Fortunately, there are egg replacement options. Most of the fresh egg replacements are as close as your pantry shelf. We'll explore the options in this article to provide information on each substitute so you can make an educated choice when you need something to replace those fresh eggs.
None of these methods are suitable, nor intended to replace fried eggs, rather intended to substitute for eggs in baking, and some of the substitutes will work for scrambled eggs, or for use in casseroles and quiches, with a little tweaking.
Flax Seed Meal: You can grind your own Flax Seed Meal or purchase the pre-ground meal. It has a short shelf life because of the high oil content in the seeds, but this has been the option for egg replacement for vegans for some time. The flax is oily enough to substitute for the fats in the yolk of an egg, and the fiber coating of the seeds forms a gel, that behaves similar to an egg white in baking. To use, soak 1 T. of the ground meal in 3 T of water for 5 minutes. Add it to your recipe to replace each egg called for. Flax has a nutty, earthy flavor, so it may not be a good substitute for all baked goods, but it does work in whole grain breads, muffins, cornbread, pumpkin bread or banana bread without a noticeable off-flavor. You can purchase flax seeds in light or dark color, so take this into consideration when using them in your baked goods so they are not as noticeable in the finished product unless a whole grain that you want the seeds to show up in. You may only wish to grind up enough per recipe, because of the short shelf life. It takes a matter of minutes in a blender, grinder or food processor to make enough per recipe. Keep flax seeds refrigerated to extend the shelf life.
Chia Seed: Chia is one of the few nutritionally complete grains. It can be used in baking, smoothies, juice, added to hot cereals, granola bars and pudding. When water or liquid is added to chia seed, it forms a gelatinous substance, that works as a replacement for egg whites, while the seeds substitute a portion of the fats in egg yolks. Chia has virtually no taste of it's own, so it will not alter the flavor of your finished baked goods. 1 T. Chia seeds with 3 T. water will substitute for one egg in your recipes. See the link below to grow your own Chia. It has many health benefits for you and your chickens.
Aquafaba: Aquafaba is the liquid from beans, whether canned varieties or home cooked varieties. This is fast becoming one of the new options to
vegans/vegetarians for a variety of ingredient replacements including eggs. For recipes that yield a light color finished product, use the liquid from white beans, such as garbanzo, great northern or navy. For dark colored baked goods, the darker liquid from pinto, or black beans can be used. 1 T. of Aquafaba will replace one egg yolk, or one egg white, while 2-3 T. will replace a whole egg. You can freeze the aquafaba after it is drained from the beans, so it can be used at any time. Aquafaba has many characteristics that allow it to be emulsified much like eggs to substitute for whipped egg whites, such as meringues, and a vegan mayonnaise. Refer to the link to learn more about Aquafaba and it's uses.
Commercial Egg Replacement: There are egg replacements available in the grocery section. Some may be real eggs, while others may be an egg substitute. The real egg replacements are pasteurized, so they are safe to use even in non-cooked recipes such as egg nog or orange Julius and syllabub cocktails. You can prepare your own egg replacement and pasteurize your own eggs to use in raw egg recipes. Refer to the link below to pasteurize eggs.
Baking Soda and Vinegar: This mixture will help to make baked goods fluffier and lighter, while also a suitable substitute for eggs. The common ratio 1 tsp. baking soda and 1 T. of vinegar will substitute for one whole egg.
Banana or Applesauce: Half to a whole mashed leopard banana (very ripe), can substitute for one whole egg. When using banana, there are a couple of things to note. One, use in the more dense, chewy type baked goods such as brownies, otherwise, some baked goods may be too heavy for your liking. Applesauce is often used to replace some or all of the oil in a recipe, but it can also substitute for a whole egg when using oil in the recipe. 1 T. Applesauce per egg is the general rule. When using either Banana or Applesauce as a substitute, you will need to adjust your sweetener, because of the natural sweetness in both substitutes.
Dehydrated Eggs: Powdered-dehydrated eggs are available from companies that promote long term storage or survival foods, but they are easy to make yourself when you have extra eggs on hand. 1 T. dehydrated egg is equivalent to 1 egg. You simply add a little water and allow to sit for 5 minutes, then use in your recipe for a whole egg. Dehydrated eggs do not work well for frying, but they can be used to substitute for a scrambled egg with a little tweaking. They do work very well for baked goods and baked custards or pudding. I have not tried using them for egg custard, but have used them in baked rice pudding and tapioca. See the link below for further information on how to dehydrate eggs.
Frozen Eggs: Egg whites and egg yolks can be frozen. Ice trays or muffin tins work well for this method. Large eggs may require two sections of the standard ice tray. Just separate the whites from the yolks and fill each cup of the tray with either yolk or white. One whole Small egg will fit in individual cups of the ice tray, while a muffin tin should hold a whole egg in each cup of the tin. In recipes, just use the number of whole eggs, whole yolks or whole whites called for in the recipe. Note: Thaw before adding to the recipe. Frozen eggs do not work well for frying, but they work perfectly for baked goods that require eggs. See the link below for more information on freezing eggs.
Note: The first 6 substitutes are suitable for vegetarian/vegan cooking, and there may be additional substitutes, such as Avocado, Tofu, and Agar Agar, though I have not personally tried any of those options. I have used all of the substitutes suggested in the article with good success, when fresh eggs may not be available from the hens, during molt and low light season. Of course you can always purchase eggs at the grocery store, but the above suggestions are things you likely have in the pantry or purchase regularly and will save you an unnecessary trip to the store, especially if you have an adverse opinion about using store bought eggs.
Note: There are other ways to preserve eggs to use when your own fresh eggs are not available. Refer to the link below for other preservation options.
Refer to the link to learn more about Aquafaba:
justfowlingaround.weebly.com/recipes-for-self-reliance/aquafabaegg-substitute
Refer to the link to Preserve Eggs: justfowlingaround.weebly.com/recipes-for-self-reliance/vintage-egg-preservation-methods
Refer to the link to Dehydrate and Freeze eggs:
justfowlingaround.weebly.com/recipes-for-self-reliance/preserve-the-bounty
Refer to the link to Pasteurize Eggs out of shell:
justfowlingaround.weebly.com/recipes-for-self-reliance/pasteurizing-eggs-out-of-shellfor-raw-egg-recipes
Refer to the link to Pasteurize Eggs in Shell:
justfowlingaround.weebly.com/recipes-for-self-reliance/pasteurizing-eggsfor-raw-egg-recipes
Refer to the link to grow Chia: justfowlingaround.weebly.com/chicken-coop-chatter-blog/chia-fodder-for-chickens-and-healthy-for-humans
Refer to the link to make your own alternative Flour:
justfowlingaround.weebly.com/recipes-for-self-reliance/how-to-make-alternative-flour
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