Egg whites, as well as whole eggs, are widespread ingredients in baking recipes. They don’t enrich recipes with their flavor since it’s pretty neutral, but their role in baking is vital. Egg whites add structure, thickening mixtures, aerate and moisturize them. They as well work as a leavening agent.
In some cases, you’ll need to replace egg whites in recipes. It doesn’t matter whether you avoid eggs, have an egg allergy, or are just currently out of eggs – there are various egg white substitutes that you can use.
If you’re looking for fresh egg whites substitutes, you’re in the right place.
Contents
What are egg whites?
Egg white, also known as egg albumin, is a part of an egg – actually, 2/3 of an egg is egg white.
While scientists’ views on egg yolks are constantly changing, egg whites hold their reputation as one of the best protein sources. In addition to being a common ingredient in numerous sweet and savory baking goods, egg whites are also a smart choice for people who train regularly and take care of their weight.
As a treasure trove of protein and micronutrients (such as niacin, choline, riboflavin, potassium, magnesium, sodium, and sulfur), egg whites are an essential part of any balanced diet as many cooking and baking recipes.
There is only 52 kCal in 100 g of egg whites. Despite that, whites provide a feeling of satiety and provide the necessary energy for a busy day. The main reason for that is that egg whites are full of proteins, which are crucial for building muscles and other bodily functions.
Egg white is better than a whole egg or egg yolk since they do not contain cholesterol.
Nutrients | % Recommended daily intake | Amount (100g) |
---|---|---|
Total fat | 0.26% | 0.17 g |
Calories | 2.49% | 52 kcal |
Protein | 19.46% | 10.9 g |
Calcium | 0.70% | 7 mg |
Salt | 2.77% | 166 mg |
Iron | 19% | 0.08 mg |
Potassium | 5% | 163 mg |
Selenium | 4% | 20 ug |
Vitamin B12 | 3.75% | 0.09 ug |
Phosphorus | 2% | 15 mg |
The nutritive profile is provided by USDA, so you can follow your daily intake.
When you need to replace egg whites?
If we ignore the most obvious reason, that you forgot to buy eggs, you may want to replace egg whites in recipes for other reasons.
Egg allergies are one of the leading causes of people looking for white egg substitutes and a vegetarian diet.
Egg allergy, for example, can provoke some severe health issues if a person consumes eggs. Its symptoms are skin rash, swelling, vomiting, diarrhea, hives, nausea. In some cases, a person will need medical help, depending on the number of eggs eaten and the level of difficulty of allergy.
Also, many people are supporters of a vegan or vegetarian diet due to environmental and animal protection, so they do not eat eggs. That’s not the reason to give up on tasty recipes that include this ingredient – angel food cake, for example, cause it’s effortless to find egg white substitute that will suit all.
Will egg substitutes change the recipe?
If you use egg substitute instead of real egg, you’ll change the recipe, but unnoticeably.
For example, a mashed banana that substitutes egg white will naturally give your baked good taste of banana. But it will take equally good moist all other ingredients and provide strength and expected texture.
In some cases, you’ll want to avoid banana flavor – use more neutral-tasting substitutes, such as unsweetened applesauce, agar powder, plain yogurt, ground chia seeds.
Best substitutes for egg whites
Following egg alternatives will be perfect for baked foods that you want to prepare:
Applesauce
Applesauce is mashed apple puree, one of the best egg substitutes.
Depending on your recipe, it can be used unsweetened or enriched with sugar or spices, such as cinnamon. The perfect consistency of applesauce will give texture to your baked good without overtaking the taste.
1/4 cup of applesauce is a substitute for two egg whites.
The same goes for every other type of fruit puree (apricot, avocado, pumpkin purée) – 1/8 cup of fruit puree will be an excellent replacement for one raw egg white.
Mashed potatoes
Using mashed potatoes as an egg substitute is a great way to eliminate dinner leftovers. Just be careful – if your potatoes are on the salty side, or you add garlic when preparing a basic recipe, use them for savory foods. You can enrich them with butter or sour cream for an extra creamy feel.
1/4 cup of mashed potatoes is a replacement for two egg whites.
Chia seeds or ground flaxseeds
This may seem odd, but chia seeds and ground flaxseed can perfectly replace eggs in baking. They are friendly to a vegan diet, suitable for LCHF, keto, and paleo diets. Besides, these seeds contain many omega-3 fatty acids and other healthy nutrients.
How to use them? Simply. Take one tablespoon (7 grams) of chia seeds or ground flaxseed and mix it with three tablespoons of water. When you add water to the tiny seeds, you’ll get a gelatinous mixture that works the same way that eggs would. This mixture will replace one egg white.
