10 Ingredients for a Dairy Free Kitchen
Are you adapting to a dairy free diet? Maybe because of a medical condition? Maybe because of an upset tummy? Omaybe because you are moving towards a plant-based diet? Perhaps it’s been difficult because, well, cheese just tastes so friggin’ good! And it’s the key ingredient in all the best recipes! Or perhaps you just don’t know how to cook without your dairy ingredients and what ingredients you can substitute.
What’s a lady to do?
I have found dairy free success by keeping the items below regularly stocked in my kitchen. They are how I adapt all mt recipes that call for dairy and how I create my own dairy free recipes.
For your grocery shopping convenience, I have included the links to products I use from Whole Foods. Please note that as an Amazon Associate, I do earn from qualifying purchases.
This post will tell what you need to know to successfully create a dairy free kitchen.
However there are a few things you should know before you dive into this dairy free lifestyle to ensure you aren’t disappointed.
1. Dairy primarily contributes fats to your recipes, so the goal is to replace dairy with something that either adds a healthier fat or a non-dairy fat. If you are also trying to reduce fat, then you have to recreate the mouthfeel and richness of fat with something that is not fatty. This is trickier, but I will talk through some of those options below.
2. Remember that we are not trying to replace the flavor of diary. If that is your goal, you will be disappointed. Soymilk and coconut milk will not ever taste like whole milk, however, they are still tasty foods that can create rich and creamy textures in your food. So appreciate these foods for what they are and don’t try to make them something they are not.
3. Many people tell me it’s a challenge to make dairy free food that their family, guests, whomever, will like. Believe me, I get that. I find that it’s about setting expectations. If you say, “I am making dairy free creamy summer squash soup”, your milk drinkers’ antennae go up and they think, “I’m pretty sure I am not going to like this.” But if you say, “Tonight we are serving up Curried Coconut Summer Squash Soup”, now you haven’t replaced anything. You are just serving up a gourmet soup that happens to include coconut milk as a key ingredient.
4. When you remove dairy from your diet, it is possible you are removing some key nutritional elements as well, so it’s important to replace those nutrients in other ways. The first that comes to mind is Calcium. I have heard conflicting information on calcium and whether dairy benefits or inhibits calcium absorption, and I am not a scientist so I will not dive into that here. However, I do know calcium is important, so whether you are getting it elsewhere or not, a couple of items on my list below are included to address nutrition that you might consume less of, if you remove dairy from your diet.
5. Lastly, please note, the items below are for a dairy free diet, not a vegan diet. Some of the items listed, such as mayonnaise, do include eggs.
My list of ten must-have pantry and refrigerator items for a dairy free kitchen
These are in the order of importance and include a brief explanation of how I use them. I also include some brands I prefer, and where you can find them.
Canned Coconut Milk
This might be the number one ingredient I use for dairy free cooking. My family loves blended soups, and milk and cream are often a key ingredient. I substitute coconut milk at a 1:1 ratio for any savory recipe that calls for milk or cream. It adds a rich creaminess, and while the flavor is different than dairy, it has its own unique and delicious flavor.
At the store you will also find light coconut milk, which just adds water to reduce the overall fat and thickness. My recommendation is to just buy regular coconut milk. If you do not want the full fat coconut milk, you can just use less and add extra water to the recipe. Then refrigerate the remaining coconut milk in an air-tight container for a future recipe. Coconut milk will stay fresh in the fridge for a week or so.
Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional Yeast is my go to anytime I want a dish to feel like it contains cheese. I add it to red pasta sauce, Caesar dressings, baked eggplant and zucchini fries, pesto, and my husband’s famous Tofu Scramble, just to name a few. It adds umami, which contributes a rich mouthfeel. It also adds another key element of cooking, which is saltiness. It is not in itself salty, but contributes a subtle salty flavor to dishes. My favorite brand is Bob’s Red Mill, but Braggs also makes a good product.
Raw Cashews and Raw Almonds
I carry snack packs of raw cashews and almonds for a quick protein rich bite of food, however, they are also great contributions to a dairy free diet. Of all nuts, raw almonds contain the highest amounts of calcium. In addition you can blend raw almonds and strain them to create homemade almond milk, which is a great milk substitute.
I use raw cashews more than any other nut in my pantry. I soak and add them to creamy blended soup to add additional protein and creaminess. I add them to pesto along with nutritional yeast and salt to replace the parmesan cheese. I crumble or grind them and sprinkle them over salads for a subtle crunch and richer salad flavor. I use them to replace peanuts in Asian cooking. And I grind them with nutritional yeast, garlic powder and salt to make vegan parmesan cheese.
Non-dairy Butter Substitute
My favorite non-dairy butter substitute is Earth Balance. I find it most closely mimics the flavor and texture of butter and can be used as a 1:1 substitute in recipes whenever butter is called for, from baking, to sautéing, to dips and sauces. I have even used it to create dairy-free butter-cream frosting. Earth Balance comes in a variety of options, including soy free, olive oil based, and whipped.
