Is Lard Vegetarian?
No, lard is not vegetarian. It is made from rendered pork fat and is commonly used in baked goods and traditional cooking.
“Have you ever grabbed a store-bought pie crust or a pack of refried beans, only to wonder—wait, is this vegetarian?”
It’s easy to assume certain foods are vegetarian, but later, you might discover sneaky animal ingredients hidden in the ingredient list.
When it comes to cooking, a wide variety of ingredients add flavor and texture to dishes. One of these ingredients is lard, a type of fat derived from pigs.
Used in cooking for centuries, lard’s status as a vegetarian ingredient can confuse some. So, let’s discuss lard to help you determine if it aligns with your dietary choices.
Vegetarianism and Animal Products
Remember, you decide what you’re comfortable eating, not someone else’s definition or interpretation. That said, there are some general definitions or descriptions of different types of vegetarians or other people who avoid various animal products.
Here are some different categories of vegetarians:
- Vegan – excludes all animal products, including honey and, sometimes, figs.
- Lacto-ovo vegetarian – excludes animal products that require the animal to die. They include dairy (Lacto) and eggs (ovo)
- Lactovegetarian – includes dairy, but not eggs.
- Ovo vegetarian – includes eggs, but not dairy.
- Pescatarian – includes fish but no other animal flesh.
- Pollovegetarian – includes chicken/poultry, and sometimes fish, but no other animal flesh.
- Flexitarian – primarily vegetarian, but does include meat under certain circumstances, such as special occasions, with low frequency, or other determiners that vary from person to person. The Mediterranean Diet is an example of a Flexitarian diet pattern.
Most people following the above categories will avoid lard, perhaps except for the flexitarian.
What is Lard?
Lard is essentially pure pork fat, often chosen for the high smoke point, texture in the final product, and the mild flavor it can add to the recipe.
It is fairly neutral in flavor and smell compared to bacon grease, meaning we can potentially find vegetarian substitutes that will retain most of the flavor.
Lard is white, solid at room temperature, and has a waxy consistency.
How Lard is Produced
More specifically, lard comes from the fat harvested from the pig’s back and kidney area, while bacon fat comes from the pig’s belly. Producers then render the fat.
Rendering fat means the manufacturer removes any water from the fat to make it more shelf-stable. This process also makes the product consistent and predictable for cooking and baking.
Nutritional Information About Lard
Like other cooking fats, lard is almost 100% fat.
Gram for gram, butter, lard, olive oil, shortening, and more all contain the same amount of calories, or energy. What changes is the proportion of saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated fats and various trace nutrients.
For our purposes, we’ll focus on the types of fat first.
Lard contains roughly 40% saturated fat, 45% monounsaturated fat, and 15% polyunsaturated fat.
It is important to remember that the breakdown of fats in cooking fat is only part of the story.
Trace compounds in the fat, how often you eat various fats, the other components of your diet, your genetics, and your lifestyle choices all combine to shape your health outcomes.
Seeking help from a dietitian who knows you and your medical history well can help you determine what cooking fats are appropriate for you.
Why Lard is Not Vegetarian
Because lard comes from an animal, it is definitely not vegan. And because the pig is slaughtered to get lard, it is not considered a vegetarian product either.
Additionally, lard is not appropriate for many who adhere to religious dietary restrictions, such as halal and kosher laws.
Ultimately, choosing to include lard in your diet depends on your own ideology.
People choose to exclude animal products for a variety of reasons. The differences in those reasons will likely be the determining factor in whether or not a person who considers themselves a vegetarian opts to eat an animal product that isn’t technically meat.
Which Foods Commonly Include Lard
Because of its fairly neutral flavor and high smoke and melting points, lard has a wide range of uses in traditional cooking. British, Chinese, Central European, and Mexican cuisines all feature lard in traditional recipes. Here are some examples of recipes that traditionally contain lard:
- Mince pies
- Frying fat for fish and chips
- Christmas puddings – more similar to our fruit cakes in the US
- Liver pate
- Spanish coca – a breakfast pastry
- Several European countries have a version of “lardy bread” or pork drippings sandwiches.
- Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, and parts of China serve dishes roughly translated to “lard rice,” essentially rice, lard, and soy sauce.
