How to quickly make the best egg substitute for all your egg-free baking needs. Safer and healthier than commercial egg replacements that contain numerous additives.
Are you looking to get away from aquafaba aka “chickpea water” when it comes to egg substitutes? What actually is the healthiest egg replacement if you have a true egg allergy in your home?
Perhaps you can eat eggs just fine but you’ve simply run out of farmΒ fresh eggs temporarily and don’t want to run to the store and pay insane prices forΒ inferior quality organic eggs.
Some people use a few ounces of applesauce or a mashed up half banana as a substitute for one egg. In my experience, the binding ability of fruit is not very good. It can also unexpectedly change the taste of the recipe which may not be desirable.
Others useΒ goose or duck eggs as they are less allergenic than chicken eggs. Another option is eggs from game birds like quail. However, the availability of these types of eggs is sparse in some areas.
Some may try using bean water of various kinds but be warned. The saponins which cause the egg-like whipping are a risk to gut health. This anti-nutrient plus phytic acid, lectins, etc contribute to a leaky intestinal wall and can even be a miscarriage risk.
Homemade Egg Substitute that WORKS
The safe egg substitute I recommend that works really well is the gel from soaking flax or chia seeds.Β Β If you have any thyroid issues, it is best to use chia seeds as your egg substitute because flax is a slightly goitrogenic food.
Those who live in France should use chia seeds as flax has been banned for human consumption since 1973 and has limited availability in other European countries like Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland. Β To my knowledge, this ban is still in effect at the present time.
Note that a seed-based egg replacement works best for wheat or einkorn based baking recipes. It does work fairly well for gluten free recipes and best with those that only call for 1 egg. If you need more than 1 egg replacement for a recipe using gluten free flour, be sure to use a binder such as xanthan gum or guar gum.
Egg Substitute Recipe
How to quickly make the best egg substitute for all your egg-free baking needs. Safer and healthier than commercial egg replacements that contain numerous additives.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbl chia seeds or 2 tsp ground chia seeds
- 1/4 cup filtered water
Instructions
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Mix the seeds into the water in a small cup. The transformation to chia gel will occur faster if you use boiling water, but this is not necessary.
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Let sit for a few minutes. With boiling water, it takes about 5 minutes.
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Use the resulting gel in your baking recipe as a substitute for 1 egg. No need to try and sieve out the seeds. If you need to substitute 2 or more eggs, simply increase the recipe as needed.
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Whip the chia gel to get an even lighter and fluffier end result!
Recipe Video
More Information
I was wondering if anyone tried using the chia seed gel to make a faux mayonnaise. Or if anyone has another great way to make mayo that would taste good in my tuna fish.
No soy, gluten, dairy, sugar recipes only. Thank you.
Tracy,
I found this recipe on the GAPS help list… HTH
EGGLESS MAYO
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablspoon dry mustard powder
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
In blender or food processor, combine lemon juice, mustard powder, garlic and salt. Whiz until well blended – maybe 30 seconds? With machine on, VERY slowly add the oil, either a dribble, almost drop by drop, or no more than the tiniest little stream. Slower is
better than faster. Continue until it thickens. You may not need the whole cup of oil. DO NOT continue to add oil or blend after it thickens or it will un-thicken.
NOTES: You can apparently use most any oil you want. I used EV olive oil. This is a very savory mayo and you can’t skip the mustard powder or garlic. They are your emulsifiers. So if you want a sweeter or more neutral mayo, this isn’t it.
This will not thicken if there’s any humidity in the air, though I’ve always wondered how it knows when I am in with the furnace on. But it does and won’t get thicker than cream. It still tastes delicious as a salad dressing but it’s not mayo. I have not figure out how dry a
humidity is required.
You can use part coconut oil (melted) and it will thicken it up when in the frig. I don’t like the coconut taste here, though, I don’t feel it goes with the savory flavors.
You can add a bit of dissolved gelatin. This will work but IMHO makes it taste like mayo gelatin, and once out of the frig it will start to melt a bit. But, when it does work, it’s delicious, if you like the strong flavors.
Magda,
Thank you sooooo much for the recipe and the tips. You are awesome. I can not wait to try it. I have been craving my old standby tuna fish and plain olive oil with salt and pepper was just not the same.
Gratefully,
Tracy
We will have to agree to disagree, because the flax is heated when the item is baked.
@Kristin applesauce works ok but I think you would find the chia or flax gel wonderful and the taste of the final baked good would not be changed by the apple flavor. This egg sub is really good for cookies.
@RaddedyAnn Note that the seeds are intact in the warming water and the water doesn’t get very hot at all (I can still stick my finger in it). The oils in the seeds are discarded with the seeds when strained. You are quite wise though as flax oil is very delicate and subject to rancidity. In this case though, the oil is not used.
We use applesauce and pumpkin all the time as egg replacers and have never really had a problem.
Darn it! I’ve been using flax! Can’t use yoghurt because of dairy intolorences…..
I don’t heat flax ever. The oil in the flax is too fragile and unstable at high heats needed for baking. It can become rancid. It can also be toxic the same way transfats are toxic. I have had some fresh made breads where flax was used as the egg sub that tasted rancid.
Out of eggs? Got an egg-allergy? Check it: http://t.co/n3zMp7l9
What are the negative effects of flax during pregnancy?
Have been using chia seeds to bake for a while. Definitely works as a substitute in some recipes, but not so well in other. Also kicks up the nutritional content some as well.
I particularly like it in cookies where the cookie holding together is very important!