Can You Make A Buttermilk Substitute Using Oat Milk?

Need dairy-free buttermilk in a pinch? Whether you want to use buttermilk in biscuits or whip up a perfect stack of pancakes, or make any number of dishes that call for buttermilk, you can easily recreate equally delicious, dairy-free versions with oat milk instead. It's as versatile as its animal-derived dairy counterpart, suitable for plant-based eaters and those with dairy sensitivities alike, and it's a more planet-friendly option, too — a win all round! This hack is similar to the two-ingredient buttermilk trick that uses animal-derived dairy milk. All you need to do is combine 1 cup of oat milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes till it slightly curdles. This yields a buttermilk-like taste, but the texture likely won't be as thick as conventional buttermilk. Despite this slight change in consistency, oat milk buttermilk has similar culinary applications as the dairy-based version, and its tangy taste closely resembles commercial buttermilk, which is made from lactic acid fermentation. 

In this two-ingredient oat-based buttermilk, the acidity from the vinegar or lemon juice mimics the effect of the lactic acid by reacting with leavening agents like baking powder or soda, which then releases carbon dioxide, the gas responsible for the airy, fluffiness in biscuits, pancakes, and other baked goods. If you're looking to achieve a closer consistency when it comes to thickness, try playing around with different oat milk brands, preferably the barista blends, which, unlike regular oat milk, have a higher fat content and creamier consistency. This dairy-free buttermilk serves as a direct 1:1 swap for all your plant-forward culinary ventures.

Buttermilk's applications in the kitchen are vast, ranging from being used in baked goods, fried foods, brunch staples, and more. Avid bakers ought to add plant-based buttermilk to their arsenal of vegan baking staples so they can make decadent desserts like a vegan tiramisu. With this tasty and equally versatile dairy-free buttermilk, why not step outside the basics and explore how it can be incorporated into classics from cuisines around the world though? For salads and grain bowls, you can make a herby, creamy, tangy, buttermilk ranch-like dressing that rivals any store-bought or dairy-based versions. Adding buttermilk for a tangy touch is one of many hacks to upgrade boxed cornbread, and using vegan buttermilk is no different. While this tip might upset some Italians, a splash of buttermilk in your pasta sauce is a tried and tested hack that adds creaminess and a delicate tang, both of which you can recreate with oat-based buttermilk.

Transcending global borders, you can delve into a variety of unique dishes and put a plant-based spin on them with your dairy-free buttermilk. For instance, you can give a plant-powered makeover to a refreshing, cold Danish buttermilk soup called koldskål, or a spiced buttermilk drink called chaas, which is a beloved summertime staple in India. Buttermilk rusks are a popular South African snack, whose consistency can be compared to twice-baked biscuits or biscotti. By using dairy-free buttermilk, you've got a plant-based version that is perfect for dunking into tea or coffee as a midday pick-me-up. What's left is to treat your tastebuds with a culinary journey that sparked from a simple combination of oat milk and lemon juice or vinegar.