The 9 Best Gelatin Substitutes You’ll Be Surprised By

Gelatin has become an integral part of the kitchen that takes part in a variety of dishes such as desserts and puddings. 

If you don’t have gelatin on hand, or you’d rather not use it, then it is always good to know some replacements for gelatin that you can use.

What Can You Use Gelatin For? 

Any dessert lover knows that gelatin is an essential ingredient in preparing mousse, panna cotta, and pudding.

It can also be found in vitamin capsules, makeup, and even beverages.

What Can You Use As A Gelatin Substitute?

In most circumstances, the chief goal of using plant based Gelatin is to allow the cake to have the proper solid texture while retaining the sponginess. 

So, are you wondering, “what can I use instead of Gelatin?”

As a result, when looking for vegan Gelatin substitutes, home cooks should prioritize items that impact stickiness, providing the bonding texture of foods.

1. Agar-agar 

Many people confuse Gelatin powder with agar powder because they have a similar plasticizing and binding effect.

However, these are two distinct powders. The main component of Agar powder is red Japanese algae and seaweed. It often comes in two forms: powder and fiber.

Unlike Gelatin that creates a thick and flexible result, agar powder produces a hard and brittle product.

That’s why agar powder can nevertheless substitute for Gelatin in baking in some circumstances with an acceptable mixing ratio.

In some circumstances, you may see people using agar-agar powder as an ingredient in mousse, bavarois, or jam.

2. Tapioca starch 

Tapioca starch is a carbohydrate derived from tapioca root. This ingredient, like vegan Gelatin powder, is 95% carbohydrate with almost no fiber or protein.

Home cooks consider it a wonderful vegan Gelatin replacement in Eurasian-style dishes because of its smoothness, consistency, and stickiness. It often accompanies drinks, soups, stews, stir-fries, and sauces. 

However, the textures of these two varieties differ slightly. Tapioca powder has a light yellow hue and is more prone to thickening and binding solutions than Gelatin, which is translucent and can solidify the product.

3. Corn starch 

As its name indicates, Corn starch is a fine powder formed from dried corn kernels. Chefs can use cornmeal, like vegan Gelatine, in various ways in cooking, most notably as a binder and thickener. 

Because cornstarch and tapioca flour are not transparent like Gelatin, they may not be suitable for manufacturing jellies or transparent foods.

However, if you’re merely seeking Gelatin similar foods, they are both acceptable possibilities.

4. Pectin

Pectin is a colored powder and originates from citrus fruits. You can see these additives as an excellent substitute for beef Gelatin since they possess Gelatin’s characteristics. 

These include clear, easily soluble in water, and capable of producing effective solidification. On the other hand, Gelatin tastes like syrup and can only gel and solidify in the presence of acids and sugars. 

One remarkable issue states that scientists often recommend people with medical issues or prone to allergies to use pectin rather than Gelatin.

5. Carrageenan

We can usually find the water-soluble fiber of Carrageenan Gelatin in a wide variety of seaweeds. It’s familiar among chefs by being a thickener or stabilizer in various plates.

Some of the most outstanding include soy milk, ice cream, cheese, bread, and several fast foods.

Because this ingredient has a softer texture than non animal Gelatin, you may need to use more carrageenan in your recipes. 

6. Vegan Jelly

Another potential candidate on this list is vegan jelly. This type is not a single component but a category of product to be vegetarian alternatives to Gelatin.

Each product might contain vegetable gum, carrageenan, and tapioca dextrin, depending on its brand.

This ingredient is more of an unflavored Gelatin substitute. If you wish to add extra flavor to the dish, use more food flavoring agents such as taro’s taste.

Stored-purchased vegetarian jello mix usually gives conventional Gelatine a closeness to consistency and texture, which the product must be able to do.

7. Kudzu 

You may have heard of Kudzu, which is native to Asia, particularly China, Japan, and Korea. For many years, people have utilized Eastern medicine. It’s famous for its ability to thicken food.

We recommend a ratio of 1 1/2 kudzu tbsp per water cup. Or, add 2 tbsp per cup if you want to gel a liquid.