How to Make “Butter Free” Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting
If you want to make the best chocolate cupcakes you have ever had, and you are terrified of the dairy in chocolate butter-cream frosting, substitute (at a 1:1 ratio) creamy or crunchy peanut butter for the butter. You will end up with rich and creamy chocolate peanut butter cupcakes that, I promise, your guests will be fighting over.
Almond Milk
Really any non-dairy milk could go here. I chose almond milk because of its flavor, lower fat lower calorie content, and calcium benefits. I primarily put in on cereals, in smoothies, and substitute it for dairy milk in baking or making sweet treats.
Avocado
Avocado is a daily staple in our house. And it’s funny to think when I was a kid I refused to eat them…too exotic for an Oklahoma kid in the 80’s. Avocado serves as a great fat substitute when replacing high fat items like cheese. I add it to my pesto to emulsify the oil and lemon juice and to increase the creaminess. I blend it into dips that call for dairy. I blend it into chocolate mousse. I slice it up to top breakfast bowls and to garnish soups. I even use it as a little bowl to serve crab salad and other delicacies. It is probably the most nutritious and versatile food in my kitchen.
Mayonnaise and Plant Based Cream Cheese.
I grouped these two items together because I often use them in the same recipes, or I use them interchangeably because they contribute similar characteristics to my recipes Mayonnaise is a key ingredient in all my white sauces and white dressing, from the dairy free crema on my fish tacos, to my dairy free ranch, and my dairy free Caesar dressing. Both mayonnaise and plant-based cream cheese meet a couple of criteria for dairy flavors and textures in recipes. Similar to a sour crème or buttermilk, they both contribute fat to your recipe, but also a bit of acidity or tartness.
Raw, Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar
With a dairy free diet, I use apple cider vinegar more that any other vinegar in my pantry. That is because this type of vinegar has a complexity and richness that other vinegars do not have. I am not a vinegar expert, but I assume that added layer comes from the fermentation and the beneficial bacteria created during the process. You can see the beneficial bacteria in the form of the “mother”, which is the cloudy strands found floating in the bottle. Thats cloudiness is harmless. I always shake the bottle before pouring so I include some of that sediment in my dish.
My favorite brand of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar is Braggs, as it does not have a strong apple flavor or smell. I use it in ALL of my dairy free white sauces and dressings, as I think the richness and complexity contributes additional umami that is lost when you remove the dairy. It also add a nice amount of acid which brightens and lifts the flavor of the dressing or sauce. Which brings me to my next essential item for a dairy free kitchen…
Lemon/Limes
When cooking with high fat ingredients, it is important to balance the fat with another key element in cooking: acid. I always have lemons and limes on hand and add anywhere from a couple tablespoons to a ¼ or ½ cup to my dishes, depending on the recipe and the amount of fat.
Citrus enhances and brightens the flavor of foods and lightens the mouth feel of fats. This prevents food from feeling heavy or tasting flat and flavorless. Plus citrus adds health benefits and its own delicious flavor to any dish.
The Secret to Making the Best Mashed Potatoes on Earth
Shhhh…Don’t tell anyone, but I know the secret to making those heavy and rich holiday mashed potatoes taste brighter, lighter, and more delicious. Add a dash of fresh lemon juice. Yes, you read that correctly. The lemon juice counteracts the heaviness of the cream and butter, and it gives mashed potatoes an acidic lift that enhances the flavor and improves the mouthfeel. Just be sure to add the lemon juice slowly and taste as you go, to ensure your potatoes don’t become tart.
Dark Leafy Greens
I am suggesting you stock up on dark leafy greens because they are a calcium power-house. Maybe you are not a fan of dark leafy greens? Check out my recipe for The Best Creamy Vegan Pesto Sauce, where I hide spinach and kale discretely amongst the leaves of basil. I have also had great success dehydrating kale from my garden in an oven at the lowest heat, and storing it in air-tight containers. Come winter I crumble it into bean soup with bacon, or I add it to a vegetable stew or chili. The kale crumbs are so small, no one will suspect they are eating and getting the health benefits of the dreaded kale.
Dairy Free Chocolate Sauce, Dairy Free Chocolate Chips and Powdered Cocoa.
Come on now, you didn’t think I would leave you without any hope for sweet treats? I use dairy free chocolate sauce with a plant based plain creamer and crème de cacao to create a decadent chocolate martini. I still indulge in chocolate chip cookies with plant-based butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips (check ingredients because not all brands of semi-sweet chocolate chips are dairy free). And I make peppermint hot cacao with plant-based milk and chocolate sauce every Christmas for my kids.
Now that you have a go to list of ingredients for your dairy free kitchen, you can start experimenting for yourself.
Try substitutions in your existing recipes and see which replacements you like best. For example, I used to use soy milk as my milk or crème replacement in my blended soups, but I found the soy milk was thinner than I wanted, and it did not hold up well to heat. That is when I tried canned coconut milk and found that it behaved exactly like crème in my cooking. The flavor is different than dairy cream, but it is delicious, so I made the switch.
If you have your own dairy free kitchen essentials or genius dairy free recipe substitutions, please tell me about them below!