- Japanese ramen often contains fatback lard.
- Lard is a common cooking fat for stir-fries and deep-fried dishes in many parts of Asia.
- Germans use plain or seasoned lard as a bread spread. Vegetarian versions became popular during economic hardship and are still easy to find.
- A common Polish appetizer mixes lard with fruit, like chopped apple, and spreads it on thick-cut bread.
- Mexican refried beans traditionally contain lard. You can make them yourself or buy one labeled vegetarian or fat-free at the grocery store.
- Medialunas, similar to croissants, use lard instead of butter and get topped with a rum-and-sugar glaze.
- Svíčková, a Czech dish, features marinated beef served with carrots, celeriac, and parsley root.
- Piadina Romagnola – an Italian sandwich that was once called “the bread of poverty, humanity, and freedom.” The flatbread recipe includes lard.
- Spanish and Portuguese Migas include a base of softened bread cooked in lard.
- Mexican tortillas often contain lard. Most commercial products found in grocery stores do not, but you may want to ask if the restaurant is making its own.
In the Grocery Store
Lard may be in the grocery store where you wouldn’t necessarily expect it. For instance:
- Pie Crusts
- Pastries – both in boxes on the shelves and in the bakery
- Biscuits
- Refried or otherwise flavored beans – look for the vegetarian label.
Other Uses
In addition to food, lard may be found in biofuels, candles, and soaps. It can also be used as a lubricant for some large machines, though this is less common now.
In the past, lard was also used in industrial fermenting processes, such as brewing, but newer products are now used instead.
Other Surprising Non-Vegetarian Ingredients to Watch For
Lard’s not the only sneaky animal product in seemingly vegetarian foods. Other sneaky animal ingredients include:
- Gelatin – most vegetarians know that gelatin is in “gummy” things. However, you may also find gelatin in:
- some yogurts
- some jellies
- various mints
- cheesecake
- marshmallows
- candy corn
- sugar-glazed cereals
- Rennet – used in the production of some cheeses, rennet is an enzyme that coagulates milk and is harvested from the stomach lining of some animals.
- It is becoming more common for companies to use bacterial-derived rennet. If this is the case, the label will usually state “vegetarian rennet.”
- Anchovies – it may be hard to think of an actual fish as a “sneaky” animal product. However, many sauces and condiments use anchovies paste, including:
- Worcestershire sauce
- Caesar salad dressing
- Some olive tapenades
- Broths
- Chicken or beef broth is often used in soups that would otherwise be vegetarian. I rarely eat soup at restaurants unless the menu specifically states what broth is used.
- Mashed potatoes – I was surprised when I heard someone say they use chicken broth for mashed potatoes. I’ve always only used milk!
How to Avoid Lard and Similar Ingredients
You’d think sticking to vegetarian options would be straightforward—but some ingredients can sneak into your meals without you even realizing it.
Think about holiday pies or cookies made with old family recipes—grandma might use lard for that perfectly flaky crust. Or those “vegetarian” tamales your coworker brought to the potluck? They might contain lard to keep the masa soft and flavorful.
Even some restaurant staples, like refried beans, can contain lard unless otherwise specified.
What can you do? It starts with awareness. When dining out, don’t hesitate to ask how a dish is prepared—most restaurants are happy to share whether they use lard or a vegetarian alternative like vegetable shortening. For store-bought products, always check the label.
Ingredients like “lard” or “animal fat” will be listed on ingredient labels, so it’s worth taking a moment to check that they align with your values.
You’ll sometimes find food that has had a third party verify that its product is vegan or vegetarian, such as the American Vegetarian Association and Vegan Action.
If you don’t see those seals, look at the ingredient list or use apps like Suitable for Vegetarian.
By staying vigilant and knowing what to look for, you can avoid these sneaky ingredients and stick to meals that fit your lifestyle.
If you’re recreating traditional recipes at home, there are plenty of substitutes to keep the taste and texture you love—vegetable shortening, coconut oil, or even plant-based butter are excellent options. A few simple swaps can keep your meals vegetarian-friendly while still honoring those comforting, nostalgic dishes.
