VegWeb Guide to Egg Replacers

Massive egg recalls due to salmonella contamination? Disgusting. Rising egg prices and industry scrutiny? Deserved. Supporting the egg industry isn’t worth your money or morals, especially when alternative options abound. If the risk of salmonella poisoning isn’t a convincing enough reason to swear off eggs, consider the inhumane treatment of hens on factory farms. While going cage-free is a step in the right direction, cutting out eggs completely is the best decision for both your health and the environment. With ingenious bakers developing delicious vegan versions of traditional favorites, herbivores can enjoy eggless foods like never before. From flax seeds to tofu omelets, the innovative world of egg substitution is well within reach—and no one will ever know the difference.

Ener-G Egg Replacer
This long-time baking favorite is a simple way to replace eggs in your recipes. Made from potato starch, tapioca flour, and leavening agents, it helps to bind and leaven baked goods. Whisk together 1-1/2 teaspoons with 2 tablespoons warm water until frothy!

Ground flax seeds
Egg replacing in baking can be a lot more creative than relying on boxed egg replacer. When veganizing muffins, cookies, and cakes, a good go-to egg substitute is ground flax seeds. Cheap and nutritious, when blended with a little bit of water—three tablespoons of water to one tablespoon of ground flax yields about one “egg”—flax creates a mixture that binds baking ingredients together.

Bananas
When making banana bread and other cakes containing bananas, the fruit itself has binding qualities and can stand in as an egg replacer. For every egg you need, simply mash or purée 1/2 banana.

Eggless brunching
Fancy a delicious brunch without the eggs? It’s time to create your signature tofu scramble! Experiment with various recipes, spices, and add-ins—everything from shiitake mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh spinach will wow friends and family. For a unique twist, add a 1/2 teaspoon of kala namak—also called black salt despite being pink in hue—which adds a sulfuric taste similar to eggs. And don’t forget to peruse the frittata, scramble, and brunch recipes found right here on VegWeb!

Want more egg substitutions? Try any number of the following:

Baking powder & baking soda
1 egg = 1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder + 1-1/2 tablespoons warm water + 1-1/2 tablespoons oil (use = leavening)
1 egg = 1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder + 1 tablespoon warm water + 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (use = leavening)
1 egg = 2 teaspoons baking soda + 2 tablespoons warm water (use = leavening)
1 egg = 2 teaspoons baking soda + 2 tablespoons warm water + 1/2 teaspoon oil (use = leavening)
1 egg = 1 teaspoon baking powder + 1 teaspoon vinegar (use = leavening)

Flour
1 egg = 1 teaspoon soy flour + 1 tablespoon water (use = binding + moisture)
1 egg = 3 tablespoons water + 3 tablespoons flour + 1-1/2 teaspoons vegetable shortening, + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (use = leavening)

Fruit
1 egg = 1/4 cup applesauce or puréed fruit (use = binding and moisture)
1 egg = 1/4 cup pumpkin purée or squash purée (use = binding and moisture)
1 egg = 1/4 cup apricot or prune purée (use = binding and moisture)

Nuts & seeds
1 egg = 3 tablespoons nut butter
1 egg = 1 teaspoon psyllium seed husk + 1/4 cup water (let stand 5 mintues; use = binding and moisture)

Soy
1 egg = 1-1/2 tablespoons lecithin granules + 1-1/2 tablespoons water + 1 teaspoon baking powder (use = leavening)
1 egg = 1/4 cup silken tofu (use = binding and moisture)

Starch
1 egg = 2 tablespoons arrowroot + 1 tablespoon water (use: binding and moisture)
1 egg = 2 tablespoons corn starch + 1 tablespoon water (use: binding and moisture)
1 egg = 2 tablespoons potato starch + 1 tablespoon water (use: binding and moisture)
1 egg = 1-1/2 teaspoon tapioca/corn starch + 1-1/2 teaspoon potato starch + 1/8 teaspoon baking powder + pinch xanthan gum + 3-1/2 tablespoons water + 1 teaspoon oil (whisk to froth; use = leavening)

Other
1 egg = 1 teaspoon yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water (use = leavening)
1 egg = 3 tablespoons vegetable oil + 1 tablespoon water (use = moisture and binding)
1 egg = 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise (use = moisture and binding)
1 egg = 3 tablespoons mashed beans (use = moisture and binding)
1 egg = 3 tablespoons mashed potatoes (use = moisture and binding)

Egg white substitution
1 egg white = 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum + 1/4 cup water (let stand 5 minutes, then whip; use = leavening)

Egg yolk substitution
1 egg = 1-1/2 tablespoons lecithin granules + 2 teaspoons water (use = moisture and binding)
The Vegg