Egg Substitutes

What can I use to substitute for eggs in a recipe? - is a question I've been haunted by, many a time. Being a lacto-vegetarian, we don't use eggs. And it is a problem when I serach for recipes like mousse, ice cream etc. There are numerous recipes that don't call for eggs, but curiosity keeps me on my toes to experiment substitutes for eggs in a recipe. Although a recipe can be Veganized by using suitable substitutes, there's really no sure way to tell which will work the best for a recipe. To know that, you must understand the purpose behind adding eggs (binding, keeping it moist, leavening etc) And so, depending upon what you're making, you need different substitutes.

I've compiled a list of whole egg substitutes here. (Not yolk or white) You need to decide which will be your best bet, while substituting for in a recipe. If you know what the eggs are added in a recipe for, half your job is done. :) Don't worry, it isn't as complicated as it sounds. I have (at least I hope I have) made it as simple as possible. This is an inclusive (& not exhaustive) list. So, if I have missed out anything/you have any other substitutes, do let me know. I shall include it here.

(Print friendly version - I've included the purpose of using eggs & the result of using the substitute)

EGG	Replace with	Amount
1 egg	Pureed Fruit	1/4 cup +  increase Baking Soda / Powder each by 25-50% (1 average banana = 1 egg)
1 egg	Pureed Fruit	3 tablespoons Also increase 1 – 2 tablespoons more liquid in the recipe (milk or water etc)
1 egg	TOFU (SILKEN TOFU)	1/4 cup of pureed tofu (around 50 grams)
1 egg	Tofu, cornstarch	3 tablespoon pureed Tofu + 2 teaspoon Cornstarch
1 egg	Flaxseed Powder	1 teaspoon flaxseed pwd + 1/4 cup (50ml) water OR 1 tablespoon  whole flaxseeds – blend to make a powder; add 50 ml water & blend for 2 minutes to have a thick egg-like consistency of mixture
1 egg	Vinegar + Baking Soda	1 teaspoon baking soda + 1 tablespoon vinegar (white vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
1 egg	Vinegar + Baking Powder	1 tablespoon white Vinegar + 1 tbsp water + 1 teaspoon baking powder. Mix well
1 egg	Buttermilk	1/2 cup (100ml) per egg NOTE: Reduce amount of liquid suitably. OR: Substitite the liquid required in the recipe wholly by the buttermilk
1 egg	Yogurt	Beat the yogurt and use the thinned yogurt (100 ml) instead of 1 egg
1 egg	Oil + Baking Powder	1 tablespoon oil + 2 teaspoons baking powder + 2 tablespoons water
1 egg	Mashed Potatoes	1/4 cup or 50-60 grams mashed potatoes
1 egg	Pumpkin or Squash puree	`1/4 cup or 50-60 grams
1 egg	Gelatin or Agar Agar	Combine 1 teaspoon unflavored agar agar powder with 3 tablespoon cold water and 2 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon boiling water.

There are commercial egg substitutes like Ener-G too. But I've never tried them. And I also don't care much for the store bought kind; so, I'm not including them in my list. But if you've used them or you feel they make your job much simpler, you can use them too. :)

Watch out for part 2 & more... I'll be talking about specific substitutes for just the egg yolk or egg whites an so on...