Vegetarian and Vegan Alternatives to Lard
- Butter/Ghee—Butter is likely the vegetarian cooking fat that most mimics lard, as it comes from an animal source. The higher melting point and dairy flavor are often desired in certain dishes, but they won’t overpower the seasonings in others.
- Butter would likely work better than liquid fat sources for baking.
The other fats on this list are all vegan-friendly.
- Vegetable Shortening—You will sometimes find shortening under the name “vegetable lard.” Shortening has no flavor, so if you use it in your food to replace lard, you may need to adjust your seasonings considerably. Some people like to mix shortening with butter for this reason.
- Because shortening is solid at room temperature, it makes a better choice for baking than oils unless the recipe specifically calls for a liquid fat source.
- Margarine/Vegan Butter—Made to mimic butter, margarine and/or vegan butter are good options for spreading on toast or other bread. Most margarines available today do not contain hydrogenated oil (trans fat), but be sure to check the label.
- Coconut and palm oil – Both are plant oils high in saturated fat, so they are naturally solid at room temperature. Coconut oil is easier to find but imparts a coconut taste that is usually noticeable in the final recipe.
- Although social media often claims otherwise, many experts do not consider coconut oil a heart-healthy cooking oil, so its use should be moderated.
- Other oils – olive, canola, and avocado are all common cooking oils. Other options are oils made from soybeans, peanuts, almond, corn, sunflower, and safflower. These products are liquid at room temperature because of their higher proportions of unsaturated fat.
- While great for cooking and salad dressings, they are a poor substitution for solid fat in baking.
- Avocado—You can mash an avocado and use it as your fat source. Since avocados are pretty mild in flavor, they can be masked in many recipes, including those with chocolate.
- Note that depending on what you make, the avocado may alter the color of the final dish.
- Mashed banana or applesauce – When baking, you can sometimes eliminate the use of fat altogether and use mashed banana or applesauce instead. Use half the amount of lard that the recipe calls for. This may take some experimenting, though.
In conclusion, the debate over whether lard is vegetarian is complex. While made from animal fat, which goes against the principles of vegetarianism, it is still used in many traditional dishes and has its own unique flavor profile.
This makes it hard to eliminate for many people, even some vegetarians.
However, for those who choose to follow a vegetarian lifestyle, there are many plant-based alternatives to lard. From vegetable shortening to coconut oil, there are many healthy and delicious options available that can provide similar results.
It’s ultimately up to each individual to decide whether or not they want to include lard in their diet, but hopefully, this post has provided helpful information to help readers make an informed decision.
How To Avoid Lard – A Checklist
- Check labels for terms like “lard” or “animal fat.”
- Look for vegetarian certifications.
- Use apps or guides to verify products.
- When in doubt, ask about ingredients in restaurants or bakeries or at potlucks and family holidays.
- Know the vegetarian substitutes
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually, if you see the ingredient vegetarian (or vegan) lard, the product is actually vegetable shortening. It may potentially also be margarine.
Lard is not a vegetarian food or ingredient. However, each individual can make their own choices on which foods to include or exclude from their diet.
No judgments here!
Lard is fat from pigs. Since obtaining lard requires slaughtering the pig, it is not a vegetarian ingredient.
Pork appears frequently in many Asian cuisines, so chefs and cooks often use the readily available lard, or pork fat, in their dishes. It’s right there, right?
Because of this, you may find lard in dishes that may seem vegetarian otherwise, such as vegetable ramen or Chinese egg tarts. When ordering from a restaurant, look for an indicator that the dish is vegetarian or ask the server.
Most Mexican restaurants will have traditionally made refried beans, so they are not vegetarian-friendly. Taco Bell (if you choose to call them a Mexican restaurant) is a notable exception, as there is no “hidden meat” in any of their foods. All of their beans are certified vegetarian.
Luckily for us, though, restaurants often offer a black bean vegetarian alternative to refried beans. Most grocery stores have at least one vegetarian refried bean option on the shelf so that you can also have them at home.
These products, along with other cooking fats, are usually in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
Jennifer Hanes MS, RDN, LD is a registered dietitian, mom, wife, and vegetarian in North Texas. She has dedicated Dietitian Jenn to be a source of information, ideas, and inspiration for people like her, vegetarians that live with people with different dietary beliefs and/or needs in a multivore household.