In the realm of baking, the saying “you can’t have your cake and eat it too” doesn’t hold true for vegans anymore. With over 79 million vegans worldwide, the culinary landscape is rapidly evolving to accommodate plant-based preferences. This transformation is especially evident in the world of baking, where the challenge of replacing eggs—a cornerstone ingredient—has sparked a flurry of innovation. Vegans now have a smorgasbord of substitutes at their disposal that not only mimic the functional properties of eggs but often enhance the nutritional profile of their baked treats. Whether you’re a seasoned vegan baker or just starting to explore plant-based cooking, this guide will introduce you to the best vegan egg substitutes that can help you whip up delicious, guilt-free baked goods.
10 Top Vegan Egg Substitutes for Your Kitchen
Let’s explore the best vegan egg substitutes that can be staples in your vegan kitchen.
Bananas
As a fruit, bananas have both the texture and the taste that you want to substitute them for eggs in baking recipes. They are soft, and have a good solidness to them when mashed. They also have a milder flavor than a lot of other fruits like grapes, berries or citrus. You wouldn’t want to use citrus if you didn’t want a citrus flavor – but bananas on the other hand can be worked into breads, muffins and all kinds of baked goods, without overpowering the palate.
With that in mind, a lot of vegan cooks substitute bananas for eggs, in order to get those rich, soft textures that diners crave! The general rule is 1/2 cup of mashed banana for every one egg – you can also use bananas in place of things like oils and sugars. They’re also more affordable than a lot of other substitutes, and versatile – and they last a while in the kitchen at room temperature, especially if you are planning to use them for baking.
Black Salt
This one is, for the most part, a flavoring. It’s a volcanic salt found only in certain parts of the world. People describe black salt as having a sulfuric flavor that resembles eggs. You only want to use a little bit, perhaps half a teaspoon or less, or it can be overpowering. But this vegan egg substitute for baking has a good long shelf life, even though it may be harder to buy than some other alternatives.
Flaxseed
One of the reasons that vegan cooks like to use this item instead of eggs is for its fiber. Flaxseed has a lot of healthy fiber for your gastro system. Use about 1 tablespoon of milled flaxseeds in place of one egg: some experts also recommend mixing with water and storing before cooking. That helps the mix to achieve the texture that you want.
Arrowroot Powder
Here’s another one that you can keep on the shelf quite nicely! Arrowroot powder is a binder and a thickener (you may have heard of “arrowroot cookies”) and it can help with creating good texture for drier items like cookies and traditional baked cakes.
Apple
Going back to the fruit world, another good substitute for eggs is applesauce. Some vegan cooks swear by this for everything from cookies to loaves of vegan bread…
Apple has a bit of a stronger flavor, but still has a nice texture to replace not only eggs, but oils, too. Some recommend about 4 tablespoons of applesauce with a little baking powder thrown in.
Tofu
This is another vegan favorite, and a lot of vegans have it in the kitchen already. Since it’s on hand, it can serve as a good substitute for eggs.
You may have seen cooked tofu resembling scrambled eggs. That’s just one way you can tell that this food is going to be an effective egg substitute.
You can find tofu in various textures, from silky to firm and everything in between, allowing you to select the perfect consistency for your dish. This soy-based product is highly versatile and an excellent choice for baking.
Soy Lecithin
Some vegan cooks swear by this stuff, particularly some of those who enjoy the chemistry side of cooking. Soy lecithin is essentially an additive, a soy by-product that can be used as an emulsifier and is sometimes added to foods by production companies. It can add a moister texture to baking recipes.
Aquafaba
What on earth is this stuff?
If you hadn’t heard about it before, aquafaba is basically the water that you get when you store or cook chickpeas or garbanzo beans. One of the selling points for this as a vegan ingredient is that it can be whipped into a texture sort of like egg whites. That means it’s a go to for meringues, some types of vegan frosting and other light options.
There is a specific process to get the right texture. Put aquafaba in a high-speed mixer until it starts to achieve that texture that you would want from egg whites. Look for more at recipe sites like this one where you can get tips for practical egg substitution.
Vegan Yogurt
This cultured ingredient can be used in place of eggs and many people recommend about 4 tablespoons. It’s a little bit heavier than some of the items mentioned above, so there might be some trial and error involved in using it. But it’s mild in flavor, and many varieties have a nice texture for baking.
Starches
Tapioka, Ppotato or cornstarch are also some of your stock supplies that may substitute for eggs. They’re basically thickeners so if you’re missing that binding ingredient that comes together with liquids to form the gooey roll dough that you need, starches may be a lifesaver.
Conclusion
All of these options will help you outfit your vegan kitchen for successful baking without eggs or animal products. You have the confidence of many ahead of you who have used each of these ingredients to avoid compromising a vegan diet or menu. Whether it’s for health, or for the animals, or for the ag workers, there are many reasons to go vegan, and pursue these kinds of alternatives in your home kitchen. Check out the rest of the blog for much more on how to implement vegan ideas in recipes, and to find out what vegans are talking about these days!
