Transitioning to a vegan lifestyle is a big change, and it often requires a significant shift in the way we think about and consume food. One of the many things people miss when going vegan is butter, which is a staple ingredient in many cooking and baking recipes, and might leave people wondering whether there’s a viable substitute.
Fortunately, there are many vegan butter substitutes available on the market that can act as functional, delicious, and healthier substitutes to butter. Some of these substitutes are:
- Vegan butter or margarine
- Vegetable oils
- Nut butters
- Vegetable shortening
- Apple sauce
- Mashed banana or avocado
I’ll be discussing the pros and cons of each substitute, and discuss how they can be implemented in cooking and baking, and I’ll also teach how you can make vegan butter at home, which can be an entertaining way to get a butter substitute that fits your dietary preferences.
Why Isn’t Traditional Butter Vegan?
Traditional butter is not considered vegan because it’s derived from animal milk, namely from cows, although goats, buffaloes, sheep, and camels can also produce it. The use of animal-derived products, including dairy, is not in line with the principles of veganism, which is why most vegans will typically avoid products such as butter, ghee, or any other milk-based products.
As you might already know, the consumption of dairy leads to the inhumane exploitation of cows, as they are repeatedly impregnated, their calves are taken away from them shortly after birth, and they are more often than not kept in very horrific conditions. Additionally, cows are often subjected to cruel practices such as dehorning, tail docking, and forced impregnation, in order to increase milk production.
While the impact of dairy on the environment is also very negative, I believe most vegans tend to avoid dairy for ethical reasons, as the cows are not allowed to live their lives as they would in the wild, but are kept in tight spaces to be milked, which is saddening considering we’re talking about sentient beings that can feel pain, fear, and pleasure, and have the ability to form complex relationships (not only with other cows but also with humans).
The Function of Butter In Cooking
Perhaps the most obvious function of butter in cooking is to confer the food with a creamy flavor, particularly in sautéd and pan-fried dishes that might contain meat, seafood, and veggies. Since butter can be used as a cooking medium (say, in place of vegetable oil), it inevitably adds a buttery taste to your food.
Butter can also be used to make sauces, such as hollandaise, beurre blanc, and beurre rouge. It’s also used to baste meats to make them moist and flavorful. Its creaminess can also be lent to soups to create a very rich and creamy texture, which also works for pasta sauces as well!
Finally, butter can also be seen being used as a finishing touch in many dishes, whether it is vegetables, pasta, or fish, it’s a way to pump up the flavor and richness. For example, add a pat of butter to sautéed mushrooms.
The Function of Butter In Baking
Butter also plays several functions in baking, and again, the most obvious one is adding a rich and creamy flavor to baked goods.
Secondly, butter also acts as a shortening agent, helping create a tender crumb in cakes, cookies, and pastries. When butter is mixed with flour, it coats the gluten strands, limiting their ability to create a tough texture, which results in a soft and more delicate crumb. (i.e: think croissant)
Thirdly, it helps to brown and crisp the exterior of baked goods, such as pastries and bread. The fat in butter melts during baking and creates steam, which helps to puff up the dough and create a flaky texture. The butter also browns, creating a golden and crispy appearance.
Last but not least, it can also be used as a lubricant in the dough to prevent sticking. When butter is incorporated into the dough, it creates a barrier between the dough and the baking pan, preventing it from sticking which allows you to unmold baking goods more easily.
5 Alternatives To Traditional Butter
Vegan Butter or Margarine
Vegan butter is typically made from oils such as soy, coconut, and olive oil, and fortunately for us vegans, it can be found in most supermarkets, health food stores, and online retailers.
You can use vegan butter in the same way you use traditional butter. You can use it as a spread for toast and crackers, as a cooking medium in some of your favorite savory recipes, or to bake delicious cookies, bread, and pastries.
Like traditional butter, vegan butter is incredibly versatile and has a very identical taste. Plus, it’s also not that expensive when you compare both, though obviously, that will vary depending on the brand.
Some of the best vegan butter brands are Myoko’s European Style Cultured Butter, Wayfare’s Dairy-Free & Salted Butter, as well as Milkadamia’s Salted Buttery Spread.
If you’re currently somewhere where you may not be able to find vegan butter, then margarine is also a good alternative, but it may lack in terms of flavor and it’s not always vegan.
Vegetable Oils
There are various vegetable oils that you can use in cooking and baking to replicate the effects of traditional butter, including olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, canola oil, and even sunflower oil. Each oil has its own unique flavor, nutritional flavor, and also smoke point, which means that not every oil is suitable for every recipe.
However, vegetable oils have a wide range of cooking and baking applications. For instance, you can use them for sautéing, pan-frying, deep-frying, baking, and as a base for salad dressings, marinades, and sauces. While their use is more predominant and perhaps relevant in cooking, you can also use them to grease baking pans to prevent the dough from sticking. Coconut oil may be the most versatile among the different oils as it can be solid at room temperature, so you can probably use it as a more complete substitute for traditional butter.
