Vegetarian recipes, with the hidden stuff flagged
Set vegetarian once. Saucepan finds the meat, fish, gelatin and stock hiding in a recipe and suggests what to use instead.
Android is coming soon.
Saucepan is a cooking app. A flag is a guide, not a guarantee, and it is not medical or religious advice. Always check labels, and ask your doctor, dietitian or religious authority when it matters.
What the vegetarian filter does
Set it once, for everyone you cook for. Explore and your own recipes then show what fits, flag the ingredient that does not, and suggest a swap.
What Saucepan flags
- Meat, poultry and pork, including bacon, lard and meat stock.
- Fish, shellfish and molluscs, including anchovy and fish sauce.
- Gelatin and insect-derived colour (carmine).
- Cheeses traditionally made with animal rennet, such as Parmesan, are marked “check”, not “no”.
Where it cannot know
- Rennet. Many cheeses are made with animal rennet, others with microbial or plant rennet. A recipe rarely says which, so Saucepan asks you to check the label.
- Packaged foods with animal-derived ingredients that are not named in the recipe.
- Whether you eat eggs, dairy or honey. Saucepan allows them for vegetarian. If you avoid them, set vegan.
In short. Vegetarian in Saucepan allows dairy, eggs, honey and alcohol. Cheese made with animal rennet is flagged “check”.
Common vegetarian swaps
What to use instead, and how to use it.
Instead of Chicken stock
Vegetable stock or mushroom stock
Add a spoonful of miso or soy sauce for depth. Check that a stock cube has no meat extract.
Instead of Bacon
Smoked mushrooms or smoked tofu
Smoked paprika and a little oil in the pan bring back the smoky, salty edge.
Instead of Parmesan
Vegetarian hard cheese
Look for “suitable for vegetarians” on the label. It means microbial or plant rennet.
Instead of Ground beef
Lentils, crumbled tofu or chopped mushrooms
Brown them well and season hard. Lentils suit ragù and tacos.
Instead of Fish sauce
Soy sauce and a little lime
Or use a vegetarian “fish-free” sauce. Regular Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies.
Instead of Gelatin
Agar-agar
Agar sets firmer. It needs far less than gelatin and must be boiled to set, so follow the pack.
Instead of Lard
Butter or oil
Butter gives pastry the closest flavour. Use oil for frying.
Does this ingredient fit?
Type an ingredient and pick a diet. This is a quick guide built from Saucepan’s own ingredient table. It runs on your device.
Pick a starting point or type your own. Sauces and packaged foods vary, so the answer is a guide.
Questions
Is fish vegetarian in Saucepan?
No. Fish, shellfish and molluscs are flagged for a vegetarian filter. Choose pescatarian if you eat fish.
Why is Parmesan marked “check”?
Parmigiano-Reggiano is made with animal rennet. Other hard cheeses vary by maker. Saucepan cannot see the label, so it asks you to look.
Does Saucepan flag gelatin in desserts?
Yes. Gelatin is flagged for vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian and halal filters.
Is vegetarian the same as vegan?
No. Vegetarian allows dairy, eggs and honey. Vegan does not.
Related
Android is coming soon.
Saucepan is a cooking app. A flag is a guide, not a guarantee, and it is not medical or religious advice. Always check labels, and ask your doctor, dietitian or religious authority when it matters.