Home / Substitution Guides / Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is doing two things in most recipes: supplying fat that carries spice, and providing enough body that a sauce clings. Any substitute has to be reasonably high in fat, which is why skim or plain almond milk produces a thin, disappointing curry.
Best for: Curries and creamy soups, dairy-free
1 cup raw cashews soaked and blended with ¾ cup water. The closest plant match.
Best for: When dairy is fine
Similar richness, none of the coconut flavour.
Best for: Rich sauces
Thicker than coconut milk, so the dilution matters.
Best for: Nut-free and dairy-free
Milder body. A teaspoon of oil per cup helps it behave.
Light coconut milk is mostly water; if a recipe wants full-fat and you only have light, add a tablespoon of coconut oil per cup rather than accepting a watery result. In hot acidic dishes, plant creams split more readily than coconut milk does, so lower the heat before they go in. And coconut milk in a can is not the same as coconut milk in a carton, which is a diluted drinking product.
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Cashew cream is the closest dairy-free option and holds up well in a simmering curry. If dairy is fine, evaporated milk or heavy cream diluted with a little water both work at the same volume.
Yes, diluted. Use about two-thirds coconut cream to one-third water to approximate full-fat coconut milk.
No. Canned coconut milk is thick and high in fat and is what recipes mean. Carton coconut milk is a diluted drinking beverage and will make a curry watery.
Cashew cream is the closest match, at 1:1. Curries and creamy soups, dairy-free. 1 cup raw cashews soaked and blended with ¾ cup water. The closest plant match.
Cashew cream (1:1) if you want the closest result, or Evaporated milk (1:1) for when dairy is fine. Which one is right depends on what the coconut milk was doing in the dish.
Related guides: Heavy Cream · Milk · Half-and-Half · All guides