All-in-One Guide to Substituting for Eggs in Cooking

People need alternatives to eggs for many reasons: allergies, food philosophy (e.g being vegan), preparedness/food storage…or maybe just because you’re out of eggs! Substituting for eggs can be tricky because they often serve multiple functions in a recipe, but I’ve rounded up all the options I could find, so hopefully you’ll find a substitute (or more) that meets your needs, regardless of your purpose for the swap.

(Note that these are intended to substitute for eggs in things, and shouldn’t be expected to suffice where eggs are the star of a dish — like scrambled eggs or quiche.)

What Do Eggs Do? What You Need to Know to Choose a Fitting Substitute

Eggs serve numerous functions — often within the same recipe.

In order to substitute successfully, you need to know which function (or functions) the eggs in your recipe serve because, unfortunately, there aren’t readily-available substitutes that do all the things an egg can do. So you need to choose a substitute that will accomplish what the eggs accomplished in the original recipe. In some cases, your best bet might be to combine multiple substitutes that are better at different functions.

Eggs can be used for:

binding (particularly the white)
leavening (particularly the yolk, or whipped whites)
moisture/liquid
thickening
fat (a little – from the yolk)
emulsification (keeping oil & water-based ingredients from separating)
protein/structure
flavor

If you’re baking, binding is often the most essential function, especially in gluten-free recipes.

Don’t forget that flavor matters! Many of the substitutes are fairly neutral in flavor, but a few have strong flavors (or colors). If you’re choosing one of these, be sure it doesn’t clash with your recipe. Tomato paste would be a lousy egg substitute in a blueberry muffin!

Note that eggs are also nutritional powerhouses, and most substitutes won’t come close to replicating the nutritional profile, so be mindful that you’re changing that up.

Substituting for Eggs, With… (the Substitutes)

The following potential substitutes are gathered from a multitude of sources. The substitution instructions/quantities should each be for 1 egg, but bear in mind that they’re just starting points. (And I have not personally tried all of these — certainly not every one for every situation.) You may need to tweak them a bit for various recipes. I’ve tried to include information about the functions each one is best suited to, in order to help you select the right one(s) for your needs.

If the substitute you add is dry, add a little water (or other liquid) to the recipe to counteract the dryness. If you’re not sure how much, try about 3 Tbsp. to start.

XANTHAN or GUAR GUM

1/4 tsp xanthan gum* (+ 1/4 c. water, for moisture) (binding)

1/4 tsp. guar gum* (+ 1/4 c. water, for moisture) (binding)

These are among the most commonly-used, especially commercially. But for health reasons, I don’t recommend them if you can find an alternative. The research is mixed regarding whether they’re harmful, but many people — including many of those who find themselves needing to substitute for other foods, like eggs! — are sensitive to them. And they’re more processed than most of the options on this list.

PURÉED FRUIT

1/4 cup puréed fruit (prunes, applesauce, banana, pumpkin, squash, etc.) (moistening; slightly binding if they’re very starchy, like bananas)

MASHED POTATOES/STARCHY VEGETABLES

1/4 cup mashed potatoes or similar starchy vegetable; sweet potatoes (binding; slightly moistening)

TOMATO PASTE

2 Tbsp. tomato paste (binding; moistening)

“POWDERED” STARCHES

2 Tbsp. potato starch or flakes, arrowroot, wheat flour, cornstarch (binding)

BEAN FLOUR

3 Tbsp. bean flour (+ 3 Tbsp. water? Mix to smooth before adding??)

FLAXSEED

1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed (mixed in 2-3 tablespoons water; let thicken for roughly 10 minutes before adding) (binding; slightly moistening; slightly emulsifying)

CHIA SEED

1 Tbsp. ground chia seed (mixed in 3 tablespoons water; let thicken for roughly 20 minutes before adding) (binding; slightly moistening; possibly slightly emulsifying, since it’s similar to flax)

PSYLLIUM

1 tsp. psyllium husk (mixed in 3 tablespoons warm water, let thicken for roughly 10 minutes before adding -OR- add w/ dry ingredients but let batter rest before using) (binding)

Psyllium is basically a seed, so be aware this is not AIP-friendly.

MUCILAGINOUS HERBS

1 Tbsp. slippery elm bark powder (mixed in 2-3 tablespoons water; let thicken for roughly 10 minutes before adding) (binding; slightly moistening)

Marshmallow root may also work similarly, but I can’t find a clear answer and haven’t had a chance to try it.

GELATIN

1 Tbsp. gelatin (whipped into 3 tablespoons boiling water before adding) (binding; slightly moistening)

AGAR

1 tablespoons plain agar powder (dissolved in 3 tablespoons warm water, whisked, chilled 10 minutes, and whisked again) (binding; slightly moistening)

PECTIN

1-2 teaspoons pectin (binding)

DAIRY (& DAIRY SUBS)

1/4 cup yogurt, cream cheese, cottage cheese, or milk (dairy or non-dairy) (moistening, fat)

AQUAFABA

3 Tbsp. aquafaba (or 1 Tbsp. per yolk; 2 Tbsp. per white) (binding, emulsification, moistening; can be whipped)

Aquafaba is bean-cooking liquid, especially garbanzo bean/chickpea liquid. It can be frozen and thawed before use if necessary (and will still whip — or so I’m told).

LECITHIN

1 Tbsp. soy or sunflower lecithin (dry: granules/powder; I’m not sure about liquid; more a replacement for the yolk than the whites) (emulsification; binding)

NUT BUTTER

3 Tbsp. nut butter (fat; slightly binding; slightly moistening)

OIL & BAKING POWDER

1 Tbsp. oil + 2 Tbsp. water + 2 tsp. baking powder (leavening/fat/moistening)

ACID & BAKING SODA

1 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice + 1 tsp. baking soda (combined right before adding) (leavening; moisture)

CARBONATED BEVERAGE

1/4 cup carbonated beverage (leavening)

COMBINATION POWDERED EGG REPLACER

There are multiple recipes floating around the web for a powdered egg replacer similar to Ener-G’s. Of course they’re all pretty similar because they’re all reproducing the same thing. One such recipe comes from The Provident Prepper. You can use the information above to tweak the ingredients if/as necessary (for instance, if you’re allergic to potatoes).

Combine:

2-1/2 cups potato starch
1-1/2 cups tapioca starch
2/3 cup baking powder
1/3 cup baking soda

1 whole egg = 1-1/2 tablespoon powder and 2 tablespoons water
1 egg yolk = 1-1/2 tablespoon powder plus 1 tablespoon water
1 egg white = 1/2 tablespoon powder plus 2 tablespoon water

Additional Notes on Adjusting Recipes When Substituting for Eggs

Some fruit or vegetable purées might make the batter dense. An extra 1/2 teaspoon baking powder or soda can help balance this. If your goal is food storage, purées can also be reconstituted powders.

If your substitute doesn’t leaven — for instance, seeds or gelatin — you might need to add a little extra baking soda or baking powder to your recipe.

On the flip side, if the substitute is dry, remember that you might need to adjust the liquid in the recipe. 1 whole large egg is a little less than 1/4 cup, so you can use that as a starting point.

If a recipe calls for 4+ eggs, it might be better to just find a different recipe, because the eggs are probably playing a very significant role.

When You Need an “Egg Wash”

If you need an egg wash to finish off your baked goods, Dishing Up Balance says you can mix 1 teaspoon arrowroot starch with 1 tablespoon water and use that.

Alternatively, you can use: