Cooking Substitutes is a blog dedicated to exploring suitable alternatives in recipes, providing helpful how-to guides, and sharing mouthwatering recipes.
We're here to make your culinary adventures even more delightful!
The first time I made Moroccan lamb stew, I honestly didn’t know what I was getting into. I had a pack of stew meat sitting in my fridge, a cabinet full of spices, and zero plan for dinner. I threw…
If you’ve ever craved that perfect lobster roll recipe but thought it was too fancy or too expensive for a regular weeknight, I’ve got you. I’m Chef Amina, the recipe developer and culinary problem-solver behind Cooking Substitutes. The first time…
German chocolate cake is one of those desserts I always come back to… I’ve made a lot of cakes over the years, but German chocolate cake is one I never get tired of. It’s rich without being too heavy, sweet…
If you’ve ever reached for queso fresco in the middle of making tacos or enchiladas only to find an empty spot in the fridge — I feel you. I’ve been there more times than I can count. As someone who’s…
I’ve eaten a lot of cookies in my life. Hotel lobbies, airport terminals, farmer’s markets in three different countries. But nothing — nothing — ever hit the same as those massive, thick bakery style chocolate chip cookies sitting behind the…
If you’ve ever stood in your kitchen holding a recipe that calls for cotija cheese and thought, “I have no idea where to find this,” — I’ve been there. More times than I can count. The first time I made…
I’ll never forget the first time I tried making cinnamon swirl bread. I was living in a tiny apartment with an oven that heated unevenly, and I thought, “How hard could it be?” Well, my first loaf came out with…
I’ll never forget the first time I made pecan pie cookies in my tiny apartment kitchen. I was hosting Thanksgiving but didn’t have a pie dish, and honestly, I was tired of wrestling with pie crust. So I thought, why…
I still remember the first time I made my sugar cookie bar recipe in a hotel room. Yep, you read that right. I was traveling for a food event and staying in a place with just a hot plate and…
I’ll be honest with you—I used to think lamb chops were fancy restaurant food. Something you ordered on special occasions, not something you made on a Tuesday night in your own kitchen. But after years of cooking in tiny hotel…
I still remember my first gluten free christmas cake disaster. It was dry, crumbly, and honestly tasted like cardboard with dried fruit stuck in it. My family smiled politely, but I knew the truth. That was five years ago. Since…
I’ll never forget the first time I attempted roasting beef tenderloin for a dinner party. I spent nearly $80 on this beautiful cut of meat, only to serve my guests something that resembled a fancy leather boot. The outside was…
