7 Vegan Buttermilk Subs

So what the heck is Buttermilk? Before going vegan I am pretty sure my only knowledge of it was in pancakes and I can’t be entirely certain that they were made with actual buttermilk. Apparently buttermilk is a fermented dairy drink that was made from “the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cultured cream.” Who knew?! Well, I guess farmers.

As I got more into cooking I realized that many recipes called for buttermilk like fried chicken and lots of yummy baked goods. Look I get it, I’m low brow, we didn’t get fresh fried chicken unless it came from KFC, oohh but I do remember buttermilk biscuits. MMMMMMmmm so anyways now I’m vegan I’m not missing out on anymore goodies because I don’t know what buttermilk is and can’t drink it. Luckily for me I found this great site from Pure Wow!

7 Vegan Substitutes for Buttermilk

1. Lemon juice. Add one to two tablespoons lemon juice to a plant-based milk alternative (such as soy milk or almond milk) to measure one cup. Stir the mixture, let it stand for five to ten minutes or until thickened (aka curdled) and you’re good to go.

2. Vinegar. This method works the same as above, except you swap the lemon juice for one tablespoon vinegar—both white vinegar and apple cider vinegar will work.

3. Cream of tartar. For every cup of dairy-free milk, use one and a half teaspoons cream of tartar—but add it to the recipe’s dry ingredients to avoid clumping.

4. Vegan sour cream. You can easily achieve a dairy-free, buttermilk-like ingredient using a commercially available vegan sour cream. All you have to do is whisk some dairy-free milk or water into the product until you get the right consistency. The exact amount will depend on the thickness of the sour cream you start with, but roughly one-quarter cup of liquid with three-quarter cups of vegan sour cream should do the trick.

5. Vegan yogurt. Use the same method as above but swap vegan sour cream for plain and unsweetened vegan yogurt (like soy, almond or coconut).

6. Tofu. For every one cup of buttermilk, purée one-quarter cup of silken tofu with a pinch of salt, one tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice and half a cup water in a blender. Add water tablespoon by tablespoon (up to three total) and blend to get the proper consistency, then let the mixture sit for about ten minutes before using it.

7. Homemade nut cream. If you’re not a fan of processed plant-based dairy alternatives (and you have a little extra time), you can make a vegan buttermilk substitute that’s nut-based and preservative-free. Start by soaking raw, unsalted nuts (like cashews or macadamia nuts) in water, then drain and purée them in a blender, adding one cup water and two teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar for every cup of nuts.