Dairy
Vegan alternative to buttermilk: the best substitutes
Everything you need to replace buttermilk 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: Soy milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice per cup (pancakes, biscuits, soda bread).
- Ratio: 1:1 after resting the acidulated milk 5 minutes.
- Pro tip: Soy curdles most reliably; oat and almond stay thin and give a flatter crumb.
- 2 tested vegan alternatives to buttermilk in total.
Why buttermilk isn't vegan
A dairy by-product of churning butter.
Best vegan substitutes
| Substitute | Best for |
|---|---|
| Soy milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice per cup | Pancakes, biscuits, soda bread |
| Plant yogurt thinned with water | Marinades and fried coatings |
How to substitute buttermilk, step by step
- 1
Pick the right substitute for the job
For most recipes use Soy milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice per cup — pancakes, biscuits, soda bread. If you need a different texture, Plant yogurt thinned with water works for marinades and fried coatings.
- 2
Measure using the correct ratio
1:1 after resting the acidulated milk 5 minutes. Weigh rather than eyeball it — small errors show up much faster when replacing buttermilk.
- 3
Adjust the method
Soy curdles most reliably; oat and almond stay thin and give a flatter crumb.
- 4
Taste and correct
Plant swaps are usually a little less salty and less rich than buttermilk. 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 buttermilk by weight — check the ratio above first.
- Using a sweetened or flavoured version in a savoury recipe.
- Ignoring the method change: Soy curdles most reliably; oat and almond stay thin and give a flatter crumb.
- 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 after resting the acidulated milk 5 minutes.
Pro tip
Soy curdles most reliably; oat and almond stay thin and give a flatter crumb.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best vegan alternative to buttermilk?
- Soy milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice per cup is the closest all-round swap — pancakes, biscuits, soda bread. 1:1 after resting the acidulated milk 5 minutes.
- Why isn't buttermilk vegan?
- A dairy by-product of churning butter.
- How much do I use instead of buttermilk?
- 1:1 after resting the acidulated milk 5 minutes.
- Any tips for getting it right?
- Soy curdles most reliably; oat and almond stay thin and give a flatter crumb.
Not sure if a product contains buttermilk?
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