The TOP 10 Heart Healthy Vegan Egg Substitute Recipes For Cooking and Baking Your Favorite Foods!
Eggs are very important in the baking and cooking community. They serve four primary purposes in baked goods and other foods. These four purposes are; one— moisture; two— binding, three— leavening; four— taste and appearance. Eggs are one of the few foods that serve all four of these purposes. Each of these purposes— moisture, binding, leavening, taste and appearance— impact your kitchen experience in an beneficial way. They also each bring something different to your table. But how do these four things affect your cooking?
- Moisture: Eggs help retain moisture in different foods, as well as contributing their own liquid to the recipe.
- Binding: Eggs act as binding agents in food. They give structure and hold everything together so that it doesn’t all fall apart.
- Leavening: Eggs trap air and moisture in food, making them rise.
- Taste and Appearance: Eggs help carry and enhance flavor and makes foods brown when heated. This is especially utilized when baking due to the lovely, golden color it produces with breads, cakes, etc.
As you can see, eggs bring many good cooking and baking qualities to the table. But what do you do if you don’t eat eggs? There are several reasons for not eating eggs, such as allergies, heart disease, diets, or vegan and plant-based eating. This can sometimes make it hard when making something, especially baked goods, that calls for eggs. What can you use instead, that still performs all of the important functions of eggs?
Fortunately, there are a variety of other foods that can stand in for eggs when you need it, whether you have allergies or diet restrictions, are vegan, or just forgot to grab eggs from the grocery store. However, the requirements for the substitute change based on the recipe, so there’s not really a one-size-fits-all egg substitute. This can make finding the right egg replacement hard, but we hope that the info we have here for you will help make things in your kitchen a little bit easier.
Here’s the scoop on egg substitutes. There are a lot of egg replacements out there, including powdered or liquid egg substitutes at grocery stores. Unfortunately, a lot of store-bought egg replacements often have a whole bunch of unhealthy additives, poor quality ingredients, and processed foods. Some egg replacements are aimed at cholesterol conscious people, rather than those who can’t or simply do not eat eggs, and still contain a fat and cholesterol skimmed egg! And on top of that, unless they have the specified Non-GMO label, they might have Genetically Modified Organisms in there too. We would suggest steering clear of the store-bought egg replacements.
Outside of the store-bought egg replacements, there are a lot of healthier options. Here’s a list of the eight best egg replacements that we’ve found for you:
Applesauce Egg Substitute:
1 Egg = ¼ Cup of Applesauce
Applesauce is one of the most popular egg substitutes. It has a natural sweetness and makes everything bind really well. Applesauce can make some recipes turn out a little more dense, but is on the whole a very good egg substitute.
One more tip— unsweetened applesauce works best. If you are using a sweetened variant, make sure to reduce the amount of sugar or other sweetener in your primary recipe accordingly. This will prevent your recipe from becoming too sweet or sugary.
Pureed Banana Egg substitute, or Other Pureed Fruit:
1 Egg = ¼ Cup of Pureed Banana or other Fruit
Fruits such as bananas are very moist and help bind your ingredients together. Fruit also acts as a natural sweetener, so that you don’t have to use as much sugar or other sweeteners. The only drawback with bananas is that your final product will usually retain a slight banana flavor.
Other fruits that are also good to use are pumpkin and avocado. These fruits won’t flavor you food as much and also work well as an egg replacement, however, feel free to experiment and try out other fruits as well! Take note that bananas and some other fruits can make certain recipes slightly more dense and heavy.
Ground Flax Seed Egg Substitute:
1 Egg = 1 Tablespoon of Ground Flax 3 Tablespoons of Distilled Water
Ground Chia Seed Egg Substitute:
1 Egg = 1 Tablespoon of Chia Seed with 3 Tablespoons of Distilled Water
Ground flax seed or chia seed works very well as an egg substitute, and is also high in fiber, Omega 3’s, protein, and other nutritional supplements. It has a sweet nutty flavor that makes it good for baked goods. We use flaxseed in our Plant Strong Pancake Recipe. Make sure you use distilled water or another source of water that is pure and clean, do not use tap water if you can help it!
To make your flax or chia seed egg substitute, mix one Tablespoon of ground seed with three Tablespoons of water. Let set the mixture sit in a small cup or bowl for ten to fifteen minutes, or until the water has absorbed into the seed. The seed mixture will have a sticky, egg-like texture.You can grind the seeds yourself or buy them pre-ground at a grocery store.
Nut Butter Egg Substitute
1 Egg = 3 Tablespoons of Nut Butter
Nut butters, such as peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter can be used as an egg replacement in many recipes due to the fact that they act as good binders for ingredients. They are also a good source of protein and vitamins. The flavor of the nut butter may affect the taste of your recipe, so be sure to take that into account when cooking. Make sure to use a creamy nut butter rather than a chunky nut butter for a smooth texture and an even consistency.
Baking Soda & Vinegar Egg Substitute:
1 Egg = 1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda with 1 Tablespoon of Vinegar
The chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar produces carbon dioxide and water, which helps make your recipes, especially baked goods, light and airy. Just mix one Teaspoon of baking soda with one Tablespoon of vinegar and add to your other ingredients in the place of the egg. This shouldn’t affect the taste of your recipes much, and works well as a egg substitute. Apple Cider Vinegar or White Distilled Vinegar are some of the more popular vinegars to use.
Arrowroot Powder Egg Substitute:
1 Egg = 2 Tablespoons of Arrowroot Powder with 3 Tablespoons of Water
Arrowroot powder is a white starchy powder derived from the South American Arrowroot Tuber. It is flavorless and bears a resemblance to corn starch. It can also serve as a thickener or a flour, as well as an egg substitute. Remember to first mix two Tablespoons of the arrowroot powder with three Tablespoons of water until fully dissolved, and then add the mixture to your recipe.
Aquafaba Egg Substitute:
1 Egg = 3 Tablespoons of Aquafaba
Aquafaba is the gelatinous liquid leftover when cooking beans or legumes. It is also found in canned beans and chickpeas, although it’s said that the liquid from chickpeas works the best. Aquafaba is created when beans, chickpeas, or legumes soak in water, and different soluble plant solids and starches are absorbed into the water. It has many unique properties, and is used as a popular egg replacement. Aquafaba acts as a fantastic binder as well as creating a “foam” that is able to trap air and therefore act as a leavening agent. It is also the best, if not, one of the best egg white substitutes.
Yogurt, Buttermilk, or Sour Cream:
1 Egg = ¼ Cup of Yogurt, Buttermilk, or Sour Cream
While yogurt, buttermilk, and sour cream aren’t dairy-free or vegan, they are all still good options for an egg replacement. They are creamy and hold a lot of moisture, as well as being a great binding agent. We suggest plain or unflavored yogurt, as the flavored variations can give your recipes a funny taste and color. This is not vegan, but a great vegetarian option for those who eat dairy products!