Eggs are a component of many dishes. However, becoming vegan does not mean you cannot enjoy foods that would normally include them. Several pantry ingredients allow you to make egg replacements, but you can also buy shop-bought versions with similar ingredients. However, making your own is so simple that you probably will rarely need commercial egg replacers.
Here’s how to make vegan eggs with ingredients like tofu, aquafaba, flax seeds, and more, ensuring you enjoy various dishes. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy vegan scramble, poached eggs, baked goodies, pancakes, mayonnaise, etc. on a plant-based diet.
Easy Vegan Egg Recipes
Vegan eggs allow you to create dishes for breakfast, vegan egg mayonnaise sandwiches for lunch, an excellent frittata for dinner, and desserts. Whether you want to cut eggs out of your diet for health reasons, have an allergy, or have turned to a plant-based lifestyle for environmental or ethical reasons, it’s time to learn how to make vegan eggs.
These easy vegan egg recipes from The Edgy Veg allow you to recreate classics like scrambled eggs, eggs Benedict, fried eggs with runny yogurt, egg muffins, or omelets into vegan delights using ingredients like tofu, mung beans, chickpea flour, yellow lentils, etc. The only challenging recipe here is recreating the fried eggs with the runny yolks.
Delicious Plant-Based Egg Alternatives
One trick to understanding how to make vegan eggs is knowing which substitute to use for which dishes. Therefore, if you want to recreate a scramble, you cannot use aquafaba or mashed banana; you must use tofu.
Then again, when baking, aquafaba is excellent for recipes requiring a fluffy egg mix like meringues. On the other hand, mashed pumpkins, apples, or bananas are ideal for baked goods.
Here are the most delicious plant-based egg alternatives:
Silken Tofu Tofu – Made with soy milk, silken tofu is a solid curd that’s an excellent plant-based egg alternative. Its soft texture and high water content make it easy to scramble, steam, or whip up into a smooth egg replacer for omelets, cheesecake, cake, or mousse. You can also make a paste with tofu and flour for delicious omelets. You’ll need ¼ cup of pureed silken tofu to replace one egg.
Flaxseed or Chia Seeds – Mix flaxseeds or chia seeds in water and let them thicken to get a gel-like substance that can bind your pancakes, waffles, or muffins. You can replace one egg with 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed or chia seed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water.
Starch – Use the starch from mung beans, yellow lentils, potatoes, arrowroot, peas, sorghum, etc., mixed with water to replace egg in frittatas, as an eggwash for frying, noodle making, and pastry. Whether you use the starchy water or the actual starch depends on what you want to recreate. If you need to replace one egg in a recipe, you will need two tablespoons of starchy water. To make eight servings of a frittata, you can blend one cup of the soaked starch with about a quarter cup of nutritional yeast and your herbs and spices.
Chickpea Flour – Add water to chickpea flour to make a smooth vegan paste for scrambled eggs or omelet. All you need to do before cooking the mixture is to add your favorite herbs or spices and to have the ingredients ready for your filling if making an omelet. You can also add chickpea flour to dessert mixes or pancakes. Use three tablespoons of flour mixed with the same amount of water to replace one egg.
Simple Vegan Egg Substitutes
When a sweet or savory dish calls for eggs, you must know how to make vegan eggs. Here are some simple egg substitutes to use:
Aquafaba – For those that don’t know, aquafaba is the liquid that’s left after cooking chickpeas, white beans, or legumes. You can use the liquid from canned chickpeas, preferring unsalted or low-salt cans. Replace one whole egg with 3 tbsp of aquafaba. Aquafaba is also an excellent replacement for egg white for macaroons, meringues, etc. Beat the aquafaba to create a fluffy and light egg replacer.
Mashed Fruits and Veggies – You’ll be happy to know that you can use purees like applesauce, banana, avocado, and pumpkin to get the dense and moist quality of eggs in your baking. The quantity you need is ¼ cup for each egg.
Baking Powder and Oil – Combine one teaspoon of baking powder, 1 ½ tablespoons of oil, and ½ tablespoon of water to replace one egg in your baking for a fluffy and moist result.
Baking Soda and Vinegar – Combining baking soda and vinegar produces carbon dioxide and water for recipes that need an airy consistency. Replace each egg with one teaspoon of baking soda and one tablespoon of vinegar mixed and folded gently into the batter.
Nut Butter – Use nut butter to substitute whole eggs or egg yolks. Use three tablespoons for each egg.
Agar – This plant-based gelling agent comes from algae or seaweed, and it replaces eggs in several sweets that require a creamier mix, like custard, cheesecake, and pies. Use 1 tbsp agar powder mixed with 1 tbsp of water to replace one egg.
Soy Lecithin – As a byproduct of soy oil, soy lecithin makes a suitable egg replacement, so food manufacturers frequently use it. Use one tablespoon to replace one egg or yolk in recipes, including when making pasta dough.
Vegan Yogurt – Use vegan yogurt to replace eggs in pancakes, doughs, cakes, etc, because of its binding and leavening properties. Replace one egg with ¼ cup of vegan yogurt.
Quick and Tasty Vegan Egg Options
When you are in a hurry, you have several convenient vegan egg options to help you create a quick and tasty meal. Use a vegan egg alternative to create a breakfast scramble, an egg muffin, or a vegan egg for a burger.
Just Egg – Using a liquid egg formula like Just Egg allows you to quickly whip up an omelet, scramble, or frittata. Use about a quarter cup per egg in recipes, including baking.
