How to Substitute Common Ingredients in Recipes: Vegetables, Protein & More
The Protein...
Skinless chicken breast, lean steak, skinless turkey breast… All great options, and the cook times are fairly similar. Keep a bag of frozen chicken cutlets in the freezer, and you won’t have to worry about frequently restocking the fresh kind.
Seafood
Keep frozen shrimp on hand! It works in so many recipes that call for other proteins. Fish fillets like salmon and cod are also good staples. If you’re using seafood in a recipe that calls for meat or poultry, just keep an eye on it as it cooks, since seafood tends to cook quicker. Pouched tuna works too, especially in salad and other chilled dishes.
Ground Meat
Beef, turkey, chicken… It really doesn’t matter which one you use, as long as it’s lean. Grab whichever one has the lowest fat content. They all cook up the same. Another option is frozen meatless crumbles, like the kind by MorningStar Farms. Those just need to be thawed and heated.
The Veggies...
Our favorite lettuce is romaine, but these times call for flexibility. Iceberg, mixed greens, spinach… All pretty interchangeable! If you’re making lettuce wraps or lettuce cups, your best bets are iceberg, romaine, and butter lettuce.
Quick-Cooking Veggies
These veggies have a higher water content than others, so they'll cook faster and release more moisture. No matter which veggies a recipe calls for, you can mix & match from this list. Just stick with the same prep method, whether it’s sliced or chopped. The cook times won’t be identical, but they’ll be close…
mushrooms * zucchini * yellow squash * bell peppers * onions * asparagus
Slow-Cooking Veggies
These generally need extra time and/or extra liquid to cook up nicely. Add some water to the skillet to get them tender without burning. Oven roasting also works. Just like the quick-cooking veggies, keep the sizes consistent…
Brussels sprouts * eggplant * butternut squash * cauliflower * broccoli
Riced Veggies & Veggie Noodles
Can’t find riced cauliflower? Use riced broccoli or another veggie rice -- Green Giant makes a ton! Same goes for spiralized veggies. Other good swaps for veggie noodles: broccoli coleslaw mix, regular coleslaw mix, and spaghetti squash.
Overall, Be Flexible…
Chew on this:
It's Friday, May 1st, which means it’s National Chocolate Parfait Day. Make a 4-ingredient parfait with whatever fruit, yogurt, and cereal you have, plus a few chocolate chips!
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