation of vegan cheesy flavor. It has a savory, nutty, slightly tangy profile that mimics Parmesan. Use 2–3 tablespoons in place of 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. For a sprinkable Parmesan substitute, blend 1/2 cup raw cashews, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder into a fine powder.
For melting (pizza, grilled cheese, quesadillas)
Store-bought vegan cheese shreds vary a lot in melt quality. Look for shreds made with coconut oil and tapioca starch — they melt best. Mozzarella-style shreds work on pizza; cheddar-style works for quesadillas. Always cover the dish for the first few minutes of melting to trap steam, which helps vegan cheese melt evenly.
Homemade melty cheese sauce
Blend until smooth: 1 cup soaked cashews, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon tapioca starch, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, and salt to taste. Heat in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens into a smooth cheese sauce — about 3–4 minutes. This is excellent for mac and cheese, nachos, and enchiladas.
For cream cheese
Store-bought vegan cream cheese (Kite Hill, Violife, Miyoko's) works 1:1 in cheesecakes, frostings, and bagels. For homemade: blend 1 cup soaked cashews, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons water until thick and smooth.
Yogurt and Sour Cream Substitutes
Yogurt
Use coconut yogurt, soy yogurt, or oat yogurt 1:1. For baking, soy yogurt is closest to dairy yogurt in protein and tang. For eating, coconut yogurt is the creamiest. To make a tangy yogurt substitute at home, blend silken tofu with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar per cup.
Sour cream
Blend 1 cup soaked cashews, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until completely smooth. This is a remarkably convincing sour cream — tangy, rich, and dollop-able. It works on tacos, baked potatoes, in stroganoff, and in baking recipes that call for sour cream.
Store-bought options (Kite Hill, Tofutti, Forager) also work 1:1.
Buttermilk Substitute
Buttermilk is milk that's been acidified, and it's easy to make vegan: combine 1 cup soy milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes until it slightly thickens and curdles. Use 1:1 in pancakes, biscuits, scones, and fried chicken batter (for vegan chicken). Soy milk works best because its protein content curdles most reliably; almond milk sometimes doesn't thicken enough.
A Quick Dairy Substitution Chart
| Dairy Ingredient | Vegan Substitute | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | Soy / oat / almond milk (unsweetened) | 1:1 |
| Butter | Vegan butter sticks or refined coconut oil | 1:1 |
| Heavy cream | Coconut cream or cashew cream | 1:1 |
| Sour cream | Cashew sour cream or vegan sour cream | 1:1 |
| Yogurt | Soy / coconut / oat yogurt | 1:1 |
| Cheese (flavor) | Nutritional yeast | 2–3 tbsp per 1/2 cup |
| Cheese (melt) | Vegan cheese shreds | 1:1 |
| Cream cheese | Vegan cream cheese or cashew cream cheese | 1:1 |
| Buttermilk | 1 cup soy milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice | 1:1 |
| Sweetened condensed milk | Coconut milk + sugar, reduced by half | 1:1 |
| Evaporated milk | Cashew cream or coconut milk, reduced by half | 1:1 |
Cooking Tips for Dairy-Free Sauces
- Cashew cream can split under high heat. Keep sauces at a gentle simmer, not a boil. If a sauce breaks, whisk in a teaspoon of cold water or cornstarch slurry to re-emulsify.
- Coconut milk separates when cold. The fat solidifies above 76°F / 24°C. Warm it gently before using in cold sauces, or blend it smooth.
- Nutritional yeast is potent. A little goes a long way. Start with 2 tablespoons, taste, and add more. Too much becomes bitter and overpowering.
- Vegan cheese needs moisture to melt. Cover pizza or casseroles with foil for the first 5–8 minutes of baking to trap steam. Uncover for the last few minutes to brown.
- Add acid at the end. A squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar brightens dairy-free sauces that can otherwise taste flat compared to their cultured dairy counterparts.
Hidden Dairy Ingredients to Watch For
If you're converting packaged or restaurant recipes, watch for these dairy-derived ingredients that aren't obviously milk:
- Whey — milk protein; in breads, protein bars, processed foods
- Casein — milk protein; in some non-dairy creamers (ironically)
- Lactose — milk sugar; in some baked goods and medications
- Ghee — clarified butter; common in Indian cooking
- Lactalbumin, lactoglobulin — milk proteins in processed foods
- Recaldent — milk protein in some toothpaste and gum
The Shortcut
You don't have to look up every substitute manually. The Vegan Recipe Converter scans any recipe photo, detects every dairy ingredient — including hidden ones like whey and casein — and rewrites the recipe with the correct plant-based substitute and ratio. It's free for 2 recipes per month.
For the broader framework of converting entire recipes, see our complete vegan conversion guide.