The good thing about using vegetable oils is that there are so many varieties, and almost every one is healthier than traditional butter as it’s likely to contain less saturated fat. In fact, some oils like olive oil and avocado oil are rich in monounsaturated fats, which are considered beneficial to heart health. Some oils (not you coconut!) also have a neutral taste, which makes them more versatile in terms of cooking savory recipes. Also, you can’t deep-fry with butter, so you have to use oil in order to do that.
With that being said, vegetable oils are not really ideal if you’re looking for a butter substitute that can reliably act as a shortening agent and confer your bread or pastries with a butter flavor.
Nut Butters
As the name suggests, nut butters are made from ground nuts such as peanuts, almonds, cashews, and hazelnuts, and while they’re not as versatile as the previously mentioned ingredients, they can still be used as a substitute for traditional butter in both baking and cooking.
For instance, they can be used as a binding agent and add moisture to cookies, cakes, and pastries. However, due to their unique taste, they may not be suitable for every recipe. Personally, I would use some almond butter in a banana bread as it makes for a delicious combination, or maybe a brownie or oat cookies.
Nut butters can also be used as a spread on toast or crackers, or can be used in salad dressings, marinades, and sauces. For example, in a savory recipe, peanut butter can be used as a base for a sauce, which is what happens in Indonesia and its delicious satay sauce.
However, it’s important to recognize that nut butters tend to have a very strong flavor that may be quite overwhelming in some recipes, so they’re a substitute you should use cautiously.
Vegetable Shortening
Vegetable shortening is a vegetable oil that has undergone a hydrogenation process, which essentially means that it has been chemically altered to become solid at room temperature, a process that also increases its shelf-life. It is typically flavorless and has a high-melting point, making it ideal for deep-frying, as well as a base for pastries as it’s able to deliver that flaky texture you’d want in pies or tarts.
You can easily replace butter with an equal amount of vegetable shortening to make the base for pie crusts, biscuits, and scones. Using it to grease baking pans is also an option. Since it’s flavorless, it’s not going to really affect the flavor of your recipe, but it will also not produce the buttery taste you may look for in pastries.
Compared to butter, it has a longer shelf-life, which means it can be saved in the fridge for longer, but it’s not necessarily healthier considering the high amounts of saturated fat. Nevertheless, it’s an option you, as a vegan, can use to replace animal-based butter.
Mashed Fruits
Mashed fruits such as applesauce, mashed avocado, and mashed banana are also great vegan alternatives you can use to replace butter in cooking and baking recipes.
You can grab an apple, avocado, or banana and mash or puree them for a smooth and creamy consistency that can add a unique natural flavor and moisture to baking recipes. However, it’s important to note that both applesauce and mashed banana have a much lower fat content than mashed avocado.
This means that while applesauce and mashed banana may provide a naturally sweet taste and act as a binding agent for the base, mashed avocado may be better at re-creating the effects of butter, leading to more tender baking goods.
Unfortunately, unlike butter or any of the other previously mentioned ingredients, mashed fruits don’t have a long shelf life and should be used as soon as possible. Also, they can change the flavor of the final product, which is not ideal if you’re trying to follow a recipe with a very specific taste.
How To Make Homemade Vegan Butter
Making vegan butter at home is not a complicated process nor does it require complex ingredients, and I have to thank the Gourmet Vegetarian Kitchen for creating such an easy recipe.
This recipe only requires seven ingredients, including coconut oil, unsweetened soy milk, extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, and salt.
The first step is to melt the coconut oil (which is typically solid at room temperature if you live in a colder climate). In a separate container mix the soy milk, apple cider vinegar, and salt, letting the mixture curdle for 10 minutes. Once that time has passed, pour the milk mixture and the remaining ingredients into a blender. Blend on high speed for 1-2 minutes until you get a smooth consistency. Pour the mixture into a mold(s) and put it into the freezer for a few hours to solidify.
Once you pull it out of the freezer, unmold it and keep it refrigerated so that it lasts longer. And voilá, it’s a super simple butter recipe you can easily make at home.
Conclusion
There is a plethora of delicious and versatile vegan butter substitutes available on the market today, which means you can more easily replicate and ‘veganize’ your favorite recipes.
If you’re using any of the alternatives I’ve suggested, you have to consider their individual characteristics and see how they can be best used for the recipe you wish to recreate (and if they can be used at all!).
If you don’t want to do any guessing, and you want the closest thing to traditional butter, then your best bet is to find actual vegan butter (not margarine).
Alas, keep in mind that not every vegan butter is made the same, so you should definitely try and experiment with different brands to find the one that better helps you achieve your kitchen goals.
