Looking for egg substitutes? Make your favorite foods completely plant-based by swapping in these chicken-friendly ingredients instead of eggs.

Below are general suggestions and guidelines for using egg alternatives. Eggs typically serve as binding agents and provide moisture, and these foods accomplish the same functions. Be open to experimentation! Ratios and amounts may differ, depending on your recipe.

You may find that some replacements really make your creations sing, possibly outshining egg-based versions. Other times, the ingredients chosen may not be quite right for the dish. Keep an open mind and a creative spirit. Eventually, you will find that you can make most anything without eggs — with delicious and compassionate results!

The list:

• Applesauce. Replace one egg with 1/4 cup of applesauce. Works best in cookies, cakes, muffins and breads.

• Aquafaba. Aqua-whatta? It may not be a word you hear every day but it’s easy enough to come by. Aquafaba is simply the liquid from a can of chickpeas. (The stuff from a can tends to work better than home-made chickpea cooking water, but give the home brew a try if that’s what you have.) To substitute for one egg, use an electric or stand mixer and whip 1/4 cup of chickpea liquid for 3-5 minutes. The liquid should foam and eventually create stiff peaks. Once you see the stiff peaks, it’s good to go.

• Avocado. Use 1/4 cup of mashed avocado instead of one egg. Avocado works best as a substitution in recipes where only one or two eggs are required. Awesome for brownies!

• Banana. Use 1/4 cup mashed banana to replace one egg. Works well in chewy baked goods like brownies or cookies.  

• Chia seed. For one “egg,” mix 1 Tablespoon chia seed with 2.5 Tablespoons water and let rest 5 minutes.  

• Flax seed. One egg equals 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 2.5 Tablespoons water, letting it rest 5 minutes before adding to your recipe. Great for baking!

• Nondairy yogurt. Add 1/4 cup plain non-dairy yogurt for each egg. Yogurt has no leavening properties, so add 1/8th teaspoon baking soda per “egg” if making baked goods. 

• Silken tofu. This creamier variety of tofu works a treat in cakes and muffins. (Pro tip: It makes an easy and delectable chocolate mousse, too.) To substitute for one egg, use 1/4 cup silken tofu.  

• Sweet potato, pumpkin or butternut squash puree. Replace one egg with 1/4 cup mashed or pureed cooked sweet potato, pumpkin, or butternut squash — or any combination of them. Canned pumpkin or squash purees work great.  

• Ready-made substitutes (chilled). Products such as Follow Your Heart or Just Egg are grab-and-go egg replacement solutions. You can find these in most supermarkets, and some of them work well in traditional “egg” preparations like scrambles, french toast or omelettes.

• Ready-made substitutes (powders). Bob’s Red Mill or Ener-G Egg Replacer are popular examples of these products. Simply add water in varying amounts depending on if you are replacing an egg white, yolk, or whole egg. They are specifically designed for egg-free baking and can be used in cakes, cookies, muffins, pancakes, quick breads and more.

• Vegan buttermilk (nondairy milk and vinegar). This combination is well suited to cakes, pancakes and muffins. To make vegan buttermilk, combine 1 cup non-dairy milk with 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. This can replace the liquid in the recipe. Add another 1/4 cup of buttermilk for each egg you want to replace (up to two eggs). 

And there are more! This list is just the beginning and includes some of the more popular replacements. If you’re curious about egg alternatives for specific kinds of cooking or baking, a quick internet search can do wonders. Start looking for egg-free solutions, and you are more than likely to find them. Enjoy!