What can I substitute for lard?

Running low on lard? Here are the best verified substitutes, including how to adjust your measurements.

lard — ingredient substitution guide — Photo by 麗娜顏 on Pexels

About lard

Lard is rendered pig fat, traditionally used as a cooking and baking fat prized for its high smoke point and ability to create exceptionally flaky pastry. It has a mild, slightly savoury flavour that enriches both sweet and savoury dishes without overpowering them. Its unique fat crystal structure makes it particularly valued for pie crusts, tamales, and frying.

Best substitute

vegetable shortening

Vegetable shortening mimics lard's solid fat structure and neutral flavour, producing similarly flaky pastry and comparable frying results. It is fully plant-based and widely available, though it lacks lard's subtle savoury depth.

Use 1 cup for every 1 cup of lard

bakingpastryfryingsautéingauthentic flavour replication

Alternative

unsalted butter

Butter can replace lard in most baking and cooking applications, contributing a rich dairy flavour and good flakiness due to its water content creating steam during baking. Use cold, cubed butter in pastry for best results, noting the flavour profile will be noticeably different.

Use 1 cup for every 1 cup of lard

bakingpastrysautéingroastinghigh-heat fryingdairy-free recipes

What is lard called in other countries?

Country	Name
Australia	lard
Canada	lard
New Zealand	lard
United Kingdom	lard
United States	lard

Common names for lard

rendered pork fatpig fatpork lardmanteca

Related ingredients

butter

3 substitutes available

shortening

2 substitutes available

vegetable oil

3 substitutes available

ghee

5 substitutes available

olive oil

5 substitutes available

coconut oil

5 substitutes available

Solid coconut oil provides a comparable fat structure to lard, working well in pastry and frying. Refined coconut oil is preferred as it has a neutral flavour, whereas unrefined will impart a distinct coconut taste.

Use 1 cup for every 1 cup of lard

bakingpastryfryingvegan recipessavoury dishes requiring neutral flavour (unrefined)

Alternative

beef tallow

Rendered beef fat is the closest animal-based alternative to lard, offering a similarly high smoke point and solid fat structure ideal for frying and roasting. It carries a beefier flavour than lard, which works well in savoury applications but can be noticeable in baked goods.

Use 1 cup for every 1 cup of lard

fryingroastingsavoury pastrysweet bakingneutral-flavour applications

Alternative

duck fat

Duck fat is a premium rendered animal fat with a rich, savoury flavour that can substitute lard in roasting and frying applications. It produces wonderfully crisp results and is especially prized for roast potatoes, though its stronger flavour and higher cost make it a niche choice.

Use 1 cup for every 1 cup of lard

roastingfryingconfitsavoury cookingsweet bakingbudget cooking