Egg substitutes
Plant-based egg substitute: how to replace eggs with aquafaba in your recipes
One plant-based ingredient can replace whole eggs, egg whites and even yolks. VERY AQUAFABA is chickpea aquafaba: 45g replaces a whole egg and 30g an egg white. Below you'll find when an egg-free recipe makes sense, what the egg does in your recipe, how much aquafaba to use instead, and the one adjustment to make.
When does an egg-free recipe make sense?
A vegan menu is the obvious reason, but it is far from the only one. Kitchens go egg-free for five reasons:
- Vegan and plant-based menus. The dish has to be egg-free by definition.
- Allergen management. VERY AQUAFABA contains no eggs, dairy, gluten or soy, so the recipe drops one of the major allergens.
- Preparations that are never cooked. Cocktail foams, mousse and mayonnaise are served raw. Aquafaba replaces raw egg white without the food-safety risk that comes with it.
- Stock and shelf life. Eggs need the fridge and a short date. Sealed aquafaba keeps at least 12 months at room temperature, and the powder does not spoil once opened.
- Price stability. Egg prices move with the season and the market. Aquafaba does not.
What is the egg doing in your recipe?
Before you swap anything, it helps to know what the egg was doing. In most recipes it does one of three jobs: it holds a foam, it keeps an emulsion together, or it binds a batter and brings moisture. Find your recipe in the table below and you have your dose.
| What you make | What the egg does | Use instead | Watch for | Full guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meringues, macarons, mousse, cocktail foams | Foaming: whipped white that holds air and sugar | 30g per egg white, whipped cold on its own | Grease in the bowl and warm aquafaba both keep the foam short | Meringue, macarons, chocolate mousse, cocktails |
| Mayonnaise, sauces, dressings | Emulsifying: holding oil and water together | 60g for 300g of oil | Oil poured too fast, or too little shear, and the emulsion never starts | Mayonnaise |
| Cakes, cookies, muffins, brioche | Binding and moisture: holding the batter together | 45g per whole egg | Aquafaba brings more water than egg: reduce the other liquids and bake through | Baking |
| Anything that needs the richness of a yolk | Fat and colour | 15g plus 10g of oil | Aquafaba brings no fat, so the oil is not optional | Egg ratio |
One ingredient covers all four jobs. What changes from one recipe to the next is the dose and the way you handle it.
How much aquafaba replaces an egg
Aquafaba is always weighed, and three numbers cover every recipe:
- 45g of aquafaba replaces one whole egg.
- 30g replaces one egg white. In powder, that is 2g made up with 30 ml of water.
- 15g plus 10g of oil stand in for one yolk, because aquafaba brings no fat.
Replacing whole eggs? Aquafaba carries more water than an egg, about 90 to 92 percent against 75 percent. Reduce the other liquids by 5 to 10 percent and bake dense cakes through. Replacing only the whites, as in meringues or macarons, needs no adjustment.
The substitution calculator converts the eggs, whites and yolks of your own recipe in one go.
Liquid or powder?
Liquid and powder are the same aquafaba, so the doses above apply to both. The choice comes down to how quickly you use an opened pack and where you can store it.
| Format | Per egg white | Once opened | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid, ready to pour | 30g, weighed straight from the pack | In the fridge at 2 to 6 °C, used within 3 to 4 days | Liquid egg white alternative |
| Powder, made up with water | 2g plus 30 ml of water | Does not spoil. Keep it dry and closed | Egg white powder alternative |
If you cook egg-free every day, liquid is the simple choice. If you only do it now and then, or you are short on fridge space, powder will wait as long as you need. And if you are buying for a bakery, a bar or a production line, the professionals section looks at the formats by activity.
Why do results vary from one recipe to the next?
Usually because the egg was doing a different job in each recipe. Five things explain most surprises:
- The job. A foam, a binder and an emulsion are three different results. The dose that whips a meringue is not the dose that binds a cake.
- Which part of the egg. Replacing a white is a direct swap. Replacing a whole egg brings extra water. Replacing a yolk needs the oil.
- Technique. Whipping puts the air in, folding keeps it, a thin stream of oil builds the emulsion. Each guide's troubleshooting table covers the faults of its own recipe.
- The rest of the recipe. Sugar timing, chocolate temperature, humidity in the room and oven heat all change the result, the same as with eggs.
- The format, only at preparation. Liquid is weighed as it comes. Powder is made up with water first. Made up, it is the same aquafaba, at the same dose.
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Frequently asked questions
Is aquafaba vegan?
Yes. VERY AQUAFABA is made from chickpeas and water, with no eggs, dairy, gluten or soy, so it suits vegan and allergen-free recipes.
Can I replace one egg white with aquafaba?
Yes. 30g of liquid aquafaba replaces one egg white, or 2g of powder made up with 30 ml of water. Weigh it rather than measuring it in spoons.
Can I use aquafaba instead of a whole egg?
Yes. 45g replaces one whole egg. Added as it is, it brings the binding and moisture of the egg to cakes, cookies and doughs. For the richness of a yolk, add 15g of aquafaba plus 10g of oil.
Do I need to change anything else in the recipe?
Only when you replace whole eggs: reduce the other liquids by 5 to 10 percent, because aquafaba is about 90 to 92 percent water against 75 percent for an egg. Replacing egg whites alone needs no change.
Is the powder the same thing as the liquid?
Yes, dried. 2g of powder plus 30 ml of water gives 32g of aquafaba, the same as the liquid, and replaces one egg white.
What is VERY AQUAFABA made of?
The liquid from cooking chickpeas, filtered, refined and standardized so that every batch behaves the same. It is neutral in taste and clean label, as the Products page describes.
Discuss your production needs
Professional volumes, formats and the technical sheet are answered per project, so tell us what you are making and how much of it.
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