Whether you are vegan, have an egg allergy or eggs simply give you the ick, I’m here to share with you why eating eggs isn’t always ethical as well as 10 egg alternatives you can easily whip up in your kitchen!
Read along as I share with you my findings on the best vegan alternatives to eggs!
Key Takeaways
First Off, Are Eggs Vegan?
A vegan lifestyle is all about causing no harm to any other living being.
In the process, all animal products including food, wardrobe and so on are not purchased or consumed.
Are animals technically being harmed in the process of collecting eggs?
Let’s dissect this question and discuss why most vegans would agree, eggs are not vegan.
If we look at factory farming, the average egg production company would look far from ethical.
In most factory farms where, let's face it, most eggs on the grocery shelves come from, chickens are being forced far beyond their natural means to produce eggs at an alarming rate.
In a common hatchery, chickens are vaccinated, debeaked and placed into egg production barns. Chickens are then typically force fed artificially produced food or grains not naturally consumed.
The space is usually highly confined and hens will be manipulated to hatch around 1 egg a day. In nature, hens could produce just 12 eggs in a year.
There are of course cage-free, free-range eggs and even pasture raised (arguably the best option). However, unless you’ve developed a relationship with your local egg supplier and visited the farm yourself, there really is no telling how truly ethical the operation may be.
While there are ethical practices in place, determining the best option for egg shopping is up to you. If you’re concerned with the ethics and uncertain the best practices in place, fear not, vegan alternatives exist and I’m here to share a few with you!
10 Egg Alternatives
- 1Aquafaba: if you haven't read my article on aquafaba, check it out here.
Aquafaba is that liquid you’ll find at the bottom of your can of chickpeas, save this! On average, 3 tablespoons of aquafaba equates to about one whole egg
2 tablespoons of aquafaba equate to one egg white
1 tablespoon of aquafaba equates to 1 egg yolk
If substituting an egg you can use aquafaba as is. No need to blend or mix. The work is already done! If you’re seeking a stiff peak egg white consistency you’ll need to hand mix your aquafaba for anywhere from 3-6 minutes depending on the recipe.
- 2Flaxseed Meal: Using flax meal as an egg substitute is my favorite egg substitute. I think it makes an amazing emulsifier, it’s tasteless and you’re adding beneficial fiber to your chosen recipe. Simply mix 1 tablespoon of flax meal to 3 tablespoons water to replace 1 regular egg in any recipe
- 3Chia Seeds can be used similarly to flax meal. A chia egg is the same ratio 1:3 chia to water. You can grind the chia seeds or use as is mix with water in a bowl and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. The mixture will transform into a gel-like consistency and can replace an egg in any recipe.
- 4Tofu: Tofu scramble is a tried and true vegan egg alternative. The texture, and resemblance to a real egg is as close as you can get using minimal ingredients. Simply add turmeric, garlic and onion powder and crumble on the pan. I’d recommend a firm tofu for a scramble and a blended silken tofu for baked goods.
- 5Ripe Bananas: Best to use a soft and ripe banana as an egg substitute. Typically measure ¼ cup of mashed banana per egg. Ripe bananas work perfectly in any baked good recipe as you can reduce the amount of sugar called for. The downside is you would only use bananas in baked goods, not as an every recipe egg alternative.
- 6Applesauce works great in recipes such as muffins, brownies and cakes. Simply substitute ¼ cup of applesauce for one egg. I’d go for unsweetened to yield a more neutral taste in your recipe. To add less denseness and create a lighter and fluffier product add ½ tsp of baking powder to your mix.
- 7Pumpkin Puree can work interchangeably as a banana in a vegan baked good recipe. Typically ¼ cup equals about 1 egg in any standard recipe. The pumpkin works as an excellent emulsifier in most recipes, leaving the finished product dense and delicious. The downside is your product will taste significantly like pumpkin, make sure to use it appropriately.
- 8Garbanzo Bean Flour is a popular vegan egg alternative. Again, mix the powder with some water and add your additives such as garlic powder, black salt and turmeric. The consistency is a bit more doughy and less fluffy like a traditional egg. However, if you have a soy allergy, chickpea flour is an excellent option! Not to mention a certainly cost effective alternative as you will spend far less for a bag of flour and yield a considerable amount more of vegan scramble.
- 9Just Egg is as easy as it gets. Made primarily from mung bean protein isolate, Just Egg simply requires a shake and pour. This vegan egg replacement can be found in most health food stores. It is easy to cook and a comparable egg alternative. Downsides: The price is relatively high at $8/ 12oz bottle. Another downside I have found about this product is because it is mass produced it contains preservatives and emulsifiers, such as tetrasodium pyrophosphate and seed oils such as expeller-pressed canola oil.
- 10Follow Your Heart Vegan Egg is a powder mix made primarily from soymilk powder, gellan gum and cellulose. The brand boasts to be eco friendly and one package yields around 12 servings of eggs for about $13. Simply blend with water and saute. I haven’t tried this brand personally. I’ve read mixed reviews. Some people appreciate the convenience but most people have complained about the strong black salt taste, the texture, and the smell. Certainly worth trying if you’re looking for a similar egg substitute without having to do the work of adding in your own ingredients.
Final Thoughts
Just because you’re vegan doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to an egg salad sandwich nor does it mean you can’t create scrumptious and fluffy desserts.
There are countless vegan egg alternatives that exist depending on your preferred recipe! Whether you choose not to eat eggs for ethical reasons or for an allergy, I hope you’ll try out some of these egg alternatives and share with us your favorite recipe!
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