2023 Vegan Egg Substitutes Guide
Best Vegan Egg Substitutes
Eggs are used to add moisture, leavening, structure, or binding (or sometimes all of these properties) to recipes. The best vegan egg replacer for your specific recipe depends on the egg’s function in the recipe. Explore these homemade and store bought vegan egg products to select the best one for your needs.
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with Ingredients at Home
- Applesauce
Unsweetened applesauce is an easy-to-use, affordable, and healthy vegan egg substitute that can be used in all kinds of pastries and baked goods. It works well in recipes for binding and to add a fluffy texture to baked goods like muffins, cakes, and pancakes.
How to Use: Replace 1 egg with ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce.
- Flax Eggs
Flax eggs are a mixture of ground flaxseeds and water blended until a gooey, gelatinous texture is achieved. They are an excellent binder and can lend a chewy texture to recipes like bars, cookies, and brownies.
How to Use: To replace 1 egg, mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water, then let sit for 5-10 minutes before using in a recipe.
- Arrowroot or Cornstarch
Arrowroot and cornstarch are starches that work well in recipes that use eggs as a thickener, such as pudding and custard. It also works well in baked goods as a direct replacement for eggs since it won’t alter the flavor of the final product like other vegan egg substitutes might.
How to Use: Replace 1 egg with 1 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water. Make sure to stir well.
- Vegan Yogurt
Dairy-free yogurt can be used as a vegan egg substitute in baking by adding moisture and binding properties. It’s a great choice for cakes, muffins, and quick breads. Try plain unsweetened yogurt or experiment with other flavors.
How to Use: Replace 1 egg with ¼ cup vegan yogurt.
- Aquafaba
Aquafaba is the liquid from a can of chickpeas and can be used as a vegan egg substitute by whipping it into a foam or meringue. It’s one of the few egg replacers that can whip into meringue and be used as an egg white substitute. Try it in meringue, macarons, marshmallows, and as an egg wash.
How to Use: Replace 1 egg with 3 tablespoons of aquafaba whisked until foamy, or add an acid like lemon juice or cream of tartar and whip into a cream or meringue according to your recipe.
- Silken Tofu
Silken tofu can be used as a vegan egg substitute by blending it until smooth and adding. It helps add structure and binding to recipes like brownies, cakes, and pancakes.
How to Use: Replace 1 egg with ¼ cup silken tofu blended in a food processor or blender.
- Mashed Banana
Mashed banana is an easy-to-use egg replacer that adds moisture, binding, and a cake like texture to baked goods so it’s delicious in muffins and pancakes. It does add a banana flavor to your recipe so it works well in recipes with other strong flavors to cover it up like chocolate or peanut butter.
How to Use: Replace 1 egg with ¼ cup mashed banana.
- Vinegar and Baking Soda
Vinegar and baking soda can be used as a vegan egg substitute to add leavening (rising and structure) to baked goods. It works best for cakes, quick breads, and muffins. The chemical reaction created when the vinegar and baking soda mix helps leaven the batter, but be sure to work quickly so it doesn’t fall flat.
How to Use: Replace 1 egg with 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon baking soda, or use a recipe that calls for vinegar and baking soda in lieu of eggs.
Store-bought Options
JUST Egg is a vegan egg substitute made from mung beans that has a similar texture and taste to real eggs. It’s perfect for savory egg dishes like scrambled eggs, omelettes, french toast, and quiches. It can also be used as a binder for baked goods, making it one of the most versatile vegan egg substitutes available.
Ener-G Egg Replacer is a gluten-free and vegan egg substitute made from potato starch, tapioca flour, and leavening agents. It’s best used for baked goods that call for eggs as a binding agent, such as pancakes, muffins, and cookies.
Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer is a gluten-free and vegan egg substitute made from potato starch, tapioca flour, and baking powder. Similar to Ener-G Egg Replacer, it’s great for recipes that require eggs as a binding agent, such as cakes, cookies, and muffins.
The Neat Egg is a vegan egg substitute made from ground chia seeds and garbanzo beans. It’s a perfect all-purpose egg replacer for baked goods, but also savory vegan recipes such as vegan meatloaf, veggie burgers, and meatballs.
Namaste Foods Egg Replacer is a gluten-free and vegan egg substitute made from potato starch, tapioca flour, citrus fiber, cream of tartar, and baking powder. It works well for binding in recipes such as pancakes, waffles, and muffins. Each bag contains the equivalent of 56 eggs.
Simply Eggless Egg Replacer is a liquid egg substitute made from legume protein that can be used for savory egg dishes like scrambles, omelettes, and quiches, as well as an egg replacer in baked goods. It’s sustainably produced, free of common allergens, and high protein.
Best Vegan Cake Mixes Without Eggs
Since most cake mixes require that you add eggs, oil or butter, and milk to prepare the cake, the dry mix itself is usually vegan. By using vegetable oil, plant milk, and any vegan egg substitute, you can have your cake mix (and eat it too!).
You can even replace the oil AND eggs with 12 ounces seltzer water or your favorite soda, cutting down on the amount of oil and fat in the cake as well. Try one of these tasty soda and cake mix flavor combinations.
