Buttermilk substitutes: 4 swaps and how the nutrition changes
To replace 1 cup of buttermilk, use 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 cup minus 1 tbsp milk plus 1 tbsp lemon juice or 1 cup minus 1 tbsp milk plus 1 tbsp vinegar, plus 1 more option below. 1 cup of buttermilk has 105 calories, and the swaps come to 142 to 189 calories for the same amount. The biggest change is in saturated fat: 1.3 g in the original, 4.3 g to 5.7 g in the swaps.
Per 1 cup
| Calories | Fat | Saturated fat | Protein | Carbs | Total sugars | Sodium | Cholesterol | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buttermilk (original) | 105 calories | 2.6 g | 1.3 g | 8.4 g | 11.7 g | 13.1 g | 224 mg | 12 mg |
| 1 cup plain yogurt | 189 calories (+85) | 11 g (+8.4) | 5.7 g (+4.3) | 9.4 g (+0.9) | 13.7 g (+1.9) | 10 g (-3.0) | 102 mg (-122) | 35 mg (+23) |
| 1 cup minus 1 tbsp milk plus 1 tbsp lemon juice | 143 calories (+38) | 7.4 g (+4.7) | 4.3 g (+2.9) | 7.5 g (-0.9) | 11.6 g (-0.1) | 11.4 g (-1.7) | 87 mg (-137) | 27 mg (+15) |
| 1 cup minus 1 tbsp milk plus 1 tbsp vinegar | 142 calories (+37) | 7.3 g (+4.7) | 4.3 g (+2.9) | 7.5 g (-1.0) | 10.6 g (-1.1) | 11 g (-2.1) | 87 mg (-137) | 27 mg (+15) |
| 1 cup milk plus 1 3/4 tsp cream of tartar | 162 calories (+57) | 7.8 g (+5.2) | 4.5 g (+3.2) | 8 g (-0.5) | 14.5 g (+2.8) | 11.7 g (-1.3) | 95 mg (-129) | 29 mg (+17) |
Numbers in brackets show the change from the original. USDA FoodData Central.
How to make each swap
- 1 cup plain yogurt. Compared with 1 cup of buttermilk: +85 calories, +8.4 g fat, +0.9 g protein, -3.0 g sugars, -122 mg sodium. Source: NMSU Extension, NDSU Extension, USU Extension.
- 1 cup minus 1 tbsp milk plus 1 tbsp lemon juice. Let it stand 5 to 10 minutes before using. Compared with 1 cup of buttermilk: +38 calories, +4.7 g fat, -0.9 g protein, -1.7 g sugars, -137 mg sodium. The numbers use whole milk. Made with 2% milk, 118 calories and 4.4 g fat or with nonfat milk, 81 calories and 0.22 g fat. Source: NMSU Extension, NDSU Extension, Illinois Extension.
- 1 cup minus 1 tbsp milk plus 1 tbsp vinegar. Let it stand 5 to 10 minutes before using. Compared with 1 cup of buttermilk: +37 calories, +4.7 g fat, -1.0 g protein, -2.1 g sugars, -137 mg sodium. The numbers use whole milk. Made with 2% milk, 117 calories and 4.3 g fat or with nonfat milk, 80 calories and 0.18 g fat. Source: NMSU Extension, NDSU Extension, Illinois Extension.
- 1 cup milk plus 1 3/4 tsp cream of tartar. Compared with 1 cup of buttermilk: +57 calories, +5.2 g fat, -0.5 g protein, -1.3 g sugars, -129 mg sodium. The numbers use whole milk. Made with 2% milk, 136 calories and 4.6 g fat or with nonfat milk, 97 calories and 0.2 g fat. Source: NMSU Extension, NDSU Extension, USU Extension.
Which swap fits what you need
Per 1 cup, among the swaps above.
- Fewest calories: 1 cup minus 1 tbsp milk plus 1 tbsp vinegar, 142 calories (105 calories in buttermilk)
- Most protein: 1 cup plain yogurt, 9.4 g (8.4 g in buttermilk)
Choosing a swap
The swap three of the guides share is milk soured with 1 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar. Let it stand 5 to 10 minutes before you mix it in.
Every swap here has more fat than store buttermilk, because the guides start from regular milk and the numbers use whole milk. Soured 2% or nonfat milk brings the fat back down, as the line under that swap shows.
Plain yogurt gives a bit more protein, at 189 calories a cup against 105 for buttermilk. If you are watching sodium, all four swaps have less than buttermilk.
Written from the extension guidance and USDA numbers on this page, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
Sources
Substitution ratios
- New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension, In a Pinch Ingredient Substitution (Guide E-131, revised May 2016). https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_e/E131/ (accessed 2026-10-12)
- NDSU Extension, Ingredient Substitutions (FN198, J. Garden-Robinson, April 2013 edition). https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/HHS/HHS-784-W.pdf (accessed 2026-10-12)
- Utah State University Extension, List of Ingredient Substitutions for Cooking and Baking. https://extension.usu.edu/archive/list-of-ingredient-substitutions-for-cooking-and-baking (accessed 2026-10-12)
- University of Illinois Extension, Substitutions for Common Ingredients (modified December 2024). https://extension.illinois.edu/media/5732/download (accessed 2026-10-12)
Nutrition numbers: USDA FoodData Central (accessed 2026-10-12)
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk, FDC ID 2705393 (FoodData Central survey (FNDDS) 2024-10-31)
- Plain whole-milk yogurt: Yogurt, plain, whole milk, FDC ID 2259793 (Foundation Foods, published 2022-04-28) · full profile
- Whole milk: Milk, whole, FDC ID 2705385 (FoodData Central survey (FNDDS) 2024-10-31)
- Lemon juice: Lemon juice, raw, FDC ID 167747 (SR Legacy, published 2019-04-01) · full profile
- White vinegar: Vinegar, distilled, FDC ID 172237 (SR Legacy, published 2019-04-01)
- Cream of tartar: Leavening agents, cream of tartar, FDC ID 175041 (SR Legacy, published 2019-04-01)
How we calculate: each part of a swap is converted from its household measure to grams with the USDA portion weight for that food (1 cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp), then multiplied by the USDA values per 3.5 oz (100 g). Water counts as zero, and so do pinches under 5 g (salt, baking powder) where USDA lists no value. A dash (—) means USDA reports no value for at least one part. USDA measures sugars directly but calculates total carbohydrate by difference, so in a few foods here, mostly dairy, sugars come out slightly higher than carbs. We show the USDA numbers as published. How we verify.