01
Beef Broth
10.0best for cooking1 cup : 1 cup
Richer, darker flavor; works in hearty dishes
10.0
chicken broth substitute
for cooking.
Stovetop cooking with chicken broth covers soups, risotto, braises, sautés, and pan sauces — anywhere you simmer at 180-210°F and let flavor concentrate. Broth's 2-4% solids (collagen, amino acids, minerals) reduce to body; its ~0.4% salt and glutamate around 0.02% give baseline savoriness. Swaps are ranked on reduction behavior over a 15-20 minute simmer, how their salt and umami register after halving in volume, and whether their flavor profile fits a neutral, savory, or slightly sweet base.
top substitutes
adjustment for cooking
Beef broth on the stovetop reduces to darker, bolder body than chicken — more browned-meat Maillard compounds and roughly 1% solids higher when both are homemade. Use 1:1 cup. Best in hearty stews, beef risotto, or robust pan sauces. Avoid delicate soups or cream-based dishes where beef's iron notes overpower the balance.
02
Chicken Broth Or Bouillon Soup
10.0best for cooking1 cup : 1 cup
Dissolve 1 bouillon cube in 1 cup hot water; saltier, so reduce added salt in recipe
10.0
adjustment for cooking
Bouillon-reconstituted broth on the stovetop carries 2-3x the salt of homemade chicken broth — roughly 0.9-1.2% versus 0.4%. Use 1:1 cup. Reduce added salt in the recipe by at least half. For long simmers (over 30 minutes), use half bouillon + half water to prevent over-salting as liquid reduces.
03
Vegetable Broth Soup
6.7best for cooking1 cup : 1 cup
Vegetarian 1:1 swap; slightly sweeter and less savory, add a pinch of salt to match depth
6.7
adjustment for cooking
Vegetable broth on the stovetop reduces cleaner and slightly sweeter than chicken — onion and carrot residuals concentrate over a 15-minute simmer. Use 1:1 cup. Add a pinch of salt and optional 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce per cup to match chicken broth's savory register. Works well in risotto and grain pilafs.
show 8 more substitutes
04
Stock Soup
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Generic stock with similar body; 1:1 swap in soups, risotto, and pan sauces
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Generic stock reduces like chicken broth on the stovetop with comparable body and salt. Use 1:1 cup. Commercial stocks may carry added salt (up to 0.6%) and sometimes sugars; taste before reducing and adjust recipe salt accordingly. Homemade stock from bones delivers identical gelatin and body to homemade chicken broth.
05
Mushroom
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Simmer 1/2 cup dried mushrooms in 1 cup water 15 min; umami-rich vegetarian swap
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Mushroom broth on the stovetop carries serious umami — 0.15%+ glutamate versus chicken's 0.02% — so flavor reads deeper at equal volume. Use 1:1 cup. Steep 1/2 cup dried mushrooms 15 minutes in 1 cup hot water, strain through cheesecloth. Excellent in risotto, barley dishes, and vegetarian braises; pair with thyme and black pepper.
06
Miso
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Whisk 1 tsp miso paste into 1 cup hot water; rich umami vegetarian alternative for soups
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Miso broth (1 teaspoon paste in 1 cup water) on the stovetop won't tolerate a rolling boil — heat past 185°F destroys miso's fermented aromatics and kills live cultures. Use 1:1 cup. Add during last 2 minutes of cooking, off the boil. Salt reads about 2x chicken broth; cut recipe salt in half.
07
Tomato Juice
6.71/2 cup : 1 cup
Use 1/2 cup tomato juice + 1/2 cup water; adds tang, best in stews and braises not delicate soups
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Tomato juice diluted (1/2 cup juice + 1/2 cup water) on the stovetop adds acidity at pH 4.3-4.5, brightening braises and stews noticeably versus chicken broth's neutral pH 6.5. Use 1/2:1 cup ratio (half juice, half water). Not suitable for delicate soups or cream-based dishes — acid breaks dairy emulsions above 175°F.
08
Soy Sauce
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Dilute 1 tbsp soy sauce in 1 cup water; adds salty umami, reduce other salt in recipe
3.3
adjustment for this dish
Soy-sauce broth (1 tablespoon soy in 1 cup water) on the stovetop adds salty umami — 0.7% salt and 0.05% glutamate, higher than chicken broth. Use 1:1 cup. Cut other recipe salt by 1/2 teaspoon per cup. Color darkens the dish noticeably; not for dishes where pale broth appearance matters.
09
Yeast Extract Spread
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Stir 1 tsp yeast extract into 1 cup hot water; deep savory umami for vegetarian soups
3.3
10
Fish Broth
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Use only in seafood dishes; stronger marine flavor, not suitable for chicken-focused recipes
10.0
11
Apple Juice
6.71/2 cup : 1 cup
Dilute 1/2 cup apple juice with 1/2 cup water; adds sweetness, works in glazes and pan sauces
6.7