Buttermilk has been a popular and essential ingredient for centuries, but sadly isn’t quite as popular as it used to be. In an age of increasing environmental, health and ethical concerns, the vegans and lactose intolerant people among us will also struggle to find dairy-free alternatives. But not to fret. Whatever has led you on your quest for buttermilk substitution success, this list will provide you 8 wonderful substitutes that are sure to complete your recipes just as well as the real thing.
What is buttermilk?
Traditional buttermilk is made from the thin liquid that’s left over after the butter churning process. However, the modern type, which you’ll be more familiar with, is typically made from a combination of milk and bacteria cultures, which thicken the mixture and adds a nice tangy flavor. Is the traditional variety better than the modern kind? Well, it really depends on your preference. Modern buttermilk is generally less buttery, tangier and thicker than its traditional counterpart.
Traditional buttermilk is still widely available in Eastern countries such as India and Nepal, but the modern version has been (literally) eaten up by the West. This article will be focused on the modern type of buttermilk.How healthy (or unhealthy) is it?
You’ll be happy to hear that as dairy products go, this one really isn’t too bad for you. In fact, despite the “butter” in its name, the nutritional makeup of buttermilk is almost identical to that of milk. With around 40 calories, 1g of fat, 3.3g of protein and 116mg of calcium per 100g, buttermilk contains several beneficial vitamins and minerals while remaining low in the fat and calorie department. However, as with most ingredients, you can always find a substitute even lower in fat and calories if that’s what you’re after. See below for a full nutritional breakdown of buttermilk.
Nutritional Breakdown
Buttermilk | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 40 kcal | 2 % |
Total fat | 0.9 g | 1 % |
Saturated fat | 0.5 g | 2 % |
Carbohydrates | 4.8 g | 1 % |
Cholesterol | 4 mg | 1 % |
Salt | 105 mg | 4 % |
Protein | 3.3 g | 6 % |
Calcium | 116 mg | 11 % |
Vitamin B-12 | 0.22 µg | 10 % |
Potassium | 151 mg | 4 % |
(Based on nutritional information from USDA.)
What recipes are buttermilk used in?
Buttermilk’s popularity has slowly declined over the decades. However, it remains an essential component of several recipes, such as buttermilk bread, buttermilk scones, buttermilk pancakes, buttermilk pound cake, buttermilk biscuits, buttermilk soups, and many more. As you can tell from this list, buttermilk is a highly versatile ingredient and its potential uses are limitless.
Why do we need buttermilk substitutes?
But if buttermilk is so versatile and healthy, then why would we want to substitute it in the first place? Well, the vegans and plant-based pioneers among us will already know one answer. Both the traditional and modern versions of buttermilk are typically made from dairy milk, making it a no-go for those cutting dairy out of their diets. Buttermilk can also be a pain to go out and buy every time you plan on adding it to your recipes, as it’s no longer such a household ingredient as it used to be.
But whether you’re cutting back on the dairy or looking for something a little more convenient, this list will give you more than enough ideas to work with. So without further ado, let’s dive right into it.
Note:
🌱 = vegan
🥛 = dairy options only
🥛 / 🌱 = dairy and vegan options1. Easy vegan/dairy-free alternatives (make your own) 🌱
Best for: baked goods, dressings and soups
Overview
Let’s start things off with a simple option for the vegans among us. Homemade non-dairy buttermilk alternatives are great if you want something that tastes just like the real thing in your baking, dressing or soup recipes. We recommend using soymilk (plus either vinegar, cream of tartar or lemon juice as described in the following three substitutes) for best results.
Advantages
As we previously said, two of the best things about this substitute is that it is both almost identical to dairy-based buttermilk and tastes great because it’s homemade. But another great thing about it is that it’s so easy and there are so many ways to do it. The following three substitutes in this list (milk and vinegar, milk and cream of tartar, and milk and lemon juice) can all be made with non-dairy milk just as easily as they can be made with dairy-based milk. As such, we won’t go into the flavor or consistency specifics on this one: the results will be almost identical with dairy-free milk, so you can read more about them individually in the coming sections.
Disadvantages
However, another big reason you’ll be better off making your own dairy-free buttermilk is that you don’t really have the option of getting the real stuff. Unfortunately, vegan buttermilk has not yet hit the stores. You may come across the odd variety if you’re lucky, but we couldn’t find any ourselves, so you’d be better off putting your chef’s hat on and getting stuck in rather than scouring the aisles to no avail.
