Dairy
Vegan alternative to butter: the best substitutes
Everything you need to replace butter with a plant-based substitute — which one to use, the exact ratio, and the mistakes that ruin the result.
Short answer
Key takeaways
- Best all-round swap: Vegan block butter (Naturli, Flora Plant, Miyoko's) (baking, laminated pastry, spreading).
- Ratio: 1:1 by weight for blocks; use 80% of the weight when swapping in liquid oil.
- Pro tip: For flaky pastry, choose a block with 75%+ fat and keep it fridge-cold — soft tub spreads leak water and make dough soggy.
- 4 tested vegan alternatives to butter in total.
Why butter isn't vegan
Churned from cow's cream, so it is a dairy product.
Best vegan substitutes
| Substitute | Best for |
|---|---|
| Vegan block butter (Naturli, Flora Plant, Miyoko's) | Baking, laminated pastry, spreading |
| Refined coconut oil | Frying and cookies — no coconut taste |
| Olive oil | Sautéing, focaccia, savoury bakes |
| Cashew butter thinned with plant milk | Sauces and mash |
How to substitute butter, step by step
- 1
Pick the right substitute for the job
For most recipes use Vegan block butter (Naturli, Flora Plant, Miyoko's) — baking, laminated pastry, spreading. If you need a different texture, Refined coconut oil works for frying and cookies — no coconut taste.
- 2
Measure using the correct ratio
1:1 by weight for blocks; use 80% of the weight when swapping in liquid oil. Weigh rather than eyeball it — small errors show up much faster when replacing butter.
- 3
Adjust the method
For flaky pastry, choose a block with 75%+ fat and keep it fridge-cold — soft tub spreads leak water and make dough soggy.
- 4
Taste and correct
Plant swaps are usually a little less salty and less rich than butter. Season at the end and add acid (lemon, vinegar) or umami (miso, nutritional yeast) if the dish tastes flat.
Mistakes to avoid
- Swapping by volume when the recipe measures butter by weight — check the ratio above first.
- Using a sweetened or flavoured version in a savoury recipe.
- Ignoring the method change: For flaky pastry, choose a block with 75%+ fat and keep it fridge-cold — soft tub spreads leak water and make dough soggy.
- Assuming every packaged product labelled "plant-based" is vegan — some still contain milk powder, honey or egg. Scan the barcode to be sure.
Conversion ratio
1:1 by weight for blocks; use 80% of the weight when swapping in liquid oil.
Pro tip
For flaky pastry, choose a block with 75%+ fat and keep it fridge-cold — soft tub spreads leak water and make dough soggy.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best vegan alternative to butter?
- Vegan block butter (Naturli, Flora Plant, Miyoko's) is the closest all-round swap — baking, laminated pastry, spreading. 1:1 by weight for blocks; use 80% of the weight when swapping in liquid oil.
- Why isn't butter vegan?
- Churned from cow's cream, so it is a dairy product.
- How much do I use instead of butter?
- 1:1 by weight for blocks; use 80% of the weight when swapping in liquid oil.
- Any tips for getting it right?
- For flaky pastry, choose a block with 75%+ fat and keep it fridge-cold — soft tub spreads leak water and make dough soggy.
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