The Best Egg Substitutes for Every Type of Recipe

Many other ingredients can be used as good egg substitutes in a variety of recipes if you are out of eggs, don't want to eat them, or just can't bring yourself to pay the high price of eggs these days. It is essential to select the appropriate substitution because different recipes use eggs for different purposes. Everything you need to know about and how to use egg substitutes can be found here.

Purpose of Eggs in Cooking and Baking

Eggs are used in a variety of ways in the kitchen, including as a leavening agent, a binding agent, and the primary source of protein (such as in a sandwich or salad). In baking, eggs have three primary functions:

Eggs act as a leavening agent, as an emulsifier and a coagulant [or a thickener]," says Yasmin Lozada-Hissom, chef and partner at Izzio Bakery, based in Denver. "They also add moisture and give the finished product richness, structure, color, and flavor."

Different substitutes mimic eggs in different ways—some leaven without thickening, others add moisture and richness without leavening, etc. "In general, when you are selecting what to use as an egg replacer, you need to consider the functions of the egg in the original recipe, says Andrea Tutunjian Heaney, Chief of Staff for Urbanspace.

Eggs are sometimes used in cooking to hold ingredients together or bread them—they hold meatloaf and meatballs together, and they coat chicken or cheese sticks before frying with flour and breadcrumbs. However, they are typically consumed whole, either on toast, as part of egg salad, scrambled, or in a similar manner.

Flaxseed egg replacers in general are very close to eggs in that they provide structure, emulsification and slight leavening," says Tutunjian Heaney, who adds that, unlike eggs, they also soak up moisture during the baking process. This can inhibit the gluten in the flour and affect the finished texture, which means it won't work well for making a spongy cake or a chewy loaf of bread.

"[Flaxseed eggs] are best suited for quick breads, pancakes, custards, muffins and cookies," says Tutunjian Heaney. The ground flaxseed will give your recipe some texture, similar to how whole wheat flour does, but it won't make it crunchy or seedy. A flaxseed egg can also be used in the breading process and to bind meatballs, meatloaf, or vegan "burgers." To create a "flaxseed egg," stir together 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed and 3 tablespoons water. Let it sit for a minute until it's thick, then use the mixture in place of one egg.