Good Flax & Chia Seed Egg Substitutes
Are you looking for something to replace eggs in your food? You may be allergic to eggs or want to cut out animal fats and protein. Perhaps you are going for a healthier, vegan lifestyle. Either way, you can always count on these flax and chia seed egg substitutes!
If you are thinking of going egg-free, be it for ethical reasons, digestive issues, or allergies, don’t despair. There are so many ingredients that can take the place of the good old egg! Whether it’s baked goods, such as quiches or cakes, the classics, such as frittatas, omelets, or even fake poached eggs, yes, even vegan eggs can be sunny side up!
If you need to want to avoid eggs, it is not as hard as you might think. Now, since eggs can perform many functions in cooking, let’s see which substitute you need. For instance, you can use a chia seed substitute for quiches, to bind together other ingredients. But you should use a silken tofu egg sub for your vegan eggs Benedict! Too complicated? Let’s make things easier!
Healthy Alternatives for Vegan Egg Substitutes
Other than preparing flax & chia seed egg substitutes, you can always turn your attention to various vegan ingredients.
We’re not saying the following will help you create a luscious meringue, but they will do just fine in replacing eggs in other dishes. Still, for a meringue-like egg foam, keep reading; there, really is a way to get that! But let’s have at a look at the ingredients that can be used to replace one egg:
- ¼ cup strained soft silken tofu
- ¼ cup of vegetable purée (sweet potato, mashed potato or pumpkin purée)
- ½ from a ripe avocado, mashed with a fork
- ¼ cup applesauce in baked goods
- ½ mashed banana in baked goods
- ¼ cup of nut or seed butter
- ¼ cup of non-dairy yogurt, vegan cream cheese, vegan sour cream or vegan mayonnaise
Make sure to choose the perfect substitute to mimic the texture, color, or flavor of eggs in your dish. For instance:
- Choose applesauce, banana, flaxseed, and chia seeds for sweet baked goods and anything yeast-based
- Chia and flaxseeds are perfect in cookies, cakes, bread, muffins and panna cottas.
- Fruit purées are perfect in desserts. Just remember that banana will alter the taste, just like avocado will change the color. Applesauce tends to be more neutral in baked goods. Extra tip: ripe avocado goes together with cocoa and chocolate in desserts, making them luscious, thick, and decadent
- Nut and seed butter can stand in for eggs in your recipes. However, strong kinds of butter will change the flavor of the food. They go great with bread, FYI.
- Soft, silken tofu can be used due to its similarities in texture and color with eggs. Strain it so that you eliminate most of the water and blend it until you get a smooth mixture. It will look just like egg white.
- Non-dairy yogurt can substitute for eggs. Just like vegan cream cheese, sour cream, or mayo. The thicker they are, the better.
1. Chia Seed & Flax Seed Subs for Baked Sweets & Desserts
Are you looking to replace eggs in your fav foods? How about flax or chia seeds? Well, these vegan alternatives to eggs, while they won’t have the exact same results as real eggs, will do a pretty good job in baked goodies.
We’re not saying you should make your state-of-the-art soufflé or mousse with such replacements, but we’re saying you can do plenty!
2. Vegan Eggs
You can create even a “very” vegan egg recipe using alternatives. Yes, even quiche, frittatas, omelets, egg-salad sandwich, too. For such cravings, we recommend silken tofu, since it resembles hard-boiled eggs. Add a touch of mustard, turmeric, and nutritional yeast, and yum!
- Extra tip: the egg white can be smooth silken tofu, while the egg yolk can be made from the same ingredient mixed with mustard and turmeric. And there you have it: a sunny side up, all vegan!
- Extra trick: add a little black salt, which has a sulfur-like smell, or some nutritional yeast to get that egg savor and flavor
You can recreate that quiche vibe or omelet feel with chickpea flour. And FYI, chickpea water, when mixed in a processor, will get you the consistency of beaten egg whites, all ready for a meringue.
How to make vegan eggs with other binding or thickening agents
Meatballs, cornbread, and vegan burgers can all benefit from a vegan egg or two. With such foods, it’s better to go for ingredients with great binding power. We recommend you use:
- Potato starch
- Tapioca starch
- Arrowroot powder
FYI, drizzle in a little oil to make the mixture silky-smooth and even more delicious.
You can make your own chia seed egg substitute to thicken foods
Egg replacements hold onto moisture and stick to other ingredients. They won’t make puffy doughs, but they will be perfect in eggy fillings, toppings, or binding compositions. Flax and chia seeds are gelatinous and gummy when mixed with water.
This consistency is binding and helps them act just like eggs. The thing is you have to grind flax seeds into a fine powder to get them to release their goodness. Then let them sit in water so that the polysaccharides become all gooey. Here is how to make flax and chia seed egg substitutes:
1. Flax Seed Egg
You can make a flax seed egg substitute by mixing 1 tbsp ground flax seeds with 3 tbsp of hot water. Let it sit for a few minutes (5 to 10 minutes will suffice) to thicken and then enjoy your vegan egg, full of omega-3 and protein. Water draws out a gel-like substance in flax seeds that resembles eggs.
This egg-mimicking consistency is ideal in brownies, cakes, pancakes, cookies, and muffins.
2. Chia Seed Egg
You can prepare a chia seed egg by mixing 1 tbsp ground chia seeds with 3 tbsp of hot water. Just as you’d do with flax seeds, let this mixture sit for a few minutes to thicken. In about 5 to 10 minutes, you’ll get a gel-like texture that can not only be used instead of eggs but is good for your digestion, is gluten-free, and contains many nutrients.
Keep in mind that you can always find vegan eggs variants already made. And, while the flax and chia seed egg substitutes and other vegan alternatives are ideal for many recipes, you can always channel your creativity in the kitchen.
Maybe you’ll discover even more solutions to cut back on animal protein and go for a more eco-friendly approach, even when it comes to fine dining.
