Most vegan recipes lean on the same handful of ingredients. Each one does a job: binding, thickening, adding savory depth, or replacing egg or cheese. Keep these in the cupboard and you'll be able to cook almost anything on this site without a special shopping trip.
Egg and gelatin replacers
| Ingredient | What it does | How we use it |
|---|---|---|
| Aquafaba | Whips and emulsifies like egg white | The liquid from a tin of chickpeas. Makes mayo, meringues and mousse. |
| Agar (agar-agar) | Sets liquids into a firm gel | A seaweed-based replacement for gelatin. Jellies, panna cotta, gummies. |
| Gram flour | Binds and coats | Chickpea flour, also called besan. Pancakes, fritters, omelette-style batters. |
| Cornstarch | Thickens and crisps | Sauces, pie fillings, and the coating on crispy baked tofu. |
| Lecithin | Emulsifies | Usually soy or sunflower. Keeps sauces and mayo from splitting. See is lecithin vegan? |
| Xanthan gum | Thickens and stabilizes | A pinch thickens dressings, ice cream and gluten-free baking. |
| Guar and other gums | Bind and thicken | Gluten-free bread, vegan yogurt, cheese textures. |
Thickeners
| Ingredient | What it does | How we use it |
|---|---|---|
| Arrowroot | Thickens, clear finish | A gluten-free starch from the maranta plant. Glossy sauces and crisp coatings. |
| Kuzu | Thickens, smooth finish | A Japanese starch from the kudzu root. Soups, sauces, tofu dishes. |
| Other starches | Bind and thicken | Tapioca and potato starch work much like cornstarch. |
Savory depth (umami)
| Ingredient | What it does | How we use it |
|---|---|---|
| Nutritional yeast | Cheesy, nutty flavor | Deactivated yeast flakes, and many brands are fortified with vitamin B12. Pasta, popcorn, tofu scramble. |
| Miso | Salty, fermented depth | Fermented soybean paste. Red miso is stronger than white. Soups, dressings, glazes. |
| Soy sauce | Salt and umami | Stir-fries, marinades, dipping. Tamari is usually gluten-free. |
| Marmite (yeast extract) | Intense savory flavor | A spoonful in gravy, stews or seitan. |
| Seaweed | Salty, sea flavor | Dulse and kelp flakes in place of some salt in soups, stews and raita. |
| Black salt (kala namak) | Eggy, sulfur flavor | A pinch makes tofu taste like egg. Use sparingly. |
| Vegan stock | Flavor base | Many stock cubes aren't vegan. Look for vegan cubes or powder. |
Beans, lentils and bulk
| Ingredient | What it does | How we use it |
|---|---|---|
| Chickpeas | Body, bite and protein | Curries such as chana masala, hummus, roasted snacks. |
| Lentils | Mince-like texture and protein | Red, green and brown. Taco filling, dal, pancakes. |
| Cashews | Creaminess | Soaked and blended into sauces and vegan cheese. |
| Oats | Binding and body | Porridge, cookies, oat milk, nut roasts. A staple of Irish kitchens. |
Flavor and finishing
| Ingredient | What it does | How we use it |
|---|---|---|
| Garam masala | Warm spice blend | Finish curries. Make your own with our garam masala recipe. |
| Good oils | Fat and flavor | Rapeseed, sunflower and olive for everyday; sesame, hemp and flax for finishing. |
| Vinegars | Acidity | Cider, white wine, red wine, rice and balsamic for dressings and pickles. |
How to build your pantry
Don't buy all 24 at once. Start with tinned chickpeas, lentils, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, cornstarch and a good oil, then add the rest as recipes call for them. Once you know what each ingredient does, you'll find you can improvise your own dishes without a recipe.
FAQ
What's the most useful vegan pantry ingredient?
Hard to pick one, but tinned chickpeas come close: the chickpeas go into curries and hummus, and the liquid (aquafaba) replaces egg white.
What can I use instead of eggs in vegan cooking?
It depends on the job. Aquafaba for whipping and mayo, a flax or chia 'egg' for binding in baking, cornstarch or gram flour batters for coating, and tofu with black salt for scrambles.
How do vegans get a cheesy flavor?
Nutritional yeast, often called 'nooch'. Its flakes taste nutty and cheesy.
Are stock cubes vegan?
Not always. Many contain chicken, beef fat or milk. Look for cubes or powders labeled vegan.