Save in the kitchen: Ingredient substitutions

Swap out pricey ingredients with cheaper substitutes—you'll save money and no one will be the wiser.

Text size:AAA

Click to Enlarge

Keep your grocery bill down with smart substitutions. Find the ingredient you need on this list, then switch it out for the cheaper (but just as tasty) alternative.

• Red Wine: Pure cranberry juice
• White wine: White grape juice or apple juice
• Mascarpone: Cream cheese mixed with a bit of heavy cream
• Buttermilk (1 cup): 1 cup milk plus 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or white vinegar (let stand for 10 minutes)
• Crème fraîche (1 cup): ½ cup sour cream mixed with ½ cup heavy cream
• Edamame: Green peas or black-eyed peas
• Maple syrup: Brown sugar with a little water
• Molasses: Honey
• Cake flour (1 cup): 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• Macadamia nuts: Walnuts, almonds or cashews
• Fresh herbs (1 Tbsp.): 1 tsp. dried herbs
• Allspice (1 Tbsp.): 1 tsp. cinnamon plus 1 tsp. nutmeg plus 1 tsp. ground cloves
• Unsweetened chocolate (1 oz.): 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder plus 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• Vanilla bean (1 inch long): 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Chives: Scallion greens
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• Find 33 more ingredient swaps and substitutions