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8 Effective Egg Substitutes For Cooking and Baking

Almond Cake with Vanilla Meringue Buttercream
Chocolate Tiered Cake with Ganache

Whether you have an egg allergy or are looking for ways to eat healthier, there are plenty of substitutes to try.

Eggs are a staple in every kitchen—except for us vegans. From pies and cakes to breakfast sandwiches and French toast, and everything in between, eggs are important in many recipes. Eggs are primarily used to create structure, stabilize batters and doughs, provide texture and moisture to recipes, and serve as a thickening agent for sauces and desserts.

In a world striving to live healthier, many plant-based alternatives have already made their way into our fridges and pantries. Following are eight easy-to-find and simple-to-use options.

Why do recipes call for eggs?

Typically, eggs are used to bind, leaven and add moisture to recipes. They essentially keep ingredients together and trap air pockets, which allows dough to rise.

Although learning what type of egg replacements that work best in recipes can be tricky, its always fun experimenting with new products, ingredients, or homemade alternatives! To understand what works best, having an idea of the consistency of the recipe will help determine what type of egg replacer you’ll want to use.

Coffee-Banana Marble Bread - The Vegan Rhino

  1. Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer

My favorite substitute for baking is Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer–yes, store-bought, folks! It does the trick, acting as the perfect alternative to eggs. Whether it’s for pancake batter, stuffing, cookies or cakes, this egg replacer gives any recipe the moisture and level of binding the egg would have provided. It’s perfect in recipes like potato latkes!

  1. Vinegar + baking powder

Perfect for quick breads, cakes and cupcakes, this combo will surely encourage your desserts to leaven or rise. You can use either white distilled or apple cider vinegar. I’ve noticed the apple cider vinegar tastes better, but this is entirely up to you. Check out this recipe, Easy Vegan Apple Cake, for example.

Fluffy Dinner Rolls - The Vegan Rhino

  1. Flax or chia seeds

These powerful little seeds are the perfect alternative for binding ingredients together or emulsifying. Simply use a coffee grinder to grind the seeds into a powder. Add water and set aside until it thickens. Use this method to bake brownies, pie crusts, bread or muffins. Keep in mind that flax seeds have a nutty flavor, so try to use that alternative in recipes where you’ll enjoy that flavor profile.

  1. Silken or firm tofu

Looking for an egg scramble alternative? Tofu is one of those universal ingredients that could be used for stir-fry, mousses, soups, and breakfast egg scramblers (Southwest Tofu Scramble). If you press a block of extra firm tofu, crumble it up in a pan with turmeric and other seasonings, you can mimic scrambled eggs perfectly. Another example is using soft tofu as an emulsifier in stabilizing vegan mayonnaise. It helps by giving the texture you need. A new alternative called Just Egg has hit the markets and has paved the way for vegan omelets and non-tofu scrambles.

  1. Bananas

This alternative is best for recipes that use egg for moisture, like banana bread. This is perfect for cakes and brownies also! Just take one ripe banana, mash it up, and voila, you have the equivalent of one egg. Check out this delicious looking Banana Tea Bread!

  1. Apple sauce

If bananas aren’t your thing, you can use apple sauce instead and still give your baking the moistness it needs, like in these Chocolate Cupcakes. When shopping, make sure you purchase organic and unsweetened apple sauce. This way, you can add the sugar you’d like and not make what you’re making too sweet.

French Macaron Shell

  1. Aquafaba

Aquafaba liquid is the water in which chickpeas were cooked in. When whipped for 5-10 minutes, it can mimic egg whites in cooking or baking, including meringue, mousse, icings, vegan marshmallows, or this Oven Baked Chickpea Veggie Burger. Make sure to opt for an organic and unsalted chickpea, allowing you to remove any unnecessary salt.

  1. Nut butter

Almond, peanut, or cashew butter can be great alternatives when substituting eggs. This method is excellent for cookies (Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies), pancakes, or brownies and can affect the flavor overall.

For The Vegan Rhino by Ryan Shepard

Vegan Italian Wedding Soup

Vegan Italian Wedding Soup - The Vegan Rhino

Vegan Italian Wedding Soup - The Vegan Rhino 

Italian Wedding Soup has always been one of my favorite soups, especially growing up as a kid. Thanks to SunFlower Family, I’m able to recreate some awesome meatless meatballs using their sunflower haché, while keeping it 100% vegan. It’s packed with protein and a great alternative to tofu, tempeh, or seitan.

