What is a good substitute for eggs as a binding agent in cooking?

Answer 1

Substituting eggs is tricky because eggs play different functions in foods: emulsifying, enriching, adding structure when baking. Consider the recipe and whether the yolk or the whites are more important. If baking a cake, it's probably the white (for structure), and you may need to add additional baking powder or a different leavening. For brownies and cookies it's probably the yolk that is important for richness or emulsion, and possible substitutes might range from additional oil or butter to yogurt, applesauce or bananas. The link attached below provides further information.

Answer 2

There's no single solution that fits all needs. Eggs perform different functions in different recipes. As a general rule, the fewer eggs a recipe calls for, the easier they will be to substitute. Also consider how the substitute will affect the overall taste of the finished dish. Bananas, for example, may add a welcome hint of fruity sweetness to pancakes and cookies, but if you are making a casserole or another savory dish, you will want to use something else.

Cake: In a cake, eggs serve as a leavening agent, helping to make the cake light and fluffy. Replace them with commercial egg replacer. Ener-G is a versatile and easy-to-use commercial egg replacer available in most health food stores and larger, well-stocked grocery stores. It contains Potato Starch, Tapioca Flour, Leavening (Calcium Lactate, Calcium Carbonate, Cream of Tartar), Cellulose Gum, and Modified Cellulose. Bob's Red Mill Vegetarian Egg Replacer contains whole soy flour, wheat gluten, corn syrup solids, and algin (from algae). In a pinch, or with a good recipe, vinegar mixed with water or even plain run-of-the-mill soda can work as a decent egg replacer.

Cookies, muffins, pancakes, and quick breads: In baked goods such as cookies and muffins, the eggs add moisture and act as a binder, gluing all the other ingredients together. You can use the commercial egg replacers described above, or try flax eggs: 1 Tablespoon flax seeds plus 3 Tablespoons water replaces one egg. Finely grind 1 tablespoon whole flaxseeds in a blender or coffee grinder, or use 2 1/2 tablespoons pre-ground flaxseeds. Transfer to a bowl and beat in 3 tablespoons of water using a whisk or fork. It will become very gooey and gelatinous, much like an egg white. Chia seeds also work, and you need only about a teaspoon per tablespoon of water. You can also MASH up or blend about a half a banana or 1/4 cup applesauce to use as an egg replacer in baked goods such as muffins, pancakes, or quick breads. Bananas and applesauce add the perfect amount of thick moisture, like eggs, but they won't help your dishes rise or turn out light and fluffy, so be sure the recipe you are using includes a bit of baking powder or baking soda to help it rise if needed.

Brownies and bar cookies: Silken tofu is an appropriate egg substitute in brownies. To use, blend 1/4 cup silken tofu with liquid ingredients until tofu is smooth and creamy. While it won't alter the flavor of a recipe, using tofu as an egg substitute will make baked goods a bit on the heavy and thick side. You can also try 1/4 cup of soy, rice, almond, or coconut yogurt.

Quiche, fritatta, scramble, egg-less salad, and mayonaise: In recipes where eggs are central to the finished product, you'll probably need tofu to mimic the consistency of the eggs, while making other adjustments to the recipe as well to add flavor and body. The texture of silken tofu or crumbled regular tofu is similar to boiled or cooked eggs. You can add mustard, turmeric, and nutritional yeast to your dish to give it a yellow hue. Because other recipe adjustments are probably needed to make an egg-free fritatta, for example, its best to follow a recipe rather than just replacing the eggs with tofu.

Savory entrees: Commercial egg substitutes are relatively flavorless can be used to bind ingredients together in a vegan casserole or loaf. You can also try using 2-3 tablespoons of bread crumbs or oats.

Answer 3

There is no substitution for eggs when cooking