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Best Healthy Substitutes for Heavy Cream in Pasta & Soup in 2024

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Best Healthy Substitutes for Heavy Cream in Pasta & Soup in 2024

Heavy cream is rich and gives the body to many baking recipes. But whether you're a special dieter or just lactose intolerant, heavy cream may not be an option for your diet when it comes to cooking. Looking to save on fat, calories, or sodium in your favorite recipes? With these popular healthy ingredient substitutes, you won't taste the difference in most recipes. This article aims to share alternatives to heavy cream for sweet or savory applications.

1. What Is Heavy Cream?

Heavy cream and whipping cream—think they're the same? Think again. These seemingly similar varieties of cream contain different amounts of milkfat, which can create very different products.

First, heavy cream comes from fresh milk. When milk stands out, heavy cream rises to the top.

Heavy cream contains 36% to 40% milk fat and is thicker than light cream, whipping cream, half-and-half, whole milk, and evaporated milk.

Heavy cream's high fat content means it doesn't curdle when heated, making it perfect for whipping into stiff peaks.

And heavy cream is a common ingredient found in both sweet and savory recipes.

If you’re wondering the difference between heavy cream and heavy whipping cream, they’re the same thing—the term simply depends on the brand you choose.

What is double cream? Double cream is essentially the British version of heavy cream, but it contains an even higher percentage of milk fat—about 48%.

Takeaways

Heavy cream contains between 36 and 40 percent milkfat.
Whipping cream contains between 30 and 35 percent milkfat.
Light cream contains between 18 and 30 percent milkfat.
Half-and-half contains between 10.5 and 18 percent milkfat.

2. Why look for an alternative to heavy cream?

Heavy cream makes everything richer, creamier, and tastier.

It might taste like heaven, but it's high in calories and fat. This may make it a no-go food for some folks.

It also doesn’t fit into some common dietary patterns, like dairy-free and vegan diets. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your fave dessert recipe.

Here are some healthy alternatives to heavy cream that will make your dishes taste just as delicious.

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3. What are the best substitutes for Heavy Cream?

#1. Coconut Milk or Coconut Cream (Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-Free, Keto-Friendly)

What is a substitute for heavy cream if you are following a special diet? Coconut milk is a perfect vegan heavy cream substitute, but it's also great for those who stick to a paleo, gluten-free, or ketogenic diet.

Coconut milk has the same thick consistency of heavy cream, but without the dairy. For the best results, be sure to use full-fat coconut milk and shake the can before opening. For an even thicker option, try using coconut cream.

Coconut cream is what is left over from making coconut milk. It’s somewhat similar to heavy cream in texture and consistency.

Either canned or carton coconut cream will work as a substitute but you should check the fat content as canned tends to have a higher fat content than boxed.

You can buy coconut cream in cans or cartons, but you should check the fat content, as cans tend to be higher in fat than boxes.

Or, if you have a can of coconut milk, you can make it yourself.

To make coconut whipped cream, follow these steps:

chill a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight or until firm
open the can and pour away the liquid, leaving just the solid coconut cream
scoop the cream into a chilled bowl and whip with a handheld mixer or blender

Coconut cream doesn’t increase in volume the way cream does when whipped, but it does make a respectable dollop that's killer on cupcakes!

This non-dairy substitute has a distinct coconut flavor, which means that it will not be suitable for use in all dishes. But it's great for both sweet and savory dishes, like soups and pastas.

You can substitute coconut cream with heavy cream in a 1:1 ratio. You can even whip it with some sugar, just be sure the flavor of coconut will complement the recipe. Make sure you work with unsweetened coconut cream, though, as sweet versions tend to be more prevalent than unsweetened ones.

#2. Milk and Butter (Gluten-Free, Keto-Friendly)

If your recipe calls for heavy cream and you find that there is none in the fridge, you can substitute a milk and butter mixture.

Melt ¼ cup unsalted butter and slowly whisk in ¾ cup whole milk or half-and-half.

Then, use the mixture as a one-to-one replacement for heavy cream and can be used in place of heavy cream in most recipes.

However, This mixture won’t be as smooth and silky as the real thing, nor, sadly, will it hold its shape when whipped.

The fat in the butter mimics the fat in heavy cream, while the milk is a seamless dairy substitute.

That said, this substitute can be used in any sweet application that doesn't require whipping.

#3. Evaporated milk

Evaporated milk is thicker and creamier than regular milk and has a longer shelf life.

Evaporated milk works well as a heavy cream substitute in whole milk-style sauces or soups.

In the making of evaporated milk, regular cow’s milk gets pressure-cooked until it sheds about half of its water content, making it thicker in consistency.

For a healthy alternative to heavy cream in sauces or soups, try evaporated skim milk; this will slash calories and eliminate nearly all of the saturated fat you’d find in heavy cream.

Substitute an equal amount of evaporated milk for heavy cream for delicious baked goods.