7 Best Egg Substitutes To Have On Deck

The incredible, edible egg may be one of the most unsung kitchen heroes, as it can play a major role in everything from appetizers to entrees, and is absolutely indispensable in most baking projects. That said, there may come a time when you need to swap out your trusty eggs for a different ingredient, either because you ran out, you're planning a plant-based dish, or the price of eggs is simply too high. (Not to mention egg shortages and rationing, both of which have been known to occur when widespread illness outbreaks affect chicken flocks.)

While there are some egg uses that simply can't be substituted — nothing we know of can take the place of a fried or poached egg — it's fairly easy to replace eggs in many baking projects with various ingredients that can duplicate some of the same things eggs do for the dish. There are also several substitutes, both store-bought and homemade, that can more or less replicate the flavor and texture of scrambled and boiled eggs.

Flax eggs, a vegan baking staple, are easy enough to make with just two ingredients, as long as you start with flax meal. If you have whole flax seeds in the pantry, you'll need to grind them yourself, but 30 seconds in a coffee or spice grinder should do the trick. Mix one tablespoon of flax meal with two and a half tablespoons of water, then let it sit for about 10 minutes until it turns into a jelly-like goo. The resulting substance can be used to replace one egg in a baking recipe. (Scale the amounts up as needed.)

What flax eggs do for your recipe is add moisture and bind the ingredients together in the same way an egg would. What they cannot accomplish, however, is to help batter or dough to rise. So, this substitute is best in a recipe that includes a leavening agent such as baking powder, or one where no leavening is needed, like meatballs or meatloaf.

Chia seeds can be used to make an egg replacer that's quite similar to flax eggs. One main difference is that you can use the seeds either whole or ground. If the former, mix one tablespoon of seeds with three tablespoons of boiling water. If the latter, just two teaspoons will do. After five minutes, you'll have a gel-like egg replacement that will also provide binding and moisture, but not leavening.

One possible reason for choosing chia seeds over flax seeds is because they have a less pronounced flavor. It's possible that flax seeds could lend a slightly nutty taste to your baked goods, but chia seeds are pretty neutral. Chia seeds also provide a bit more fiber, although they're not as rich in omega-3 acids. Despite the nutritional boost, there is one downside to using chia eggs in baking: They might cause your cookies to brown more quickly. You can counteract this, though, by reducing the oven temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit and keeping a closer eye on things.

One of the more surprising egg substitutes is carbonated water. Yes, as in seltzer or soda. ¼ cup of fizzy water in place of an egg can provide baked goods not only with moisture, but with some mild leavening action as well. The bubbles, it seems, hold the air in, resulting in extra-light and fluffy baked goods. It does lack that gummy, adhesive quality of either flax or chia eggs, however, so you won't want to use this substitute to hold your meatballs together.

Try using soda in a cake mix. Cola or root beer could complement a darker, richer batter like chocolate cake, strawberry soda would turn white cake a pretty shade of pink, and lemon-lime soda could add sweetness and citrusy tang to yellow cake or pancakes. Flavored seltzer water would also work where you want just a hint of flavor but no added sugar, while plain seltzer water would be unobtrusive and yet equally effective.

We're rolling several types of mashed fruit into one entry, since all of them work the same way: Applesauce, mashed bananas, and pumpkin puree add moisture (but again, no leavening) to baked goods. In each case, ¼ cup takes the place of an egg, and these substitutes can be used in cakes, cookies, and quick breads. Bananas may make your baked goods sweeter, however, as will sweetened applesauce, if you use this in place of its unsugared counterpart. In such a case, you may want to reduce the amount of sweetener used in the recipe. Applesauce can also make for a denser final product, so an extra touch of baking powder might not come amiss.

One thing you need to keep in mind is that each type of fruit has its own very distinctive flavor, and it will absolutely influence whatever it is you're baking. If you like the sound of pumpkin-flavored pancakes, or brownies that taste like bananas, then that's all well and good. If you think you'll be able to disguise the flavors, though, be aware that that isn't too likely, because none of these items come anywhere near to duplicating the relatively neutral flavor of the other egg substitutes on the list.

Aquafaba, aka bean juice (often from canned chickpeas), is an ingredient that some have hailed as a kitchen miracle, and indeed it may be the one plant-based ingredient that whips up to a texture that resembles that of beaten egg whites. For this reason, it tends to be the go-to egg replacement for meringues, macarons, and angel food cakes. Still, it's not quite as stable as actual beaten egg whites, so it may take a little experimentation to determine which aquafaba recipes will work for you. If you're subbing it into your own recipes, the need-to-know ratio is two tablespoons of bean juice for one egg white, and three tablespoons in place of a whole egg.

Aquafaba can also be used as a safer alternative to uncooked egg whites, notably in raw egg-based cocktails, such as the Pisco or Boston sour. While some people claim that whipped raw bean juice really has no flavor, others can definitely taste the bean, and find it off-putting. If you fall into the latter category, there's not much you can do to disguise this in cocktails, so you'll need to skip the froth or find a different substitute. If you can also detect bean in your aquafaba-enhanced baked goods, though, adding extra vanilla or other flavorings may help to camouflage the taste.

Tofu is a very versatile vegan egg substitute that can be used both in baking and to take the place of some types of cooked eggs. If you want to use tofu in baking, then silken tofu is your best bet, and you'll need to liquify it by heating it and adding a splash of water or plant-based milk. In this instance, you'll use ¼ cup of liquified tofu in place of each egg.

Where tofu really comes into its own, however, is as a replacement for scrambled eggs. To make a tofu scramble, you're going to want firm or extra-firm tofu, so it doesn't liquify as it cooks — but you'll still be stirring in some water or other liquid to make the texture more egg-like. (You won't need to press the excess liquid out of the tofu, either.) Adding turmeric can provide yellow coloring, while nutritional yeast can add a little umami flavoring. Other seasonings, too, will help provide your scramble with some much-needed flavor, since tofu on its own can be rather bland.

Perhaps one of the more surprising things tofu can do, though, is to stand in for boiled eggs in certain circumstances. While deviled tofu may never be a popular appetizer, firm or extra-firm tofu can be diced and mixed with vegan mayo to make a plant-based "egg" salad.

If you are looking for another alternative to make scrambled "eggs," there are commercial alternatives that can also do the job. In fact, so far advanced is the world of plant-based substitutes that you can even purchase plant-based hard-boiled eggs made from almonds, cashews, and coconut milk. (You can even order these WunderEggs Plant Based Hardboiled Eggs on Amazon through its partnership with Whole Foods.) Plant-based eggs in liquid of frozen form can be readily purchased at many supermarkets.

The Takeout conducted a taste test of three different brands of plant-based eggs. JUST Eggs, made from mung beans, had a somewhat egglike texture, but the flavor was nowhere in the ballpark. Simply Eggless, made from lupin beans, tasted more egg-like (albeit a bit on the bland side), but the texture was all wrong. The best-tasting of the three, Hodo All-Day Egg Scramble, was essentially a pre-cooked tofu scramble. It was tasty and convenient, although, again, not an exact (or "egg-zact," to cram in our obligatory bad pun) match for either the flavor or texture.