Guide to Vegan Substitutions - Eggs

This guide is intended to help you convert your own favorite non-vegan recipes to be vegan friendly.

Eggs can be the most challenging thing to replace in recipes, as they can serve a variety of different functions in the chemistry of a baked good, and so you need to ask yourself what the function of an egg is in a recipe in order to replace it properly. I'll be listing my most frequently used egg substitutes below, and how to use them.

AQUAFABA

AKA chickpea / garbanzo bean water. I'm going to start with the most exciting egg replacement, because honestly, this stuff is just pure magic. You know that water you drain out of a can of chickpeas or white beans before using? SAVE IT. It is the most spectacular substitute for egg whites you can find. I've used it to make lovely meringues and buttercreams, and I've seen a number of folks use it to make great-looking vegan macarons (though my own macaron skills are lacking...I'll keep trying). It's also my preferred substitute for an egg wash on breads and pie crusts, helping them achieve a lovely brown shade.

You can essentially count 2 tablespoons of aquafaba as 1 egg white, or 3 tablespoons if you are replacing a whole egg. The big difference between egg whites and aquafaba is that, in my experience, you always want to aim for stiff peaks with aquafaba (even if your recipe calls for egg whites at soft peaks, etc). Unlike egg whites, you can't really overbeat aquafaba, so it's safe to make sure you have a very firm meringue before moving on.

CORNFLOUR / CORN STARCH

Yet another frankly magical substitute for eggs is corn starch, which is quite an inexpensive option. Cornflour is a good substitute for eggs in any recipe where the eggs will be serving as a binding agent. You can add a couple tablespoons of cornflour to a cup sweetened milk while whisking over low heat to create a sort of vegan custard / creme patissiere (tapioca flour and arrowroot powder will also work well in this context). Cornflour is also a good substitute for recipes that call for egg yolks only (1 tablespoon of cornstarch + 1 tablespoon of water = 1 egg yolk). To replace a whole large egg in leavened breads or cakes, you can use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water.

TOFU

Tofu is a great substitute for eggs when making custard pies or quiches. Generally speaking, 2 oz of silken tofu can be used in place of 1 large egg for things like custard pies, while you'll want to use a whole an entire 14 oz pack of firm tofu to make a quiche. A few of my favorite examples of this are my chocolate tart, this pumpkin pie recipe, or Nora Cooks' Easy Vegan Quiche.

STORE-BOUGHT EGG REPLACERS

I think some folks are disinclined to use store-bought egg replacers, as they don't see them as being "natural," and I can understand that. However, they are extremely helpful when you just don't feel like thinking too hard about your substitute, as they are made to perform the function of a whole egg. My go-to egg replacer is Energ-G, which comes in a giant box that lasts forever, making it a relatively budget friendly option. It makes the best vegan royal icing I have tried so far, and is very useful in enriched leavened doughs. I know Follow Your Heart also makes an egg replacer which I have yet to give a go, but I have confidence in their products based on my experience with their cheeses and yogurts, so I'm looking forward to trying it sometime soon.

FLAX / CHIA EGGS

Both flax and chia seeds have naturally gelatinous qualities when mixed with water, which makes them a decent egg replacer. They won't necessarily work well in recipes where you expect the egg to do heavy lifting, but it can be suitable for pancakes, quickbreads, etc. Flax meal has a slightly nutty taste that is noticeable, which can be nice in some recipes, but isn't ideal for everything. Chia seeds, if unground, will come through as a bit crunchy, so again, this can be nice, or it might detract from your final bake. In both cases, you want 1 tablespoon flax/chia to 3 tablespoons liquid to replace 1 large egg.

FRUITS

Lots of folks recommend substituting applesauce, mashed banana, or pumpkin puree for eggs in quick breads, muffins, and cakes, as they lend both moisture and some binding qualities. I'm not going to lie - this is not my area of expertise, but I've read that 1/4 cup of any of these can sub in for an egg as needed.

I think that's my whole list! Please let me know if I'm missing anything, or if you have any questions!