What can I use instead of brewer’s yeast? Nutritional yeast is the best replacement for brewer’s yeast, offering a similar taste and application. For baking, you can also use dry brewer’s yeast, baker’s yeast, or baking soda (and acid). Additionally, miso and yeast extract deliver similar flavors but aren’t suitable as leavening agents.
Brewer’s yeast is a nutritional, single-celled fungus that shines in beer and bread production. The yeast is ideal for baking, brewing, or nutritional supplement. Consider the following alternatives if you can’t find brewer’s yeast at the store or simply don’t like the bitter taste.
The Best Brewer’s Yeast Substitutes
Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast, also known as vegan yeast, comes from the same yeast species as brewer’s yeast, giving them similar properties and flavors.
However, nutritional yeast is more bitter than brewer’s yeast – fortunately, we can easily work around this subtle difference.
Use nutritional yeast to replace brewer’s yeast in yeasts, juices, sauces, seasonings, stews, and cooked veggies.
Nutritional yeast’s bitter taste might make it inappropriate to brew beer unless you enjoy a strong, bitter taste.
Nutritional yeast contains equal amounts of micronutrients as brewer’s yeast. So, you don’t have to add any additional ingredients to up the nutritional value.
Use a single tablespoon of nutritional yeast per bread loaf and equal substitutes for other recipes.
Sourdough Yeast
Sourdough is cultured from natural yeasts present in the air and kept alive in a “starter” medium – an ancient preserving method to store yeast for extended periods.
Sourdough is one of the most common brewer’s yeast alternatives. It imparts a distinctive tangy taste.
You can use sourdough to make bread, pizza bases, muffins, and cakes.
The production is straightforward; mix flour and water into a jar and expose it to the air to allow wild yeast and bacteria to colonize the mixture to create a leavening agent.
You’ll need approximately 300 grams sourdough to replace 25 grams brewers’ yeast. When using sourdough to replace brewer’s yeast, the leavening time will be up to three times longer.
Dry Brewer’s Yeast
You can use a packet of dry brewer’s yeast to replace fresh brewer’s yeast. The dried form is perfect for preparing bread and pizza dough.
You can use dry brewer’s yeast similarly to fresh brewer’s yeast, including brewing, baking, and adding a nutty, slightly bitter, and nutty flavor to foods.
The general rule is to substitute 23 grams fresh brewer’s yeast with 7 grams dried yeast. So, multiply the recipe’s fresh yeast quantity by 7 and divide by 23 for exact amounts.
Then, add the dried brewer’s yeast directly to your other dry ingredients instead of dissolving it in liquid first.
Baker’s Yeast
Baker’s yeast is the most common leavening agent used to produce bread and other baked goods. You can find baker’s yeast in several forms, including fresh, instant, liquid, and active dry.
Both baker’s and brewer’s yeast are made from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae fungus species but from different strains.
You can replace baker’s yeast with brewer’s yeast when baking bread, pizzas, and other baked goods.
Mix baker’s yeast with sugar to release the carbon dioxide in baker’s yeast, allowing the yeast to expand the dough and cause it to rise.
Read the package for details on how to use the baker’s yeast; some require activation in water and sugar beforehand, while others can instantly be added to the dry ingredients.
Use 25% less when using baker’s yeast to replace brewer’s yeast.
Miso
Miso is a Japanese seasoning made by fermenting soybeans, koji, salt, and grain (rice, barley, or wheat) for about three years.
Miso is available in a paste or powder form and offers a rich, umami taste. You can use miso to replace brewer’s yeast in several recipes.
Miso is not suitable as a leavening agent. However, you can replace brewer’s yeast for miso in bread, ramen, soups, and sauces.
Like brewer’s yeast, miso is rich in probiotics, making it an excellent digestive aid.
Replace a single tablespoon of brewer’s yeast with equal amounts of miso to add an umami flavor to your dish. Feel free to add more or less miso to suit your palate.
Yeast Extract
Yeast extract is a rich, salty spread often used as a spread for bread and croissants.
You can use yeast extract to provide a similar flavor to brewer’s yeast. Still, it won’t have the same raising effect as the yeast spores are inactivated once the extract is heated during production.
The yeasty flavor of yeast extract is perfect for adding to marinated meat, stew, soup, and rich sauces.
Yeast extract is sold under famous brands like Vegemite, Marmite, and more.
Use a 1:1 ratio of brewer’s yeast and yeast extract to add a savory flavor to your recipes. Feel free to add more or less yeast extract to suit your palate.
Baking Soda & Apple Cider Vinegar
Baking soda is an excellent substitute for brewer’s yeast. However, it requires a little boost from acid, like apple cider vinegar, to activate it. You can also use lemon juice, yogurt, or buttermilk.
Replace brewer’s yeast with baking soda and apple cider vinegar to make delicious bread, pizzas, and desserts.
Use ½ teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) to create the baking soda substitute for brewer’s yeast.
Alternatively, use around 125 grams yogurt or buttermilk with ½ teaspoon baking soda.