13 Foods You Can Use to Replace Eggs in Recipes
There’s no certain kind of food that could fully replace eggs in any recipe. But there are good alternatives for every single purpose. For example, when making a pie, you can add banana mash or baking soda with vinegar instead of eggs, and in order to make a meringue, you need aquafaba.
5-Minute Crafts is going to tell you about the foods you can replace eggs with depending on what you are cooking and what you want to achieve.
The role of eggs in recipes
A full understanding of the role of eggs in meals will show you what you need to use in every single case. So, here’s how eggs function in different recipes:
- A binding agent that sticks all of the other ingredients together.
- A product that makes the meal juicier and adds moisture.
- An ingredient that makes the dough go up (for example, the whites turn into a light cream to make meringue and soufflé).
- A base of a meal if it’s an omelet.
Not all egg replacements can perform the same functions as eggs at the same time. So, in some cases, you will need 2 or more replacements at once. For example, if you are making cookies, to make the right dough, you might need a combination of applesauce and flax seeds.
How to replace 1 chicken egg in different recipes
- Applesauce
It’s a binding agent, so it’s great for making dough especially if you don’t need it to be dry. Use 1/4 cup of applesauce (unsweetened) to replace 1 egg.
- Banana
Has the same function as an apple but it makes the meal taste like a banana. Use 1/2 of a whole mashed banana.
- Agar
It’s like jelly, so it is great if you need egg whites. Mix 1 tablespoon of agar and 1 tablespoon of boiling water. Whip it, cool it down, and whip it again, and then use it instead of the whites.
- Chia seeds
If you need eggs for baking, this is a great replacement. But the meal will taste like nuts. If you want, you can grind the chia seeds in a blender or a coffee grinder. Then, mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds and 3 tablespoons of water to make a gel. Let it sit for several minutes and then use as an egg alternative.
- Aquafaba
This is a liquid you get when boiling beans. You can replace egg whites with it. All you have to do is whip it with a mixer. Use 3 tablespoons of aquafaba to replace 1 egg white. It’s good for cookies and meringue.
- Flax seeds
They will make the meal taste like nuts. You can grind the seeds in a coffee grinder and then mix a tablespoon of the powder with 3 tablespoons of water, let it rest, and use it as an egg replacement. You can get better results by using flax seed gel: add 1/4 cup of flax seeds and 2 cups of water to a pot. Boil the water, reduce the temperature, and keep boiling for 10 more minutes. Then, put the gel through a strainer. 1/4 cup of the gel is enough to replace an egg. This is great if you are making bread, cookies, or waffles.
- Baking soda and vinegar
This combo is great if you want the dough to rise using an egg. Good for chocolate cakes, cupcakes, and other similar things. Generally speaking, for each required egg in a recipe, substitute 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
- Oatmeal
It’s a great sticking agent for other ingredients. Use 2 tablespoons of oatmeal and 3 tablespoons of boiling water, mix them, and let them sit. Use this mixture to replace 1 egg. Before using, you can also grind it in a blender. If you are making cookies, cupcakes, pancakes, or waffles, this is a great replacement for eggs.
- Bread
Bread crumbs can also work like a sticking agent. Add them to dry ingredients and then keep cooking according to the recipe.
- Mashed potatoes
They are a sticking agent that is great if you are baking something that is not sweet. It will make bread even softer. Use 2 tablespoons of mashed potatoes to replace 1 egg. You can also use sweet potatoes but the dough will be a little more moist. It takes 3 tablespoons of boiled or baked sweet potatoes to replace 1 egg.
- Coconut milk
This milk is good if you need to make a thick cream and you need an egg yolk. Use 1/4 cup of coconut milk to replace 1 egg yolk.
- Nut butter
Cashew or almond butter is a great thing to use to make cookies or brownies. To replace 1 egg, use 3 tablespoons of nut butter.
- Tofu
You can use regular tofu if you need to cook an omelet. In this case, use a vegan omelet recipe. To make the meal taste like eggs, you can add some rock salt. Tofu is also good for pies and cakes: use 1/4 cup of tofu and mix it in a blender with liquid ingredients from the recipe until it looks like cream. This is enough to replace 1 egg.