Nutritional breakdown
See the three substitutes below for the approximate nutritional information of homemade dairy-free buttermilk. There are some variations between cow’s milk and dairy-free milk you can check out, but the nutritional value will be more or less the same.2. Milk and lemon juice 🥛 / 🌱
Best for: baked goods, dressings and soup
Overview
As we said in our intro, buttermilk is defined by its milky texture and tangy taste. And what two ingredients can most simply be described as milky and tangy? Milk and lemon juice. Simply add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to 1 cup of milk for a convincing substitute that’s equally as healthy as real buttermilk.
Advantages
One thing this substitute definitely has going for it is its convenience and simplicity. In fact, we’d argue it’s even easier to make than going out to the store to buy the real thing. Most of us will have milk in our fridge and a few lemons lying around somewhere, and all you need to do then is add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to 1 cup of milk (or 1 tbsp to 100g milk), stir it together and let it sit at room temperature until the milk starts to curdle. It really is that easy.
Most of the nutritional content of this substitute will be almost identical to that of buttermilk, as both are milk-based. However, the lemon juice content also provides a delicious way to get some of your daily recommended vitamin C. 2 tbsp of lemon juice provides around 14% of your daily recommended intake. It is also slightly lower in sodium (salt) than buttermilk and higher in vitamin B-12, which is always a plus.
Looking for a dairy-free substitute? Then this one will work just as well for you. Simply swap out the dairy milk for a dairy-free alternative (we’d recommend soymilk as it is the closest to cow’s milk in composition) for an end result that’s just as convincing.
Disadvantages
The main disadvantage of this substitute is that it won’t have quite the same taste as buttermilk, especially traditional buttermilk. However, if you’re in the majority of people using the modern kind of buttermilk for baking or cooking, you really won’t notice a big difference in flavor. Also keep in mind that if you’re using dairy-free milk for this substitute, we’d advise against freezing the leftovers, as it doesn’t thaw in the same way as dairy milk.
Nutritional breakdown
Milk and lemon juice | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 40 kcal | 2 % |
Total fat | 0.9 g | 1 % |
Saturated fat | 0.5 g | 2 % |
Carbohydrates | 5.2 g | 1 % |
Cholesterol | 4 mg | 1 % |
Salt | 40 mg | 1 % |
Protein | 3.3 g | 6 % |
Calcium | 116 mg | 11 % |
Vitamin B-12 | 0.45 µg | 20 % |
Potassium | 148 mg | 4 % |
Vitamin C | 7 mg | 7 % |
(Based on USDA nutritional information for milk and lemon juice.)
3. Milk and vinegar 🥛 / 🌱
Best for: baked goods, dressings and soup
Overview
Just like the milk and lemon juice substitute, this substitute contains the two essential components of buttermilk: a milky texture and a tangy taste. We recommend using 2 tablespoons of vinegar for every 1 cup of milk.
Advantages
Like the previous substitute, a milk and vinegar mix is great because of how convenient and easy it is to make. Both vinegar and milk are common household ingredients, so you probably won’t need to worry about rushing off to the store to buy anything. And preparing the mix is just as easy. Simply pour 2 tablespoons of vinegar into 1 cup of milk, stir, and let it sit at room temperature until the milk begins to curdle.
The end result is more than convincing enough for such a simple substitute. Of course, you’d be able to tell the difference if you compared it directly against the real thing, but if you’re using it in a recipe with several ingredients it will work very nicely as a substitute.
Again, the nutritional content will be almost identical to that of buttermilk, so there’s really nothing to complain about health-wise here. As vinegar is very low in calories and contains no fat, it is slightly less calorific and fatty than buttermilk, but buttermilk is hardly unhealthy to begin with.
This substitute also works just as well for those of us going dairy free, as you can simply swap out the dairy milk for a dairy-free alternative (preferably soymilk).
Disadvantages
The only real disadvantage here is that it won’t taste quite the same as buttermilk, so you might want to consider other options if you’re planning on drinking the substitute on its own. However, as with the lemon juice substitute, you’re unlikely to notice a significant difference at all if you’re using it in a baking recipe.
