Weeknight ingredient substitutions
Straightforward swaps for broth, greens, dairy, herbs, and noodles when the recipe and the refrigerator do not match.
Broth and aromatics
Low-sodium chicken broth and vegetable broth can stand in for each other in soups and skillet pasta. Water plus an extra pinch of salt works in a tomato pasta if you have no broth, though the sauce will taste less round. Onion and shallot swap by volume. A clove of garlic can stand in for a teaspoon of garlic powder, using less powder than fresh because it is concentrated.
Greens and vegetables
Baby spinach, chopped kale, and Swiss chard all wilt into soups and orzo. Kale needs a few extra minutes. Broccoli, green beans, and asparagus can share a sheet pan with chicken if they are cut to a similar size. Sweet potato and butternut squash both roast well, but squash cooks a little faster.
Dairy and cheese
Half-and-half can replace heavy cream in a skillet sauce if you simmer it gently and do not boil it hard. Greek yogurt should be stirred in off the heat. Parmesan, pecorino, and a firm cheddar are not the same flavor, but any one of them can finish a pasta if that is what you have. Use a cheese you like to eat plain.
Noodles and grains
Any long pasta can replace linguine in the one-pot tomato recipe. Add a splash more liquid if the shape is thick. Rice noodles and egg noodles do not share a cook time. Follow the package, and add delicate noodles near the end of a soup.