After cooking vegan and getting stick shock from the price of eggs, I wanted to take a moment and explore egg replacement alternatives.
Baking vegan last week got me thinking and I decided I wanted to do something a little different for my Monday article. I realized that I privileged to be able to afford eggs but that is not a given anymore. I do want to start playing with the idea of eggless dishes in the future. And that got me thinking, what are some classic replacements for eggs and when is the right time to use them?
Instead of writing down this information somewhere I might forget, I thought I would store it on the site since that’s where I put a lot of my tutorials for myself. And if others have any experience with some of these substitutes, I would love to hear about it!
Check out the Make section of MCG for more fun recipes like desserts and savory dishes.
Flax Seeds
Flax Seeds are one of the most interesting and unexpected ingredients for me. I did use these when making the vegan meatloaf earlier in the year. And they still fascinate me.
To use this egg replacement, the flax seeds need to be ground into a powder. I keep flax seeds in my pantry, so I wanted to use them, but pre-ground flax seeds are purchasable. I think it’s called flax meal? But I have heard that it can go bad quickly so seeds might be the better route. I used a mortar and pestle to get the powder, but a spice grinder is also a good choice if available.
But to turn the flax seeds into an egg replacement, we will need water. Mixing one tablespoon ground flax seeds and three tablespoons water is equivalent to one egg. The two ingredients to have to sit together in order to thicken. This process takes about 5 to 10 minutes before becoming that jelly consistency.
Flax seeds are a great ingredient for binding other ingredient while adding structure, moisture, and fat. I have a funny feeling that they will be my go to egg replacement when baking cookies, cupcakes, and other bakes. Although these recipes do benefit from a little extra baking powder.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds act very similarly to flax seeds when it comes down to it. I think I listed this as a separate entity because I am so interested in this reaction. I find it crazy how these seeds plus water can turn into such a viscous substance.
And, just for actual information sake, the ratio of chia seeds to water is also 1 tablespoon to 3 tablespoon respectively. And those 4 tablespoons together mimic the function of one egg.
Anyway, I looked into the reason why this happens, and it came down to fiber. Having high amounts of soluble fiber allows the seeds / powder to absorb water. Nature is neat.
Aquafaba
The second egg replacement is one that I have seen used many times before, but I have never used myself: Aquafaba. This is the liquid found in a can of chickpeas. The first time I encountered this ingredient was when watching the Great British Bake Off. They used Aquafaba in place of egg whites to make meringue and I found it absolutely fascinating.
After straining out the chickpea and any other solid bits, aquafaba can be whipped up just like egg whites. One whole egg is roughly equal to ¼ Cup while one egg white is about 2 tablespoons.
Because the aquafaba can be whipped into a stiff peak, this ingredient is able to provide lift similar to an egg white. This is a good substitute for bakes that you want to be light and airy or where you’re eating the eggs directly (like a meringue). Basically, any recipe that calls for whipping egg whites, I would go with aquafaba as the egg replacement.
Mashed Bananas Or Applesauce
Using mashed bananas or applesauce is a classic for egg replacement. So much so that I remember doing an experiment with eggs versus applesauce for a stats project in college. Man, that takes me back. I adore statistics but that class put me through the ringer. I feel old…
Anyway, about ¼ cup of these ingredients is equivalent to one egg. They provide some but structure but not as much as an egg would. I remember watching the drop cookie spread so much but it did result in a cookie that was absolutely delicious. Flavor is one thing to take into consideration when using this egg replacement.
Mashed Potatos
This last egg replacement is more for savory situations. Mashed potatoes tend to lend a buttery, creamy texture and add a bit of richness to the dish. This is great for binding ingredients in meatloaf type situations.
Because the mashed potatoes are so sticky, they act great for crumb coatings as well. Especially anything that ends up in a deep fryer. But it should be used in as thin of a layer as possible or else the flavor of the potatoes might come through a little too much and might actually become a barrier.
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