Nutritional breakdown
Milk and vinegar | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 38 kcal | 2 % |
Total fat | 0.9 g | 1 % |
Saturated fat | 0.5 g | 2 % |
Carbohydrates | 4.8 g | 1 % |
Cholesterol | 4 mg | 1 % |
Salt | 40 mg | 1 % |
Protein | 3.3 g | 6 % |
Calcium | 116 mg | 11 % |
Vitamin B-12 | 0.45 µg | 20 % |
Potassium | 148 mg | 4 % |
(Based on USDA nutritional information for milk and vinegar.)
4. Milk and cream of tartar 🥛 / 🌱
Best for: baked goods, dressings and soup
Overview
Are you noticing a theme here? Just like the previous two substitutes, this one is great because it is similar to buttermilk in the two best ways: the milky texture and tangy flavor.
Advantages
Cream of tartar, also known as potassium bitartrate, is an acidic ingredient that tastes surprisingly like buttermilk when combined with milk.
Because this substitute mainly consists of milk with a very small amount (a little under 1 tsp per 100g) of cream of tartar, its nutritional content is very similar to buttermilk. This is a good thing, because like buttermilk, it is low in both calories and fat. As you may have guessed from its scientific name (potassium bitartrate), cream of tartar also contains a high concentration of potassium, which has a variety of health benefits.
Cream of tartar may be a slightly less commonly-used ingredient for many of us than lemon juice or vinegar, but it still widely available all the same.
Disadvantages
Cream of tartar can be a bit clumpy at times, so you’ll want to be careful you don’t end up with a lumpy mixture. The best way to avoid this is to add your cream of tartar to your other dry ingredients first, then add and stir in the milk. Another option is to mix the cream of tartar into a small amount of milk first before you add it into the rest of the milk.
Nutritional breakdown
Milk and cream of tartar | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 47 kcal | 2 % |
Total fat | 0.9 g | 1 % |
Saturated fat | 0.5 g | 2 % |
Carbohydrates | 4.8 g | 1 % |
Cholesterol | 4.8 mg | 1 % |
Salt | 40 mg | 1 % |
Protein | 3.3 g | 6 % |
Calcium | 116 mg | 11 % |
Vitamin B-12 | 0.45 µg | 20 % |
Potassium | 450 mg | 13 % |
(Based on USDA nutritional information for milk and cream of tartar.)
5. Buttermilk powder 🥛
Best for: baked goods
Overview
If you love baking but hate having to go off to the store every time you decide to make buttermilk pancakes, biscuits or bread, this is the one for you. Buttermilk powder tastes almost exactly like the real thing and is far more convenient. We recommend using 2 tbsp of buttermilk powder for every 1 cup water, but it can vary depending on the variety.
Advantages
This substitute is a perfect option if you’re looking for an easy alternative to buttermilk to use in baking recipes. For most varieties, you simply need to add 4 tablespoons of the powder to your dry ingredients for every 1 cup of buttermilk called for by your recipe. Once the recipe calls for buttermilk to be added, add 1 cup of water, and you’re done!
Many people prefer this option over liquid buttermilk simply because it keeps for so much longer in powdered form and allows you to make so much buttermilk from a single can. This is a great one if you’re planning on using more recipes that include buttermilk weeks or months down the line but don’t want to keep going out to buy more liquid buttermilk.
And yet another great thing about this option? It tastes just like real buttermilk! Okay, it won’t taste quite as fresh as the liquid stuff, but since you’ll primarily be using it in baked goods, the difference is inconsequential for the majority of us.
The nutritional makeup of buttermilk powder is once again almost identical to buttermilk (once combined with water), so no health-related catches here. In fact, while liquid buttermilk typically contains small amounts of saturated fat, buttermilk powder often contains none at all.
Disadvantages
While this substitute works great in baked goods, it isn’t so great in dressings or soup. You can give it a try in your soups and dressings and see how you like it, but that’s not typically what it’s made for. However, this is no disadvantage if you were planning on using it for baked goods anyway.
Buttermilk powder does not currently exist in dairy-free varieties (or we couldn’t find any, at least). As such, this unfortunately isn’t an option if you’re cutting the dairy out of your diet.
