we might be witnessing the beginning of the end of the egg industry. egg is a common ingredient for it’s emulsification properties but there are alternatives and once the switch is made it’s likely not going back
I’m a big fan of plant-based meats (otherwise, I’d have never stuck with vegetarian diet), but where do you even get plant based eggs? Are those new? Like, I’ve never seen them before but really want to try them. I’m lacto/ovo vegetarian but lactose intolerant and can’t afford eggs, so right now this is about as close to vegan as I’ve ever been.
For me the replacement depends on the culinary use it replaces.
For scrambles: Brick of extra firm tofu, sliced and crumbled to scrambled egg texture. Mix in 1tsp turmeric, 1tsp black pepper, optional 1tsp garlic powder. Heat up in a pan stirring occasionally, and the turmeric turns it yellow. Once cooked add the secret ingredient: Black salt / kala namak, a salt with a strong sulfur taste (Do this at the end as heat destroys that taste).
For fried: A mung bean-based liquid mix like Just Egg. If you don’t want to pay the vegan tax for a bottle of Just it’s easy and cheap to diy in the kitchen, lots of recipes out there.
For baking: A tapioca and starch-based mix like Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer.
Thank you! I’ve wanted to do this for a long time and a few recipes I tried out were terrible.
To get the same taste as a cut hardboiled egg on a sandwich: black salt. Throw it on any sandwich and it’s like there’s eggs on it because of the sulfur smell.
I think “plant based egg” sometimes give the wrong idea. I haven’t come across any plant based eggs in the way you get “plant based bacon” say, but like other people mentioned aquafaba (chickpea water) is a great substitute in cooking uses (cakes, muffins etc), and scrambled tofu is an awesome replacement for scrambled eggs.
Haven’t seen a “vegan fried egg” yet- we can all dream though!
Haven’t seen a “vegan fried egg” yet- we can all dream though!
I do dream, it’s true. And I’d be the first to line up if it actually happened. But also… I think I’m coming to grips that some of the things I enjoy might be fruit of the poisonous tree (cruelty), and that I should just move forward with new things rather than recapture what I remember.
Losing my cheese goggles was huge. I didn’t think I would ever be able to do without a replacement, but it turns out I don’t need to put dairy all over everything vegetarian to make it good.
Yeah, I guess I mostly meant “egg substitute” that I can use as an ingredient. Being able to scramble one up (or even make an omelette) would be nice too.
Most “egg substitutes” work well for a particular use case of eggs, and not for others. E.g.
- Aquafaba (chick pea water) whips up like egg whites and can be used to make sponge cakes, merengues or similar fluffy sweets.
- Chia or flaxseed/linseed are a good replacement binder for muffins and denser cakes (and good for fibre and protein too).
- Tapioca starch and baking powder can also work to give a bit of leavening for muffins (McKensie vegan baking egg subtitute)
- Ground cashews and/or avocado can be used for some richer desserts like mousses.
- Kala Namak, a dark sulphurous salt which adds the smell and flavour of egg yolk, but doesn’t add texture like the above stuff.
- Tumeric is often used to add a bit of yellow colour to make vegan omelettes and scrambles look like eggs.
I haven’t seen any subsitutes that are a straight drop in for all purposes of eggs, usually you have to use several depending on the recipe.
There’s “just egg”, it’s pretty close to real scrambled eggs.
the main ingredient is mung beans
As others have mentioned, chick peas (I’d recommend chick pea flour) can be a great base. If you want it to taste similar to eggs you can have a look at Kala Namak. Kala Namak is a salt that’s rich in sulfur. If you add a bit to a dish it immediately smells like eggs.
Chick peas are a minor deity in this household
Someone else posted a link to a “copycat” Just Eggs recipe, and that was the one ingredient I hadn’t heard of. Will def check and see if that’s something my regular grocery store carries (they do carry the other ingredients). Thanks for the tip.
Just Egg is probably the most popular. You can find them near you here
This link is fire. ty
Looks like only the “bougie” Kroger in my area sells them. A little out of my way, but will try to make a trip and give them a try. Thanks.
Just Egg is (iirc, I moved to a country where it’s not available a few years ago) mostly mungbean with nooch and Kala namak for flavor. If you’re handy in the kitchen, it’s not that hard to make it cheaply yourself.
If a trip to three “bougie” Kroger is too much work, tracking down a good source of mungbean and kala namak feels like it’s asking a lot :D
It’s not too much work, lol, but it is pretty out of my way (not by distance, but hassle b/c of traffic). Definitely a “special trip” kind of thing.
I’ve been making chickpea pancakes and scrambles and they work pretty well as eggs
That sounds delicious. I do make a mean scramble; probably one of my favorite lazy comfort foods. Usually make them with the Impossible Sausage or the Beyond Steak tips and the dairy free cheese. Hoping to swing by the bougie Kroger (only Kroger that sells them near me) and give the Just Egg a try.