Chia eggs and flaxseed eggs are equally good in sweet and salty foods. Chia and flax seeds can also be whole egg substitutes, and you can buy them in health food stores or online.
Vegetable oil
If your recipe asks for only one egg white, you can easily replace it with vegetable oil. If a recipe calls for more than one egg white, you’ll find various egg alternatives that don’t include so much fat in this article.
Use 1/8 cup of oil as a substitute for egg white.
We mentioned above that egg whites often work as a leavening agent if that’s the purpose of egg white. In your recipe, mix two teaspoons of water, two tablespoons of baking soda, and one tablespoon of vegetable oil for two egg whites.
Cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Cornstarch (corn flour) will work as a binding agent instead of egg white. Replace one egg with one large tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with three tablespoons of water. If you’re out of cornstarch, potato starch will work equally well.
The same goes for arrowroot powder, which people frequently use in cooking and baking. Replace one egg white with two tablespoons of arrowroot powder mixed with three tablespoons of water.
Baking soda and vinegar
This combination will substitute egg whites as leavening agents. You can use white distilled vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or balsamic vinegar. Mix one teaspoon of baking soda with two tablespoons of vinegar. Combining these two ingredients will provoke a chemical reaction to aerate your baked goods.
Mashed bananas
As we mentioned above, mashed banana is a great egg white substitute, but it will affect the taste and color of your recipe. Other fruit purees do not have that recognizable taste, and they’re better solutions when you want a neutral flavor.
This fruit will be a good egg replacer if you’re making banana bread. Use 1/4 cup of mashed banana as two egg replacers.
Aquafaba
Aquafaba may be the best egg substitute! It’s an excellent solution for both vegetarians and vegans. It is also delicious and easy to make by cooking beans.
Ingredients for about 3dl of vegan egg white:
- 300g of raw dried chickpeas
- 500ml of water
- Pinch of salt
Preparation:
Wash raw (uncooked) chickpeas well and pour two times more water over them. Cook them at a low temperature until they soften. Leave them to hydrate for about 8 hours. Replace water with 500 ml of fresh water and add salt.
The water should always cover all the chickpeas to cook them evenly (when the middle is soft creamy, the chickpeas are done – press them with two fingers, and you will know if they are ready). Leave them to cool in water in which they were cooked overnight (around 8 hours). Then strain them and put the liquid to boil to get a higher protein concentration (water should evaporate by about 50 percent).
The liquid you will get should be thick. When you rub it between two fingers, it should have a sticky texture similar to the consistency of egg whites (noting that this liquid has a lower density).
From these egg whites, you can prepare both sweets and savory recipes.
Dairy products
Dairy products can work as different egg substitutes.
Use sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, or buttermilk to substitute eggs in your recipes.
1/4 cup condensed milk, buttermilk, or plain yogurt = two egg whites
Tip: It would be best to use unsweetened versions of liquids. That way, you won’t have to worry about using too much sugar or subtracting sugar from the total amount in the recipe.
Silken tofu
Tofu is made out of condensed soy milk by pressing into solid blocks. The amount of water in tofu can vary, depending on how much has been squeezed out of it. Silken tofu is softer, as it has more water than regular tofu.
1/8 cup of silken tofu is one egg white substitute.
Different nut butters
Nut butter (almond, peanut, or any other type) will give a nice nutty flavor to your baked goods; be careful not to use chunky ones with big pieces of nuts. Also, mix it thoroughly.
One big tablespoon (30 grams) of almond butter substitutes egg white.
Powdered egg whites
Egg white protein powder can be an excellent substitute for eggs; no matter does baked goods you’re making content just egg whites or egg yolk too. If a recipe requires 1 cup of egg whites, just mix 1/2 cup of powdered egg whites and 1/2 cup of lukewarm water. You’ll use it in a 1:1 ratio.
Soy lecithin
Soy lecithin powder is nusproduct of soy oil. It has the same binding qualities as egg whites; therefore, it is one of the most loved egg substitutes. One tablespoon of soy lecithin will swap two egg whites in your recipe.
If a recipe calls for egg whites, can I use whole egg?
What to do if you used whole egg in a recipe that only calls for egg whites? Well, no need to worry. Mix whole egg, and don’t change anything else. It will affect the texture and the color of your baked good – it will be softer after it’s baked, and it’ll have yellower color. One whole egg can be a substitute for one egg white.
Citations:
- https://www.lacademie.com/egg-white-substitutes/
- https://www.fitibility.com/egg-white-substitutes/
- https://www.peteandgerrys.com/blog/egg-whites-vs-egg-yolks