How to substitute eggs in your cooking
Eggs are a nutrient rich food and so handy and versatile. So what happens when you can’t have eggs? You might be allergic, undertaking an elimination diet excluding egg or following a plant based diet. Whatever your reasons for avoiding eggs, there are plenty of ways to substitute eggs in your cooking.
There are also a variety of pre-made egg replacement powder on the market which are helpful for baking. These are available from supermarkets and health food stores.
- Bob’s Red Mill Vegan Egg Replacer
- Orgran Egg Replacer
- McKenzies Vegan Egg Replacer, or
Make your own egg replacer from items in your pantry including:
1 tbsp ground chia seeds + 3 tbsp warm water will make one chia egg. Mix the chia seeds with the water. Let it sit and gel up for 5 minutes before using. Chia eggs are perfect for binding in recipes. To freshly grind chia seeds, use a rolling pin, mortar & pestle or blender.
Use 1 tbsp ground linseed + 3 tbsp water to make a flax egg. Use for binding in muffin, breads and cookie recipes. Pre-ground linseed has a much shorter shelf life than whole linseed; it can be as little as one week. Whole linseed do have a longer shelf life so it’s worth buying them and grinding them when you need to. To freshly grind linseed, use a rolling pin, mortar & pestle or food processor/blender.
Arrowroot
2 tbsp arrowroot flour + 3 tbsp water will make a great thickening agent and can be used in place of eggs.
Psyllium husks
1 tsp psyllium husk with 3 tablespoons water. Stir together and set aside for 10-15 minutes until the mix is thick and gelatinous. Great as a binder in baked goods using a 1:1 ratio.
Apple cider vinegar and Bi-carb soda
For one egg, mix 1 tbsp organic apple cider vinegar with 1 tsp organic bi-carb soda. The mix will begin to form bubbles and is excellent for leavening in baked goods such as cakes and breads.
Chickpea flour
For one egg, mix 3 tbsp Besan chickpea flour + 3 tbsp water (or non-dairy milk) until thick and creamy. This option works both as a binder and leavener and it’s a great natural egg replacer for baked goods such as scones, cookies and biscotti.
Guar Gum egg
Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of organic guar gum powder for every one cup of flour when used as an egg yolk substitute.
Aquafaba
Aquafaba is the liquid from a can of chickpeas. It can be used in any baked recipe. Simply use 3 tbsp aquafaba per egg. Be sure to whisk the aquafaba well to create the same consistency of egg whites to function as a proper egg replacement.
Oil, water + baking powder
For one egg, whisk 1½ tbsp oil, 1½ tbsp water and 1 tsp baking powder together. Use to create an egg-free binding agent in recipes.
Dairy or almond milk
Milk makes a terrific egg replacement for glazing savoury pies and tarts.
Extra-virgin olive oil
Extra-virgin olive oil makes a wonderful glaze for savoury pastries and pie lids instead of eggs.
Mashed banana or softened medjool dates
Fruit is a perfect ingredient to use in any recipe that needs a little moisture added (decrease the water content) in place of egg. Be cautious, as the sweetness of the fruit may change the flavour of your end result.
Apple puree
Very popular in American cooking, better known as apple sauce. Essential this is just cooked and pureed apples. It makes a delicious egg substitute in savory or sweet muffins. 2-3 tablespoons is equivilentto 1 egg.
Gelatin egg
Mix 1 teaspoon of organic natural gelatine with 2 tablespoons of water for each egg in a recipe that requires a binding agent.
