Substitute Buttermilk with these Easy Dairy-Free Solutions

Buttermilk is a fermented dairy drink that used to be made from the liquid left after churning butter from cultured cream. These days, most butter is made with uncultured cream, so “buttermilk” is cultured as a separate product. It’s really fermented milk, not true buttermilk. So you don’t need to feel guilty when you substitute buttermilk in your recipes! We have several simple options outlined in this post for quick reference.

7 Easy Ways to Substitute Buttermilk for Dairy-Free Recipes

There are three primary types of recipes that use buttermilk. I’ll quickly explain why buttermilk benefits these types of recipes. All of the substitute options listed below will work in these types of recipes, unless otherwise noted.

Baked Goods: This includes pancakes and waffles, which are essentially baked on a griddle. Buttermilk helps to tenderize gluten, and just a little flavor, and most importantly, reacts with baking soda to provide lift.
Marinades: The acid in buttermilk tenderizes meat. Thicker buttermilk options also help coatings to adhere to things like chicken strips.
Sauces & Salad Dressings: It primarily adds tang and body to sauces and dressings.

Cream of Tartar Substitute for Buttermilk

It has a potent tang and is acidic, which means cream of tartar is a wonderful faux buttermilk ingredient. But it doesn’t blend well into liquid. So it’s important to add this powder to the dry ingredients in your recipe, rather than pre-mixing the buttermilk alternative. That’s why I don’t recommend this option for marinades or sauces.

For every 1 cup of buttermilk called for in your baking recipe:
Whisk 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar into the dry ingredients in your recipe.
Whisk 1 cup unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage, unsweetened dairy-free creamer, or lite canned coconut milk into the liquid in your recipe.

Vinegar or Lemon Juice Substitute for Buttermilk

This is the classic way to substitute buttermilk, and it works in most recipes. It even works as a buttermilk marinade. See my Easy Buttermilk Substitute Recipe for tips and FAQs pertaining to this option.

For every 1 cup of buttermilk called for in your marinade, sauce, or baking recipe:
Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice to a glass measuring cup.
Add enough unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage, unsweetened dairy-free creamer, or lite canned coconut milk to the measuring cup to reach 1 cup.

Dairy-Free Yogurt Substitute for Buttermilk

This is a thicker cultured option, and great when you need to add some body to your recipe or for marinades. But be sure to adjust the amount to the thickness of your yogurt. A runny dairy-free yogurt might work in a 1:1 ratio for buttermilk, while you might need a higher ratio of water with very thick brands, like Coyo.

For every 1 cup of buttermilk called for in your marinade, sauce, or baking recipe:
Spoon 3/4 cup unsweetened plain dairy-free yogurt into a measuring cup.
Add 1/4 cup water, and whisk to combine.

Dairy-Free Sour Cream Substitute for Buttermilk

Like with dairy-free yogurt, the ratio of water might vary based on the thickness of your sour cream. The ratio below is a baseline that works fine with most brands.

For every 1 cup of buttermilk called for in your marinade, sauce, or baking recipe:
Spoon 3/4 cup dairy-free sour cream alternative into a measuring cup.
Add 1/4 cup water, and whisk to combine.

Tofu Substitute for Buttermilk

This simple recipe uses firm silken tofu, which can be sold refrigerated or on the shelf in the Asian section. If you use soft silken tofu, you’ll want to use a higher ratio of tofu to water.

For every 1 cup of buttermilk called for in your marinade, sauce, or baking recipe:
Add 1/4 cup silken tofu, 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar, and a pinch of salt (optional) to your blender.
Blend until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds.

Probiotic Drink Substitute for Buttermilk

Drinkable yogurts are a great option if you liked to drink buttermilk, but they can also be an equivalent substitute for buttermilk in recipes. However, most brands are sweetened and/or flavored. Make sure the flavor and sweetness are suitable for your recipe. See our Dairy-Free Yogurt Reviews section for drinkable options. If you can find it, Forager Project has a plain, unsweetened variety.

For every 1 cup of buttermilk called for in your marinade, sauce, or baking recipe:
Use 1 cup dairy-free cultured drink.

Orange Juice Substitute for Buttermilk

Juices like orange and grapefruit are acidic, but not quite as acidic as lemon or lime juice. So it’s okay to use a higher quantity. You can use them as a 1:1 substitute for buttermilk in baking, if the flavor of the juice fits the recipe. Juice is watery, so it won’t provide the same richness as buttermilk, but will add flavor and lift.

For every 1 cup of buttermilk called for in your marinade or baking recipe:
Use 1 cup orange, tangerine, or grapefruit juice.

What About Store-Bought Dairy-Free Buttermilk?

If you want a truly cultured experience, there is one brand on the market in the U.S., called Mill It Plant-Based Buttermilk. It isn’t easy to find, and I’m not sure if the demand for dairy-free buttermilk is high enough to sustain a product yet. Most people just use the buttermilk substitute options above!