Egg Substitutes For Vegan Cooking and Baking

Monday

Sep142009

For the many years that I was a vegetarian before I committed to veganism, one of the reasons I was hesitant to make the move was that I thought I could not live without eggs. I realize now that I just hadn't taken the time to learn about the many alternatives available. Once you make the decision and start learning how to cook, bake and eat with egg alternatives, it's truly not a big deal at all (I promise).

When eggs are used in recipes, they usually act as a thickener or binder. Depending on the recipe and what your end goal is, there are several egg substitutes to choose from:

Baked goods, cookies, breads, cakes, etc: you can use Ener-G Egg Replacer, applesauce, pureed bananas or dates to act as your binder

Casseroles or veggie burgers: cornstarch, oats, flour, breadcrumbs or arrowroot can be utilized

Custards, pie fillings or dishes where you need the thickening quality of eggs, use arrowroot, cornstarch, flower, agar-agar, kudza

Quiche, egg(less) salad, fritattas: tofu

Here are a few tips I have learned when working with some of these substitutes:

Ener-G Egg Replacer: I love Ener-G and use it often. It does not work for all types of recipes, so you might have to use the old trial-and-error method on occasion. I find that it's best for baked goodies (cakes, cookies, muffins, etc) because it's essentially flavorless.

1½ teaspoon Ener-G Egg Replacer whisked with 2 Tablespoons water

Tofu: when crumbled, the texture of silken tofu is very similar to eggs. Keep in mind that even though tofu doesn't "fluff up" like eggs do, it does have a great texture that makes it excellent for egg-type of dishes. You can add nutritional yeast or tumeric if you are going for the look of eggs (color-wise). Silken tofu can also be used in baking recipes. Be sure to always blend/purée silken tofu to give you a smooth consistency. You can use tofu in certain cake recipes as well as pancakes.

1/4 cup silken style, firm or extra-firm tofu that is pureed until it is smooth

Applesauce/Bananas: These also work well in baked goods, breads and sweet breads (pumpkin, banana, etc). Bananas and applesauce provide thick moisture and flavor. Beware though because they don't help in the rising element or in adding fluffiness, so be sure your recipes involve baking powder/soda so they rise correctly when substituting eggs with these fruity methods.

Usually, ¼ cup applesauce or pureed bananas + ½ teaspoon baking powder will replace the called-for amount in a recipe

Soy Yogurt: This works in a similar fashion to puréed tofu, keeping items like muffins and cakes moist.

1/4 cup soy yogurt = 1 egg.

Some other egg substitute options that I haven't tried, but hear work great, include:

1 egg = 2 Tablespoons potato starch
1 egg = 1 Tablespoon cornstarch or flour whisked with 1 Tablespoon water
1 egg = 1/4 cup mashed potatoes
1 egg = 1/4 cup canned pumpkin or squash
1 egg = 1/4 cup puréed prunes
1 egg = 2 Tablespoons water + 1 Tablespoon oil + 2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg = 1 Tablespoon ground flax seed simmered in 3 Tablespoons water
1 egg white = 1 Tablespoon plain agar powder dissolved in 1 Tablespoon water, whipped, chilled, and whipped again
1 egg = 1 Tablespoon chick pea or soya flour and 1 Tablespoon water
1 egg = 1 Tablespoon arrowroot, 1 Tablespoon soya flour and 2 Tablespoons water

Art by Wingedmaquis

Monday, September 14, 2009 at 9:17AM | |

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Reader Comments (6)

I've been looking for information like this for AGES! I can never find out what I want to know when it comes to vegan cooking. There are plenty of recipes, but little information to decode those recipes.

I'm not a vegan yet, but it is truly something I aspire to be. If it takes me 10 years, I will be vegan. I'm poor so getting certain foods is hard sometimes.

And crap, I just bought some firm tofu for "eggs", I probably should have bought silken.

Thanks for such an amazing post! I love you Jinxi!

September 14, 2009 |

Callie

Aww shucks. All this nice-ness makes me blush. haha.

I like ketchup on my eggs. I wonder if it tastes the same on tofu eggs?

September 14, 2009 |

Callie

It's sweet the way you share your cooking secrets with everyone Jinxi.

I was very deeply involved with a vegan girl several years back and she made the BEST cookies I have ever tasted. I don't remember what she used in place of eggs, but it was wonderful!
I learned from her that you really don't need eggs to cook/bake great things. :-) ...Not that the knowledge does me much good since I don't know how to cook and I'm not vegan. :-o But, ...still, knowing is always better than not knowing. Right?

-Shay

September 15, 2009 |

Shay

Thanks so much, Shay!
I'm not sure what kind of cookies your vegan girl baked, but one favorite in our house are these lovelies:

Homestyle Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

I promise that you will never know there are not animal products in the ingredients.

Yay, cookies!

Winx, Jinxi

September 15, 2009 |

Jinxi Boo

Wow those look delicious Jinxi! They certainly would go well with some vanilla Silk soymilk. ;)
Thanks for posting that link. If I, or Sarah, ever get brave enough to bake, that will go on top of the list!

My vegan ex-girlie made great chocolate-chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, but her almond-butter cookies were definitely the cat's meow!!! Seriously, To Die For!

Yay, Shay

September 17, 2009 |

Shay

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