What to Use Instead of Gelatine: Agar-Agar, Pectin and Other Options That Work

1. Agar-agar

A concentrated gelling agent made from seaweed that sets even at room temperature. It is denser than gelatine, so you use noticeably less of it by weight.

• Ratio: 1 g agar per 100 ml liquid for a firm jelly, roughly 3-4 times less than gelatine by weight
• Good to know: the mixture must be brought to the boil and simmered for 1-2 minutes, otherwise the agar will not set
• Best for: marshmallows, fruit jelly sweets and bird's milk soufflé, suitable for vegans and fasting

Recipe: Agar-agar fruit jelly recipe.

2. Pectin

A plant-based thickener made from apples and citrus that only works alongside sugar and acid. Without them the mixture sets poorly.

• Ratio: 5-10 g pectin per 1 kg fruit, check the exact dose for your type of pectin on the packet
• Good to know: sugar and acid, such as lemon juice, are essential, otherwise the gelling will not happen
• Best for: jams, conserves, fruit jellies and fillings

3. Cornflour and potato starch

The most affordable option, but it does not give a springy jelly, only thickens the liquid to a kissel. It suits anything that needs a soft, gooey texture.

• Ratio: 2-3 teaspoons starch per 250 ml liquid
• Good to know: first mix with cold water, then pour into the hot base and heat until thickened
• Best for: kissels, custards, sauces and pie fillings

4. Gelfix and Konfiturka

Ready-made pectin-based mixes for quick jam. The dose is already worked out by the maker, so it is hard to go wrong.

• Ratio: 1 sachet per 1 kg fruit, but check the instructions on your particular packet
• Good to know: add it in with the sugar following the method on the packet and boil for a couple of minutes
• Best for: quick jam, conserve and confiture in a single batch

5. Chia and flax seeds

When soaked they release a thick gel and thicken the mixture without any cooking. The texture comes out gloopy, with tiny seeds running through it.

• Ratio: 1-2 tablespoons chia per 200 ml liquid
• Good to know: leave to swell for 20-30 minutes, or better still overnight in the fridge
• Best for: vegan puddings, smoothie bowls and hearty breakfasts

6. Carrageenan and gums

Gelling additives from seaweed and plants that work in very small doses. Carrageenan is especially good with milk and cream.

• Ratio: 0.5-1 g per 250 ml liquid
• Good to know: carrageenan gives a delicate milk-based jelly, while gums (xanthan, guar) tend to thicken rather than set
• Best for: milk jellies, panna cotta, ice cream and stabilising creams

Recipe: Panna cotta recipe.

7. A setting stock for aspic

This is not an additive but a method in itself: long simmering of collagen-rich cuts gives a natural set, so gelatine is not needed at all. Instead of a ratio, go by your selection of meat cuts and the cooking time.

• Guide selection: pork and beef trotters, ears, tails, cartilage and shin
• Good to know: simmer it long and gently, 4-6 hours, without a rolling boil
• Best for: holodets, aspic and brawn, which set thanks to collagen

Recipe: Slow cooker holodets recipe.

• Always bring agar to the boil and cook it for 1-2 minutes, only then will it set properly.
• Mix agar and starch into cold liquid to avoid lumps, and only then add them to the hot base.
• Remember the difference: agar and pectin give a springy jelly, while starch, chia and flax only thicken.
• For acidic juices and berries increase the agar dose a little, as acid weakens the set.
• If your agar jelly sets badly, melt it down over heat and pour it back into the mould.
• Test the set on a small spoon in the freezer: in 1-2 minutes it will be clear whether the mixture will hold.

• Using as much agar as gelatine. This makes the jelly too hard and rubbery.
• Not boiling the agar, just adding hot water. Without boiling, the mixture will not set.
• Trying to make a springy jelly with starch. Starch only thickens and gives a kissel, not a jelly.
• Adding pectin without sugar and acid, then being surprised the jam will not thicken.
• Pouring agar over fresh pineapple, kiwi or papaya without heating them. Their enzymes stop the set, so the fruit needs to be cooked first.

The easiest thing to remember is the main rule of thumb: you need 3-4 times less agar than gelatine by weight. If a recipe calls for 12 g of gelatine, use roughly 3-4 g of agar. For a firm jelly aim for 1 g of agar per 100 ml of liquid, for a delicate jelly 0.5-0.8 g is enough. Pectin is usually added as per the packet, most often 5-10 g per 1 kg of fruit along with the sugar. Always do a test: drop a little of the mixture onto a cold plate and see how it sets, then add more thickener if needed.

Gelatine is of animal origin, so during fasting and on a vegan menu it is replaced with plant-based alternatives. The most reliable options are agar-agar and pectin: they are fully plant-based and give a proper jelly. For soft puddings and breakfasts chia seeds and ground flax work well, thickening the liquid without any cooking. Carrageenan and gums are plant-based too and work well in dairy and plant-based desserts. With these swaps you can make fasting-friendly jelly, jelly sweets, marshmallows and fruit fillings without any animal products.

There is no one-size-fits-all substitute: each dish calls for its own gelling agent and its own ratio. Below is a quick guide to what to reach for and what to expect from the texture.

Fruit jelly: agar, 4-8 g per 1 litre of liquid (about 1 g per 100 ml for a firm jelly you can slice). The catch: it holds its shape even in the warmth, but comes out firmer and more matte, less wobbly than a gelatine set.

Meat aspic and jellied dishes: a naturally setting stock from trotters, ears and hocks, with no additives. If the stock is weak, add agar at 3-4 g per 1 litre. The catch: with agar the cut is firmer and slightly cloudier, but it will set even in the heat.

