Going vegan doesn’t have to mean giving up the foods you love or learning a whole new way of cooking overnight. In fact, most everyday ingredients have simple plant-based swaps that fit easily into a South African kitchen.
Whether you’re going fully vegan or just cutting back, these easy substitutes make the change feel natural, not stressful. Here’s a practical guide to vegan alternatives you’ll actually use:
Yoghurt
Plant-based yoghurt has come a long way. Coconut yoghurt is now a firm favourite thanks to its thick texture and gentle tang. It works beautifully in breakfast bowls, salad dressings and dips.
If shop prices feel steep, homemade versions are surprisingly simple and far more budget-friendly.
Read more: Vegan restaurants in Cape Town serving scrumptious breakfasts
Eggs
Eggs are mostly missed in baking, not on the breakfast plate. For muffins, cakes and loaves, one mashed banana or a quarter cup of apple purée replaces a single egg with ease.
If you’d rather keep flavours neutral, mix ground flaxseed with water and let it sit until thick. This creates a binding texture that holds baked goods together without fuss. For savoury dishes, a tofu scramble delivers comfort without trying to copy eggs exactly.
Butter
Vegan margarine and plant-based spreads are easy to find and behave much like butter in cooking and baking. For spreading, olive-oil blends tend to have the best flavour.
Don’t overlook natural options either – ripe avocado, tahini or nut butters bring richness to toast and sandwiches while adding extra goodness.
Milk
This is often the first swap people make, and luckily it’s the easiest. Oat, almond, soy and rice milks are widely available and work well in everything from morning coffee to creamy sauces.
Oat milk is especially good for tea, while almond milk shines in smoothies and baking. Use them exactly as you would dairy milk – no extra steps needed.
Cheese
Cheese can feel like the biggest hurdle, but there are clever ways around it. Cashew-based cheeses offer a smooth, savoury bite that works well in spreads, sauces and pasta dishes.
While they don’t melt like dairy cheese, softer styles still give that comforting, creamy feel. For sprinkling over pasta or roasted veg, nutritional yeast adds a salty, savoury boost that hits all the right notes.
Mayonnaise
Egg-free mayonnaise is readily available and tastes just as creamy as the classic version. If you enjoy making things from scratch, try using aquafaba – the liquid from canned chickpeas. It whips up into a smooth, stable mayo that’s hard to mess up. It’s a great option for salads, burgers and braais.
Vegan cooking doesn’t need special skills or hard-to-find ingredients. It’s about swapping, not sacrificing. Start with one or two changes, build confidence, and let your tastebuds guide the rest. Before long, these plant-based substitutes will feel like everyday staples – not alternatives at all.
ALSO SEE: DELICIOUS VEGAN DINNER RECIPES
