Dr. Deb Bossio, Naturally Well Family Medicine

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Egg-cellent Ways to Replace Eggs in Recipes

For those who are allergic or sensitive to eggs it can be confusing to figure out how to replace eggs in recipes.  The following list provides good substitutes, both homemade and store-bought, organized by the role of the egg in the recipe (binding, leavening, moisture).

For sweet, baked goods, try one of the following for each egg:

  • 1 banana
  • 1/4 c applesauce
  • 1 T milled flax seed and 3 T water

Tips:
If using fruit, make sure it's compatible with the other flavors in the dessert.  It is quite difficult to replicate airy baked goods, such as angel food cake. Instead, look for a recipe with a similar taste but fewer eggs or one that has been tested by real kitchen pros.

For an egg replacer that binds, add any of the following for each egg:

  • 1 T (heaping) soy powder + 2 T water
  • 1 T soy milk powder + 1 T cornstarch + 2 T water
  • 2 T cornstarch
  • 2 T potato starch
  • 2 T arrowroot powder
  • 2-3 T whole wheat flour
  • 2-3 T tomato paste
  • 2-3 T mashed potatoes
  • 2-3 T mashed sweet potatoes
  • 2-3 T instant potato flakes
  • 1/4 cup tofu puréed with 1 T flour

Tofu tips: While it can be a terrific substitution in "eggy dishes" (quiches or custards), tofu does not fluff up like eggs. Use plain tofu, not seasoned or baked.

For leavening, try this commercial product:

  • Ener-G Egg Replacer (base of potato starch, tapioca flour)
  • If you're baked goods crumble, please consult these tips from Ener-G.

Image Attribution: fotomans/bigstockphoto.com

References