Organ Vegan Easy Egg Mix – Each packet of this egg alternative has the equivalent of 15 eggs, making it more economical as an egg replacement for your scrambles. Since it’s a powdered mix, you don’t need to refrigerate it.
Simply Eggless – With Simply Eggless, you have several choices for enjoying a plant-based egg meal. Use the pourable egg substitute packed with proteins made from lupini beans to create a scramble for your breakfast, or use their frozen plant-based egg patties to create a vegan burger. Look out for their ready-to-cook Plant-based Cheddar Cheese Omelet.
Nummy Numbles – Use this chickpea flour mix with dehydrated vegetables for plant-based omelets and scrambles. Nummy Nibbles has three flavor mixes: Original, Southwest, and Chipotle. Each variety contains black salt for that eggy taste.
Scrumptious Egg-free Breakfast Ideas
You don’t need eggs to have a delicious breakfast. You can learn how to make vegan eggs to swap out in muffins, pancakes, or omelets, or you can make delicious quinoa, oat, or smoothie meals to start your day.
Here are some scrumptious egg-free breakfast ideas from Love & Lemons that will ensure you don’t run out of ideas. Must-tries include the Banana Pancakes, the Wholewheat Vegan Waffles with a tangy vegan buttermilk, the easiest chai Pudding that you can prepare ahead for a grab-and-go breakfast, and the quick Tofu Scramble.
Creative Vegan Egg Replacements
Learning to make vegan eggs allows you to adapt recipes that call for regular eggs for cooking and baking. Different recipes and techniques allow you to use the egg substitutes mentioned earlier for thickening, stabilizing, volumizing, and emulsifying ingredients.
There are several ways to use vegan eggs in dishes. For example:
- When baking cakes, muffins, pies, brownies, etc.
- For making quick breads like pancakes and waffles
- For making pasta, noodles, and dumpling dough
- To create sauces and condiments like hollandaise and mayonnaise
- For making desserts like cheesecake or mousse
- Creating candies like marshmallows
- Used like an eggwash for coating foods
- To create fillings for sandwiches, tacos, or dumplings
- Make egg dishes like steamed, scrambled, poached eggs or French toast.
Vegan eggs are often bland, and they lack color. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot add that umami flavor of eggs or color to your dishes. Add black salt to your vegan eggs, and its sulfur content adds an authentic egg flavor to your dish. Mimic the color of eggs by adding a pinch of turmeric to the mixture.
Wholesome and Flavorful Vegan Egg Dishes
Now that you know how to make vegan eggs, you see why they are the healthiest option. However, you will still want to create wholesome and flavorful vegan egg dishes. Swapping ingredients to create egg-free vegan dishes may sound complicated, but you will be amazed at how easy it is to do when you see these recipes from It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken.
Must-ties include the vegan Huevos Ranchero, the vegan Egg sandwich, and the Vegan Pumpkin French Toast.
Mouthwatering Vegan Egg Recipes
With so many ingredients to use as alternatives, being vegan does not mean you cannot enjoy mouthwatering vegan egg recipes. One Green Planet shows you how to make vegan eggs with 15 delicious ideas you can follow or alter to match the ingredients you prefer or have available.1
Once you have tried these recipes, you will realize that it’s so easy to cook with vegan eggs that you will never have a shortage of meal ideas again.
Unleash the Magic of Plant-Based Cooking: Your Guide to Vegan Egg Mastery
Congratulations on taking a journey through the innovative world of vegan eggs! By now, you’ve discovered the secrets behind crafting the perfect plant-based scramble, the fluffiest omelets, and the most delectable baked goods—all without cracking a single shell. But, as with any culinary adventure, the path to perfection is paved with practice and a sprinkle of creativity.
Before you go forth to whip up your next egg-free masterpiece, here are some final pearls of wisdom to ensure your vegan egg endeavors are as smooth as the silken tofu in your quiches:
- Experiment with Egg Alternatives: You’ve learned about the versatility of ingredients like aquafaba, flaxseeds, and chickpea flour. Now, it’s time to play around with ratios and combinations to find what works best for your favorite recipes.
- Taste and Texture Triumph: The key to a successful vegan egg dish is nailing the taste and texture. Don’t be afraid to add a pinch of black salt (kala namak) for that eggy sulfur aroma or a touch of turmeric for a golden hue.
- Nutrition Matters: While focusing on flavor, consider the nutritional profile of your vegan egg choices. Ingredients like tofu and chickpea flour are not just egg substitutes; they’re protein powerhouses that can significantly boost your meals.
- Keep an Open Mind: Sometimes, the results might surprise you pleasantly and otherwise. Every failure is a step closer to perfection. Embrace the unexpected and learn from each experience.
- Share Your Creations: One of the joys of cooking is sharing your creations with others. Whether through social media, a family dinner, or a potluck with friends, spread the love and inspire others with plant-based innovations.
- Stay Updated: The world of vegan cooking is ever-evolving. Watch for new products, techniques, and recipes to elevate your vegan egg game.
- Ask for Feedback: Don’t shy away from constructive criticism. Ask those who taste your dishes for honest opinions and use that feedback to refine your recipes.
- Enjoy the Process: Above all, have fun with your culinary experiments. The joy of cooking comes from the process itself, not just the result.
We hope this guide has armed you with the confidence and curiosity to continue exploring the boundless possibilities of vegan eggs. With every whisk, stir, and flip, you’re creating delectable dishes and contributing to a kinder, more sustainable world.
So, go ahead, crack open your spice cabinet, preheat your pans, and get ready to transform the simplest ingredients into something truly extraordinary. The future of breakfast—and beyond—is vegan, and it’s deliciously yours to shape. Bon appétit!
