Lard is a common ingredient in cooking, and if you’re vegan, it’s probably one that fills you with dread whenever you see it. It’s one that you can’t use if you avoid animal products, so you’ll have to find an alternative – but what options are out there?
Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives to lard that don’t involve animal cruelty. Many are also healthier for you and can taste just as good, although they may behave in slightly different ways. Things like margarine, vegetable shortening, olive oil, coconut oil, and even mashed bananas can work.
In this article, we’ll check out how you can drop lard from a recipe without losing the results it offers, and what the top lard alternatives are.
Why Can’t Vegans Use Lard?
Vegans can’t use lard because it is derived from pork, meaning that pigs have to be killed in order to harvest it. Pork is a controversial meat even among people who regularly consume meat, and although lard has been used for many years, a lot of people are looking to move away from it for both ethical and health reasons.
However, lard does have its advantages, because it is moist and is excellent for making things like flaky pastry. It also has a high smoke point and a unique flavor that many people enjoy. That means that if you want to replace it, you need to think carefully about which properties were important and need to be replicated.
There are plenty of alternatives to lard, but if you use the wrong product in the wrong place, you may encounter problems. Your food may taste bad or could burn or fail to stick together. It’s therefore important to think carefully about which lard substitute you use. Some options include:
- Vegan margarine
- Vegetable shortening
- Olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Mashed bananas
Note that sometimes, you’ll get the best results by using a combination of these things, rather than just one.
Option 1) Vegan Margarine
Margarine is one of the most obvious replacements for lard, as it’s the vegan alternative to butter. You should make sure your margarine is fully vegan, however, as some manufacturers do put milk products in their margarine to make it creamier.
Margarine contains a lot less cholesterol than lard, but has fewer vitamins in it. It isn’t good for baking, because it has low levels of fat – but it will work well for other kinds of cooking. Avoid using margarine in cakes and other baked goods, or you’ll end up with flavorless baking.
Option 2) Vegetable Shortening
Vegetable shortening can be several different products, although it is most commonly associated with vegetable oils. It is 100 percent fat, which means it works well as a direct swap for lard – which is also 100 percent fat.
One of the drawbacks of vegetable shortening is that it isn’t thought to be very healthy. That might be okay if you’re baking, though, because you may not be particularly concerned about the health benefits. It’s probably the most reliable swap if you need the fat to behave in the same way that lard would.
It also has little flavor, meaning it won’t affect how your baked goods taste. That’s ideal in most cases, and this will often be the best swap.
Option 3) Olive Oil
Olive oil will work instead of lard in some cases, although you need to be careful with it. It has a low smoke point, so it isn’t ideal if you’re using it for frying. It will burn and make your food taste funny.
It can work in baking, but it does tend to have a noticeable flavor, so you’ll need to use a light hand, or find a way to cover up the taste with other flavors.
Option 4) Coconut Oil
Vegans everywhere use coconut oil for a whole variety of purposes, and it can replace lard in a few different places. However, be aware if you’re baking that it will alter the flavor. It has a strong taste, so you should only use it if you don’t mind that your cooking will taste of coconut.
Option 5) Mashed Bananas
In some cases, mashed bananas will stand in instead of the fat. This definitely won’t work in terms of cooking and frying, but it might work in certain baked goods. You can try mashed bananas in various desserts, although be aware that you may detect some changes to the flavor.
Conclusion
Lard may be out if you’re vegan, but there are lots of other products you can use instead, whether you’re baking, roasting, or frying. Try vegetable shortening for baked goods, and margarine for other kinds of cooking. You can experiment with the other options in recipes where they are unlikely to cause flavor conflicts.
