There may be many reasons you want or need to cook with plant based milk. You might be dairy intolerant or you might not want dairy in your diet. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of alternatives to using dairy.
People have asked what the best plant based milk is, what it tastes like, and how should I use it. We have complied some information based on research and our own trial and error.
How to Use Plant-Based Milk in Recipes
Most non-dairy milks can be swapped cup for cup in most recipes. Double check the label to see whether you’ve bought sweetened or unsweetened as sweetened versions will probably impact the taste of your recipes.
How to Use Oat Milk
One alternative to dairy is oat milk. This plant based milk is a versatile cooking and baking ingredient. With a flavor that won’t overpower, you can use it in baking most of your favorite recipes and for heartier dishes like mac & cheese. Want to make ice cream? Add in coconut oil to thicken it up to a heavy cream consistency.
How to Use Almond Milk
Almond milk doesn’t play well with more savory dishes because of its inherently sweet flavor. When baking pies its consistency makes using this a challenge. But you can use this plant based milk as a cow’s milk substitute for many desserts and baked good recipes including pancakes, waffles, pound cakes, and biscuits.
How to Use Hemp Milk
Our experience has shown that you probably do not want to cook with hemp milk. While it’s got a nice texture, you’ll notice the plant based milk has a strong nutty flavor that shows up in most dishes.
How to Use Coconut Milk
Remember there are two versions of coconut milk, each with very different consistencies and nutrient profiles. There is the beverage found in the dairy and plant based milk aisle and the canned version, which is similar in texture to a condensed milk. Use the beverage from the refrigerated dairy aisle for your coffee drinks and smoothies. Use the canned coconut milk for recipes that call for something thick and rich, such as ice cream and curry. Keep in mind, the milk will add a coconut flavor to the dish.
How to Use Flax Milk
Not as easy to find this plant based milk, depending on your market. You can substitute it for cow’s milk in any recipe where the milk isn’t being used to thicken the dish. For instance, it is not going to work when making a chocolate ganache or in Alfredo sauce but will work for a coffee cake.
How to Use Pea Milk
You may be skeptical of this plant based milk, but it is another versatile choice for non-dairy milk. It is made from yellow peas so it is not green. It works in your coffee but you can also use it to make ice cream, mac and cheese, muffins, and cakes.
How to Use Rice Milk
This is another challenging plant based milk, because most rice milks are thin. If it is the milk you normally have on hand, you could try fattening it up by adding sunflower oil or coconut oil to use in sweet recipes. Another use would be for a glaze, where rice milk’s natural thinness will work to your advantage.
How to Use Soy Milk
This is probably the easiest plant based milk to use when baking as it has a similar texture, protein, and fat count to dairy milk. It holds together well when heated and will even work well in custards, which is one of the hardest things to make without traditional cow’s milk.
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