Nutritional breakdown
Buttermilk powder | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 40 kcal | 2 % |
Total fat | Less than 1 g | 1 % |
Saturated fat | - | 0 % |
Carbohydrates | 6.5 g | 1 % |
Cholesterol | 2 mg | 1 % |
Salt | 133 mg | 4 % |
Protein | 2.5 g | 3 % |
Calcium | 116 mg | 11 % |
6. Sour cream and milk 🥛 / 🌱
Best for: baked goods, dressings and soups
Overview
Looking for a buttermilk alternative with a little more substance to it? This substitute may be higher in fat and calories, but you may just find that rich, delicious flavor worth the while. We recommend combining 1 cup of sour cream with about 2 tbsp of milk for best results. Sour cream is on the thicker side, so you’ll want to loosen it up a bit.
Advantages
While we might not be so excited about the extra fat in this alternative, you can’t deny that the rich, thick flavor that comes with it is a nice addition. Plus it has that tangy touch just like sour cream does, which essentially makes it taste like a richer version of buttermilk.
Despite its relatively high fat and cholesterol content, it does have other health benefits which many people think are worth the extra fattiness, such as improved eye and bone health.
It can certainly be tough to find dairy-free alternatives for sour cream, but they are out there, making this substitute a viable alternative for vegans if you can find some close by.
Disadvantages
Unlike most of the other substitutes on this list, this one’s got a bit of fat to it. With around 180 calories and 16g of fat (including 10g saturated fat) per 100g, it’s not exactly the unhealthiest thing in the world, but it’s not exactly healthy either. It also contains quite a bit of cholesterol (around 45mg). However, you can always swap out the full-fat stuff for healthier, low-fat versions if you’re cutting back the calories.
Nutritional breakdown
Sour cream and milk | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 180 kcal | 9 % |
Total fat | 16 g | 23 % |
Saturated fat | 10 g | 50 % |
Carbohydrates | 3.2 g | 1 % |
Cholesterol | 45 mg | 15 % |
Salt | 40 mg | 1 % |
Protein | 2.3 g | 4 % |
Calcium | 116 mg | 11 % |
Vitamin B-12 | 0.23 µg | 10 % |
Potassium | 130 mg | 4 % |
7. Kefir 🥛 / 🌱
Best for: baked goods, dressings, soups or beverages
Overview
Kefir has seen a recent surge in popularity due to its many health benefits and tart, tangy flavor. Luckily for us, that tart, tangy flavor is very similar to the tangy flavor of buttermilk, making it a convincing and healthy substitute. To use in your recipe, simply add 1 cup of plain kefir for every 1 cup of buttermilk called for.
Advantages
Both modern buttermilk and kefir are comparable to a thin yogurt in taste and texture, making kefir a convincing substitute for buttermilk in both respects. Just make sure you pick up plain, unflavored kefir, as it comes in a wide variety of flavors that you don’t necessarily want in your recipes.
Since kefir is a popular drink in its own right, it is also perfect for using in beverages or just drinking straight. This is also how you’ll get the most out of its amazing health benefits.
What amazing health benefits? Well, although kefir is slightly higher in calories and saturated fat than buttermilk, it makes up for it by helping to improve your gut health, reduce bloating, lower your cholesterol levels and support the immune system.
This substitute can also be a great option for vegans and lactose-intolerant people. The friendly bacteria in kefir feed off lactose, making it relatively easy to digest even if you have an intolerance. And if you’re vegan or prefer something without any lactose, you’re in luck! Kefir is being sold in a variety of forms, including non-dairy varieties that mainly use coconut milk.
Disadvantages
So, about those health benefits… Unfortunately, if you’re planning to use this substitute in your baking or other cooking recipes, you’ll probably be missing out on its probiotic health benefits. Heating kefir kills off its gut-friendly bacteria, meaning it can’t grow and thrive in your gut to aid with digestion. However, you might as well try a cup of raw kefir if you’re going to be using it anyway. The taste can be rather divisive, but it’s super healthy and definitely worth a try!
Kefir also has more saturated fat than buttermilk, at 1.7g (8% of your recommended daily intake) per 100g. However, we think its health benefits outweigh its drawbacks.
Nutritional breakdown
Plain kefir | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 55 kcal | 3 % |
Total fat | 2.9 g | 4 % |
Saturated fat | 1.7 g | 8 % |
Carbohydrates | 4.2 g | 1 % |
Cholesterol | 9 mg | 3 % |
Salt | 41 mg | 2 % |
Protein | 3 g | 4 % |
Calcium | 103 mg | 10 % |
8. Yogurt and water 🥛 / 🌱
Best for: baked goods, dressings, soups
Overview
As we previously said, modern buttermilk is comparable to thin yogurt in taste and texture, so you can see why this would make a great substitute. Yogurt has a plethora of health benefits and the addition of water thins it down to a buttermilk-like consistency. The exact amounts to use vary depending on the variety, but we recommend using about 3/4 cup of plain yogurt and 1/4 cup of water to make this substitute.
