Eggs are everywhere in recipes – especially in breakfast and goodies – and you may find yourself in a bind with the egg recall.  Vegans get around the egg problem all of the time and most of the solutions are already in your kitchen. It can be difficult to replace eggs in something like quiche or omelets (though it is possible), but in recipes that just use eggs as a minor ingredient, there are many vegan options for egg replacement.

What an egg does

Within a recipe, an egg adds moisture and also performs one of two functions: leavening or binding. When the egg is binding, it means that it is holding everything in the recipe together.  A binding agent is what makes food stick together. When an egg is a leavening agent, it means that the egg is trapping air inside the food as it cooks.  For example, this gives nice and fluffy cake. Binding replacements for denser treats like bread, muffins, pancakes and meatloaf.

You know an egg is a binding agent if there is very little to no beating required, such as in brownies and cookies.  Depending on what goes well with your recipe, you can use one of the following items as a binding replacement for one egg:

• Half of a banana, mashed

• 1/4 cup of applesauce

• 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes

Try this breakfast bread recipe.

Leavening replacement for lighter goodies like cake

An egg is a leavener when there is a lot of beating required, such as with cakes and meringues.  When an egg is leavening, it is more difficult to replace.  Generally, the more eggs there are to replace, the less satisfied you may be with the results.  For recipes with only a few eggs, try these replacements for one leavening egg:

• Half of banana, mashed, plus 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoon Ener-G Egg Replacer, plus 2 tablespoons warm water

• 1 teaspoon baking powder, plus 1 teaspoon vinegar

Try this vegan cake recipe…or this one.

Replacements for recipes where egg is a main ingredient

You’re probably out of luck if you wish to make angel food cake or eggs benedict, but you can try to use tofu to make scrambled “eggs” or quiche.

Tofu is not for everyone, but it has the texture of cooked eggs can taste really good when properly prepared.  It absorbs the flavor of the food it is cooking with, so use lots of delicious vegetables and seasonings.

Source: Eat.Drink.Better.