Vegan Italian Wedding Soup - The Vegan Rhino

Yield 54

Ingredients

3 (16 oz.) vegetable broth

2-1/4 cups chopped escarole

1 cup Acini de pepe or pearl couscous

“Meatballs”:

1 box Sunflower Haché

1 small onion, grated

2 Tbsp. avocado oil

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 Tbsp. Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer + 4 Tbsp. filtered water, mixed

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp. Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp. Nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat air fryer or oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a bowl, soak the haché according to the box instructions. Combine the onion, parsley, egg replacer, garlic cloves, salt, breadcrumbs, and nutritional yeast. Using a Tbsp., shape the mixture into 1-inch round “meatballs”; Set aside.
  3. In a large pot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil on medium-high heat. Add the acini de pepe, and escarole; Simmer on medium for 10 minutes, or until al dente.
  4. Using a 1 tsp. measuring spoon, roll meatless meatballs into rounds and place into air fryer.
  5. Cook “meatballs” for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Add to individual soup bowls with broth before serving.
  6. Serve warm

 

Chef’s tip: Add a can of mashed black beans or chickpeas! The meatballs will not hold together when cooking in the broth, so be sure to cook them in the oven.

Fluffy Dinner Rolls

Fluffy Dinner Rolls - The Vegan Rhino

Fluffy Dinner Rolls - The Vegan Rhino 

Dinner rolls have a whole new meaning with this garlic and herb dinner roll recipe. Soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside, these fresh rolls will be on high demand in your household— I promise you. If you make these ahead of time, to last throughout the week, you can freeze them individually and bake to order!

Fluffy Dinner Rolls - The Vegan Rhino

Yield 16

Ingredients

1 cup oat milk, warmed to about 100 degrees F.

2-1/4 tsp. dry activated yeast

2 Tbsp. organic cane sugar

1 Tbsp. egg replacer + 2 Tbsp. water

1/4 cup vegan butter, room temperature and cubed

1 tsp. Himalayan salt

3 cups all purpose organic flour

Garlic version:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 Tbsp. parsley, minced

3 large garlic cloves, minced

Fluffy Garlic Dinner Rolls - The Vegan Rhino

Directions

  1. In a large measuring cup, combine milk, half the sugar, and yeast; Stir and cover- allow to activate for 5 minutes.
  2. In a stand mixer, add the yeast mixture, the remaining sugar, egg replacer, vegan butter, salt, and 1/3 of the flour. Mix on low setting till just mixed and continue process till flour is just slightly combined. When dough begins to pull away from the bowl and is slightly sticky and soft, it’s ready for kneading.
  3. Finish the dough by kneading it by hand. Once it springs back immediately after being lightly poked and doesn’t tear when you pull on it, it’s been kneaded enough.
  4. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased glass bowl and cover it for 90 minutes to proof. Punch the dough down to remove the air and form 16 rolls. Place onto a parchment lined baking sheet to rise for 1 hour, covered. 
  5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  6. Combine melted butter with the minced garlic and parsley, mix, and evenly coat rolls.
  7. Bake the rolls for 23 to 25 minutes or until fluffy and lightly golden brown.
  8. Serve warm.

Fluffy Garlic Dinner Rolls - The Vegan Rhino

Chef’s tip: For a crustier roll, place a sheet pan on the lowest rack and once you add the rolls, toss a few ice cubes and shut the door quickly.

Potato Latke

Potato Latkes

Potato Latkes

When I was a kid growing up, I couldn’t wait for my grandmother to bring these fresh-piping hot latkes out of the kitchen. This classic style potato latke is unbearably hard to resist with that crispy, salty and oh so fluffy center! Just add a spoonful of homemade applesauce on top and you’ll be pleasantly delighted by those traditional latke flavors melding in your mouth. 

Potato Latkes

Yields 8-10 latkes

Ingredients

4 cups of potatoes, shredded and pressed

1 Tbsp. matzo meal

1/4 cup onion, shredded and pressed

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer + 2 Tbsp. filtered water

1/2 tsp. Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

1/4 tsp, ground black pepper

Oil for frying

Directions 

  1. Using a box grater, shred the potatoes and onion together. Using a towel or napkin, squeeze out all of the water and set the drained potato and onion into a bowl.
  2. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix until well combined. 
  3. In a skillet, add oil and set to medium-high heat. Start with 1/4 cup and if you need more oil, you can. Add a spoonful of the mixture until pan is filled and cook for 2-3 minutes or until each side is brown and crispy. Flip and brown the other side an additional 2-3 minutes. 
  4. Repeat until potato mixture is all gone. 
  5. Serve warm with choice of apple sauce of sour cream.

Chef’s tip: Don’t forget to add a spoonful of sour cream on top of these if you’d like as well!