Vegan Substitutes to try out if you are thinking of going vegan

For home chefs and bakers who are vegan, sometimes finding the recipe that you are able to use can be a challenge. Also, if you are new to plant-based cooking, you may be looking for a guide to vegan substitutions to swap into your favourite non-vegan recipes. Thankfully, there are plenty of products vegans can use in cooking. Here we are with some accessible substitutes that might even make your dishes a little bit healthier in the process.

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Egg Substitutions

For vegan chefs, replacing eggs is the biggest challenge of all.  Egg substitutions don't get much simpler than applesauce. About 3-4 tablespoons of applesauce will replace one egg in your baked goods. Also, bananas are a staple ingredient for egg substitution. The ratio is one banana to one egg. The fibrous nature of bananas makes them great binding agents for baked goods.

Tofu is probably the closest thing you will find to an all-encompassing egg replacer. Chickpea brine, also known as aquafaba, might sound like an odd way to replace an egg, but the composition of aquafaba makes a very convincing replacement both in terms of flavour and texture. Apart from this, commercial egg replacers have been available for decades. It usually comes in the form of powder and turns sticky and thick when mixed with water.

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Meat Substitutions

Tofu is a classic meat substitute. It's spongy texture and ability to absorb flavours make it great for replacing almost any meat imaginable with the right seasoning. Another staple of any vegan produce for meat substitute is mushrooms. They have a naturally savoury and meat-like flavour, so it doesn't take a lot of work to transform them into a meat substitute. Jackfruit is the best option in the vegetarian world as it can transform when cooked. The pieces of fruit are stringy on the inside and their flavour becomes neutral when cooked.

Cheese Substitutions

It’s so easy to find all kinds of vegan cheeses these days. In place of a cottage or ricotta cheese, you can use crumbled tofu, soaked raw nuts, or a combo. Apart from this, nutritional yeast can be used as a cheese substitute. Sold in a powdered, flaky form, nutritional yeast is entirely plant-based, and it has a uniquely cheesy flavour. Cashew cheese is also a great option for this. When soaked in water, cashews become very soft and flexible. A little nutritional yeast, some herbs, and spices can be added to blended cashews and it will create a cheesy spread.

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