Duncan Hines has many vegan-friendly dry cake mixes. The devil’s food cake is a rich and decadent chocolate cake mix with a deep cocoa flavor and a moist, velvety texture.
This Duncan Hines yellow cake mix is a timeless favorite with a light, buttery flavor and a tender crumb that pairs perfectly with any frosting or filling.
It’s hard to choose a cake flavor from Betty Crocker’s lineup of vegan cake mixes! The French vanilla cake mix makes a fluffy and moist cake with a smooth, creamy vanilla flavor that is perfect for any occasion.
Pillsbury has several exciting cake mix flavors, including this popular strawberry cake! It’s a deliciously fruity cake with a sweet strawberry flavor and a soft, tender crumb that melts in your mouth.
Vegan Egg Recipes
Try one of these savory vegan egg recipes that utilize ingredients like tofu, commercially-available vegan egg products, and flavorings to mimic the taste and texture of eggs.
A common ingredient used in vegan egg dishes is kala namak, or black salt. This salt is used in Indian cooking and can be found online or in local Indian markets. It contains sulfur compounds, which lend an egg-like flavor and aroma to vegan egg dishes.
Tofu scramble is a healthy, tasty, and filling breakfast. This tofu scramble has a burst of color from the fresh veggies and herbs, and cooks in just 15 minutes.
These vegan fried eggs are made with a silken tofu egg white and a “yolk” that gets its vibrant yellow color from turmeric and an eggy flavor from kala namak.
Chickpea flour mixed with eggs has a similar flavor to eggs when seasoned and thoroughly cooked, so it makes a wonderful omelette in this breakfast dish! Tip: avoid tasting the chickpea flour and water mixture before cooking. Chickpea flour tastes quite awful raw!
JUST Egg is made with mung bean protein, so this creative blogger found a way to make a liquid vegan egg similar to JUST Egg with soaked and blended mung beans. If you love JUST Egg but don’t love the price of a small bottle, try making it from scratch.
Who says vegans can’t enjoy quiche?! This flavorful quiche is filled with healthy spinach and mushrooms and all the flavor of quiche made with eggs.
This vegan French toast is made with almond milk, millet flour, and a pinch of nutritional yeast to replace the moisture, texture, and flavor of eggs. Enjoy topped with sliced fruit, vegan butter, and maple syrup.
A frittata is a baked egg dish mixed with vegetables, potatoes, and fresh herbs. It’s very much an “everything but the kitchen sink” type of recipe, but it’s a little bit fancy. This frittata is made with silken tofu and veggies and makes a wonderful weekend brunch dish.
Egg Wash Substitutes
Egg wash is used in a variety of culinary applications to give breads and pastries a golden brown exterior, help seeds and other toppings adhere to the surface of your bread, or when making breaded dishes like crispy tofu or seitan.
The type of egg wash you’ll want to use depends on your recipe. Check out this in-depth test of 20+ egg wash substitutes from Thank You Berry Much for more ideas for your specific dish.
Best All Purpose Egg Wash: Aquafaba
Aquafaba, the liquid from a can of chickpeas, can be used as an egg wash in almost any recipe. It’s great for sweet and savory recipes, and can be used to adhere seeds and toppings to the surface of your baked goods.
Best Savory Egg Wash Substitute: Olive Oil
Brushing your breads and pastries with olive oil before baking helps give them a crusty texture and shiny look.
Best Sweet Egg Wash Substitute: Agave Nectar
Agave nectar, or another favorite liquid sweetener like maple syrup, can help the outsides of your baked goods brown and crisp up. It adds quite a bit of sweetness so it’s best reserved for pastries and desserts. Be sure to check on your baked goods so the sugar in the agave nectar doesn’t burn.
FAQ
What can I substitute for eggs?
You can substitute eggs with many different ingredients depending on the specific recipe and function of eggs in the recipe, such as moisture, binding, or texture. Some common egg replacers include mashed banana, applesauce, aquafaba, and commercial egg replacers like JUST Egg and Ener-G Egg Replacer.
What are the best egg substitutes for brownies?
The best egg substitute for brownies depends on your favorite brownie texture. For a fudgy texture, silken tofu or flax eggs are great options, but if you prefer cake like brownies, try applesauce or vinegar and baking soda.
What are the best egg substitutes for pancakes?
Egg substitutes like applesauce, silken tofu, and vinegar and baking soda can add moisture and a fluffy texture to your pancakes. If you like banana pancakes, try using mashed banana for flavor and replacing the eggs!
What are the best egg substitutes for cookies?
Eggs are used for binding and texture in cookies, so the best egg replacers for cookies are flax eggs or commercial egg replacers for chewy cookies and applesauce for cake-like cookies. Another great option is to use yogurt, which can add moisture to the cookies and keep them from drying out.
What are the best egg substitutes for cakes?
The primary use for eggs in cakes is moisture, so the best egg substitutes for cakes are plant milk, dairy-free yogurt, and baking soda and vinegar for leavening. The famous “Wacky Cake”, which was created during the Great Depression when ingredients like dairy and eggs were scarce, relies on baking soda and vinegar instead of eggs for leavening.
What is YOUR go-to egg replacer?