No-bake cheesecake: agar at 1 g per 100 ml of the liquid part. The catch: the cut comes out firm and sliceable rather than creamy and soft; for a softer set use the minimum of agar, or carrageenan.

Mousse cake: carrageenan or a small dose of agar (0.5-1 g per 250 ml), with NH pectin to stabilise the fillings. The catch: too much agar tears the airy foam and makes the mousse rubbery, and ordinary jam pectin is no good for mousses.

Panna cotta: agar at about 4 g per 1 litre of cream, brought to the boil. The catch: agar makes panna cotta firmer and less wobbly; for a creamy texture use the minimum of agar or add a little carrageenan.

Zefir, pastila, bird's milk sweets and soufflé: agar only, 7-10 g per standard batch (about 450-500 g of purée), with the syrup boiled down to 107-110°C. The catch: agar sets quickly and holds the whipped foam, while gelatine and pectin do not give that kind of stability; pastila can also be made with apple purée.

Firm fruit jelly sweets and pâte de fruits: yellow pectin or agar. The catch: agar gives a firm, self-standing sweet, while yellow pectin gives the more elastic set typical of a classic pâte.

Jam and confiture: pectin with sugar and acid (5-15 g per 1 kg depending on the sugar) or chia seeds for a sugar-free version. The catch: without sugar and acid, pectin simply will not work.

Yoghurt, curd cheese and soured cream creams: agar at 1 g per 100 ml, or carrageenan. The catch: agar sets at as low as 40°C, so the boiled agar is stirred into a warm base and mixed in quickly, otherwise you get lumps.

Unlike agar and gelatine, pectin does not set on its own: it needs both sugar and acid at the same time. That is exactly why jam made from low-acid fruit, or a preserve with little sugar, often stays runny no matter how long you cook it. If the fruit is low in acid, you add lemon juice or citric acid.

The types of pectin differ by purpose. Apple and citrus pectin are all-rounders for jams and preserves. Yellow pectin is not troubled by long cooking and does not melt again once set, so it is used for firm fruit jelly sweets and pâte de fruits. NH pectin is thermoreversible, dissolving and setting again and again, which is why it goes into mirror glaze and mousse cake fillings. Certain brands (FX and the like) are designed for dairy desserts.

The dose depends on how much sugar there is: the more sugar, the less pectin you need. As a guide: about 5 g per 1 kg of mixture with 500 g of sugar, and up to 12-15 g per 1 kg if there is little sugar. To stop the pectin clumping, mix it in advance with some of the sugar (roughly 1 part pectin to 2-5 parts sugar) and sprinkle it in a stream into the almost boiling mixture while stirring, then cook for 1-2 minutes.

In airy desserts such as zefir, pastila, bird's milk sweets and soufflé, gelatine is replaced specifically with agar, and that is no accident. Agar sets quickly, at as low as 35-40°C, so it instantly fixes the whipped foam and it does not collapse. Gelatine sets more slowly and does not give such a stable structure, while pectin without sugar and acid will not work at all.

The proportions are approximate: 7-10 g of agar per standard batch (about 450-500 g of fruit purée plus egg white). The agar is first soaked, then dissolved in syrup and boiled down to 107-110°C so that the finished mass holds its shape well. Classic pastila can also be made with apple purée that is high in its own pectin, in which case no shop-bought gelling agent is needed at all.

An important point on technique: agar is added to hot syrup, and you start whipping the mass while it is still warm, otherwise it will set too soon right there in the bowl. The step-by-step proportions are easy to follow in a separate recipe for agar-based zefir.

You can set a dessert or a jellied dish with no agar, pectin or gelatine at all, provided you use ingredients that are naturally high in their own pectin or collagen.

For sweet dishes, a reduced purée of apples, quinces, gooseberries or redcurrants works well: these fruits are rich in natural pectin, so jam, firm fruit jelly sweets and pastila made from them thicken on their own. Citrus peel with its white pith is also rich in pectin, and its decoction is sometimes added to preserves for body.

For meat aspic, brawn and jellied dishes, the collagen comes from the right cuts: pork and beef trotters, ears, hocks, tails and skin. With long cooking (5-6 hours over a low heat) the collagen passes into the stock, and it sets without a single gram of gelatine. If the cuts were lean and the stock came out weak, you strengthen it with a little gelatine or agar.

The substitutes give noticeably different results, and it is worth taking that into account in advance, before you start cooking.

Agar: no taste or smell, but the gel is firm, springy and slightly brittle, self-standing rather than wobbly, and it clouds clear jellies a little.

Gelatine: neutral in taste, giving an elastic, soft, wobbly texture and a clear shine, but it melts in the warmth.

Starch: makes the mass opaque and coating, and with too much you get a starchy aftertaste; it is good for kissels, creams and fillings, but not for a clean sliceable jelly.

Pectin: gives a soft, fruity texture, but requires sugar and acid.

Chia and flax seeds: form a gel-like mass with visible seeds, neutral in taste, suited to puddings, smoothies and sugar-free jams.

Carrageenan: works more gently than agar and is especially good in dairy desserts.

These thickeners are often lumped together, even though they behave differently and should not be confused.

Carrageenan is made from red seaweed. It sets dairy desserts particularly well because it works in the presence of calcium and potassium, so it is used for panna cotta, blancmange and milk jelly.

Xanthan gum (xanthan) is first and foremost a stabiliser and thickener: it does not give a firm sliceable gel, but it binds moisture, stabilises foam and prevents separation, working in very small doses, fractions of a gram.

Guar gum and locust bean gum thicken a product, including when cold, and work well in combination with carrageenan and xanthan, reinforcing one another. They are handy in sauces, ice cream and drinks rather than for moulded jelly.

More substitution guides: sour cream and kefir. More in culinary tips →

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