8. Guar Gum

If you can’t find all of these ingredients in your local market, then try guar gum – one of several gums derived from guar seeds. 

You can find guar gum primarily in India and Pakistan and to a lesser extent in the United States, Australia, China, and Africa. Guar gum is a galactomannan polysaccharide compound that can thicken and stabilize foods.

This add-in is popular for its ability to absorb water in foodstuff, making it easier to bind and thicken in soups and sauces. 

9. Xanthan gum 

The development of biotechnology has introduced the polysaccharide Xanthan gum (or additive E415). It belongs to the group of thickeners and stabilizers.

Many nations worldwide have allowed E415 to interfere in the grocery business as a vegan substitute for Gelatin.

On the other hand, home cooks must be extremely cautious when it comes to chemical additions like xanthan gum and guar gum.

According to the manufacturer’s instructions on the package, you should use only a minimal amount.

How To Use Gelatin Substitutions In Dishes?

In each of these recipes below, the ingredients mentioned above can be a replacement for Gelatin.

Nevertheless, chefs recommend agar-agar or pectin to give the final product a similar texture to that of the regular Gelatin.

1. Homemade marshmallow

Ingredients:

• Jelly powder or agar-agar flakes.
• Fresh watermelon, Vanilla, or melted Nutella.
• Honey.
• White sugar.

Process:

• Soak the jelly powder in the water a bit.
• Put watermelon juice, 100 grams of sugar, and honey in a pot, then bring to a boil over high heat.
• When the watermelon juice is boiling, turn down the heat and cook for 15 minutes until the mixture thickens like syrup.
• Next, pour 1/2 of the soaked jelly powder into the pot, stir until dissolved, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Pour the watermelon flavor mixture into the prepared silicone mold and wait for the candy to solidify for 12 hours to finish the watermelon marshmallows.

2. Homemade Jello 

Ingredients: 

• Orange.
• Sugar.
• Agar-agar or pectin powder.
• Water.

Process:

• Wash the oranges and squeeze out the juice
• Mix sugar with agar-agar powder, put it in the pot filled with water, and stir until completely dissolved.
• Boil the mixture over medium heat until it turns golden
• After boiling, mix with orange juice, and put in the freezer.

3. Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse

Ingredients:

• Butter, cream cheese, sugar, chocolate, and peanut butter.
• Whipping cream or sour buttermilk
• Egg.
• Agar-agar, or pectin.

Process:

• Prepare a cake base.
• Beat whipping cream at slow speed until large bubbles appear, then turn to medium speed for a few more minutes. (1)
• Heat cream cheese, and beat until it’s smooth.
• Mix the egg yolks into the cream cheese, cover, and let cool completely. (2)
• Soak 10g of agar-agar powder in a little water to swell and turn transparent.
• Add a little sugar and melted chocolate, then stir until you break down the agar-agar mixture.
• Mix mixture (2) and (1) until well combined. Slowly add this cream mixture to the chocolate mixture.
• Remove the cake base and pour in the mixture. Gently stir the top to burst all the air bubbles. Put it in the fridge for about 2 hours to complete the process.

What Are The Health Benefits of Gelatin

Because Gelatin lacks all the required amino acids, it is an incomplete protein.

To make up for that, it still contains the majority of essential amino acids such as glycine, proline, and valine and traces calcium, phosphorus, and folate levels.

With a high quantity of glycine, which can improve memory, boosts concentration, and aids in sleep, this non beef Gelatin can ensure better sleep at night and less weariness the next day by reducing daytime sleepiness.

Also, Gelatin can help you aid with weight maintenance. Since it is fat-free and low in calories, using Gelatin can reduce appetite and keep your stomach full for a long time. Leading to a much more effective weight loss process.

FAQs

What can we use instead of Gelatin in cheesecake?

You can use all the listed above ingredients as substitutes for Gelatin. Agar-agar, pectin, or tapioca starch would work just well.

How do you use Gelatin to thicken?

Usually, for plant Gelatin or animal free Gelatin, you need to soak them in water to dissolve. Then, pour this Gelatin into the mixture you want to solidify.