Plant milks for cooking and baking: which works where

For most cooking and baking, unsweetened soya milk is the most reliable all-rounder. It has the most protein, behaves most like dairy milk in sauces and cakes, and curdles usefully with lemon juice to make a buttermilk substitute. Oat milk is best for creamy sauces, porridge and coffee. Tinned coconut milk is for curries, soups and rich desserts. Almond and rice milks are thin, so keep them for cereal, smoothies and light batters. Whichever you use, buy unsweetened for savoury food. In most recipes you can swap it for dairy milk one-for-one by volume.

Plant milks at a glance

Figures are approximate and vary a lot between brands, so check the label. If you rely on plant milk for protein, soya or pea makes a real difference, as our vegan protein guide explains.

Which milk for which job

White sauces and béchamel

Use unsweetened soya or oat milk. Soya gives the most neutral, dairy-like result. Oat gives a slightly sweeter, very silky sauce that thickens a little more, so keep some extra milk to hand. For about 500 ml of sauce:

1. Melt 30 g of plant-based block, or warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil, in a saucepan over a medium heat.
2. Stir in 30 g of plain flour and cook for 1–2 minutes without letting it brown.
3. Whisk in 500 ml of warm plant milk a little at a time, keeping it smooth.
4. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes, stirring, until it coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and a little mustard.

That's the basis of the Vegan Béchamel in The Vegan Kitchen, which goes into lasagnes, gratins and pies. Avoid almond and rice milk here: both are thin and slightly sweet, and the sauce tastes it.

Curries, soups and braises

For curries and South-East Asian soups, you want tinned coconut milk, not the carton drink. The two are very different products. Shake the tin before opening, stir the milk in towards the end of cooking, and keep it at a gentle simmer. It can separate if boiled hard for a long time. Reduced-fat coconut milk gives a thinner, less rounded result.

For creamy vegetable soups where you don't want the taste of coconut, stir in unsweetened oat or soya milk at the end and heat it through without boiling. The recipe finder has plenty of ideas: try searching for coconut.

Pancakes, cakes and muffins

Soya milk is the best choice for baking. Its protein helps structure and browning, and it curdles properly with acid. To make a plant "buttermilk", stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or cider vinegar into 250 ml of soya milk and leave it for 5–10 minutes until it thickens slightly. The acid reacts with baking powder or bicarbonate of soda and gives a lighter crumb.

A simple batter for about 8 pancakes:

• 150 g plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp sugar and a pinch of salt
• 250 ml soya buttermilk, made as above
• 1 tbsp oil, plus a little for the pan

Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined, since a few lumps are fine. Rest the batter for 5 minutes, then cook ladlefuls in a lightly oiled pan over a medium heat for about 2 minutes a side. The Fluffy Vegan Pancakes in The Vegan Kitchen work along these lines. Oat milk also bakes well. Rice milk works but tends to give paler, slightly drier cakes.

Custards, puddings and porridge

Custard is where the thin milks struggle, because the thickening comes from cornflour and the milk provides the body. Use soya or oat milk. Whisk 25 g of cornflour and 2–3 tablespoons of sugar into 500 ml of cold milk, then add vanilla and, if you like, a tiny pinch of turmeric for colour. Heat it gently, stirring all the time, until it thickens, which takes about 5 minutes. That's the idea behind the Vegan Custard in the book.

For rice pudding, a mix of oat or soya milk with some tinned coconut milk gives a properly creamy result. Rice milk alone is too thin. For porridge, oat and soya milk are both excellent. For chia pudding, stir 3 tablespoons of chia seeds into 250 ml of any plant milk, stir again after 10 minutes so it doesn't clump, and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Tea and coffee

Plant milk sometimes curdles in coffee because of the coffee's acidity and the sudden change in temperature. Warming the milk first, or letting the coffee cool for a minute, usually helps. "Barista" versions are made to cope with heat and foam, usually with added oil and stabilisers, and are worth buying if you drink a lot of coffee.

Making your own

Homemade plant milk is cheap and quick. The Homemade Plant Milk recipe in The Vegan Kitchen covers the basics. For nut milk, soak 100 g of cashews for about 4 hours, or almonds overnight. Drain them, blend with 1 litre of fresh water until smooth, and strain almond milk through a nut-milk bag. Cashews usually blend smoothly enough to skip straining.

For oat milk, blend 80–100 g of rolled oats with 1 litre of cold water for no more than 20–30 seconds. Strain it without squeezing the pulp. Over-blending, squeezing or heating homemade oat milk makes it slimy, so use it cold. Keep homemade milks in the fridge and use them within about three days. Shake before using, as they separate.

Nutrition and labels

Many shop-bought plant milks are fortified with calcium and often with vitamin D, vitamin B12 and iodine. Organic versions and homemade milk usually aren't, so read the label. B12 is the nutrient vegans typically need from fortified foods or a supplement, and fortified plant milk is one easy source. Soya and nut milks are common allergens, and oat milk isn't gluten-free unless it's labelled as such.

Plant milks aren't nutritionally equivalent to cow's milk, and UK health guidance advises that rice drinks aren't suitable for children under five. For young children, or for advice about your own needs, speak to your doctor, health visitor or a registered dietitian. This is general information, not medical advice.

Common mistakes

• Using sweetened or vanilla milk in savoury food. A vanilla béchamel is not a happy discovery.
• Reaching for the carton when a recipe means the tin. Coconut drink won't give a curry any body.
• Boiling plant milk hard. Add it towards the end and keep it at a gentle simmer.
• Expecting thin milks to thicken. Almond and rice milk need more cornflour or flour to set a custard or sauce.
• Assuming every milk is fortified. Check for calcium and B12 on the label.

For more dairy-free cooking from cuisines that never relied on it, browse the plant-based collection.

Questions people ask

Can I swap plant milk for dairy milk one-for-one?

In most recipes, yes, by volume. Use unsweetened for savoury dishes, and prefer soya or oat where the milk matters, such as in sauces, custards and cakes.

Which plant milk is best for baking?

Unsweetened soya milk is the most reliable, because its protein helps with structure and browning and it curdles well for buttermilk-style recipes. Oat milk is a close second.

Why does plant milk curdle in coffee?

Mostly because of the coffee's acidity combined with the sudden heat. Warm the milk first, let the coffee cool slightly, or use a barista version made for hot drinks.

Which plant milk has the most protein?

Soya milk, at about 3 g per 100 ml, and pea milk, which is often similar. Most oat, almond, rice and coconut drinks give 1 g or less.