If you are new to veganism, going without eggs can seem tricky. Whether it's eggless baking or finding egg-free breakfast and dessert options, there are many possibilities to explore without eggs. Some ingredients that can substitute for eggs in a recipe can be suprising. For example, both apple cider vinegar and apple sauce can be used in certain recipes.
What can I use to replace eggs?
For baking there are many egg-replacements such as banana, flaxseeds, chia seeds, apple sauce, aquafaba, gram flour, silken tofu, apple cider vinegar and baking powder. Of course, there are some commercial egg-replacers mainly consisting of starches, but they are not always the best option to use. For other dishes, gram flour and tofu are the go-to replacements.
What if I still like egg dishes?
I have good news for you. You can still have your full veg*n breakfast and your crème brûlée. I highly recommend keeping an open mind though. If you have recently started preparing eggless dishes don’t compare them too closely to the ones with egg in.
Tofu is a great replacement for scrambled egg. If you are concerned about texture, scrambled silken tofu is great for replacing moist scrambled eggs, while firm tofu is perfect for a more ‘well done’ consistency. Adding a touch of turmeric will bring the sunshine to the colour and make it more egg-like. Adding a pinch of Himalayan black salt (otherwise known as Kala Namak – available at most specialist food stores) gives the dish that 'eggy' sulphurous smell and taste. If not, adding a little soya sauce will also bring a salty taste.
Tofu is great for other egg dishes too, such as quiches, sweet pies and crème brûlée. Tofu is high in protein so it will keep you full. You can also use gram flour (chickpea flour) in quiches too and to make omelettes. Have a go at these tasty options below.
Asparagus, potato & broccoli quiche
Eggless cress sandwich can be made using tofu or even chickpeas.
There’s no need to miss out on your favourite deserts either. Try this crème brulee, or how about eggless custard?
Tell me more about eggless baking
A lot of people who haven’t tried baking without eggs are a bit worried that it won’t work. However, it's much simpler than you think and most importantly we are not removing ingredients from the recipe, we are replacing them.
Let’s talk about eggs – firstly egg whites. This is where aquafaba comes in handy. If you are new to this term, aquafaba is the liquid from cooked beans. The most common aquafaba used in baking is from tinned chickpeas because of its pale colour when whipped. If using the chickpea water from a can ensure that there is no added salt. This is ideal for making meringues or even marshmallows.
Flaxseeds (otherwise known as linseeds) and chia seeds will need to be ground up before using. Soak in water until gelatinous so it has the consistency of a beaten egg. Because of the darker colours the seeds will be visible in the baked goods, so it’s ideal for sweet or savoury muffins.
This is just a brief introduction to vegan baking. Find out more in VfL's Vegan baking guide, which includes a table of egg replacements, detailing what they are most suited to and lots of recipes for you to try.
And don't forget – for Easter, you can find many vegan-friendly chocolate eggs too in the supermarkets. One of the best egg replacements of all!
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