Advantages
Yogurt contains high amounts of lactic acid and has that same tangy flavor as buttermilk, making it a close flavor match to the real thing. You can also achieve a perfect buttermilk-like consistency by adding in water until the mixture is just thin enough.
Being a close cousin of kefir, yogurt has many great health benefits, such as improved digestions, gut health, weight loss and more. If you get yogurt with live cultures of bacteria, your gut will love you for it (but remember that heating will likely result in killing many beneficial bacteria). If you really want to go all in on the health benefits, nonfat Greek yogurt is a great option here. It contains next to no fat (or saturated fat) and an impressive 10g of protein per 100g, as well as 11% of your daily recommended calcium. Remember that Greek yogurt is thicker than other varieties, though, so you may need to add a bit more water to get it to the right consistency.
Like many other substitutes on this list, yogurt is also a popular ingredient worldwide and can easily be picked up at your local grocery store. If you already have a tub of yogurt sitting around in your fridge, even better!
Because yogurt is such a popular food, you can usually find a decent number of dairy-free varieties to use, making it a viable option if you’re vegan or lactose intolerant. Just make sure you go for plain, unflavored yogurt.
Disadvantages
Just like kefir, heating yogurt that contains live cultures of bacteria will often kill many of them off, so you won’t get all the gut-related health benefits raw yogurt has to offer. However, this isn’t so much of a disadvantage as an unfortunate element of cooking any ingredient with live bacteria. Even without the gut-friendly bacteria, yogurt (especially nonfat Greek yogurt) contains low amounts of fat and high amounts of protein and calcium.
Nutritional breakdown
Yogurt and water | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 45 kcal | 3 % |
Total fat | 0.3 g | 0 % |
Saturated fat | 0.1 g | 0 % |
Carbohydrates | 2.3 g | 1 % |
Cholesterol | 4 mg | 1 % |
Salt | 27 mg | 1 % |
Protein | 7 g | 14 % |
Calcium | 80 mg | 8 % |
The Bottom Line
Of course, no substitute can ever completely live up to the real thing, but the substitutes on this list certainly come close. Whether you’re vegan, lactose intolerant or simply rooting around your cupboards for something to use, we have something for you.
Top vegan picks
You may have noticed that all but one of our substitutes have vegan options available, which is great news if you came here for vegan substitutes. But as for our top vegan picks, we’d recommend dairy-free kefir if you’re looking for a great ready-to-use option, or dairy-free milk and lemon juice/vinegar if you want a super convenient, easy-to-make option.
Top healthy picks
None of the options on our list (except sour cream in some respects) can be called unhealthy, so you really don’t have much to worry about health-wise here. However, if you’re really looking to maximize your health benefits, we think a mixture of nonfat Greek yogurt and water and kefir are both great options. Nonfat Greek yogurt is especially good if you’re looking for a great source of tasty protein and kefir is perfect if you’re looking to make a tantalizingly tangy yet healthy beverage that your gut will love you for.
Top convenient picks
How convenient each substitute will be for you depends on your dietary requirements as well as what you already have in the fridge or pantry. However, our personal favorites for convenience are milk and lemon juice/vinegar and buttermilk powder. Lemon juice, vinegar and milk are highly common ingredients that you’re likely to have in stock already, meaning no trapesing off to the store. While you may have to take a trip to the store (or get it online) to buy a batch of buttermilk powder, once you have it in your cupboard you can use it countless times without worrying about it going off.
Top convincing picks
Now, there’s nothing quite like the real thing, but it can be pretty darn challenging to taste the difference if you’re using any of these substitutes in a recipe full of other ingredients. Each of them also has that tangy, acidic element that recreates the fluffiness buttermilk creates in baking recipes. However, we’d say buttermilk powder is a great option if you’re looking for something just as tangy and effective as the real thing but with less of the hassle. As it’s formulated especially to recreate the real thing, it comes as close as you can get in terms of both flavor and texture.
