As you might know already, Veganism is a careful balance of finding ingredients that make suitable replacements in recipes. When we talk about egg substitutes, it’s hard to imagine there is anything that will recreate what nature has been responsible for, for millions of years. But that’s where a little bit of science and molecular gastronomy comes in.
Are there any good egg substitutes?
Everyone knows that Vegans don’t eat eggs, but not for the reason that vegetarians usually speak about. Vegans refuse to eat eggs mainly for the animal cruelty and exploitation of hens that lay eggs. There is an argument that does extend into eggs having too much cholesterol, high cancer risk, and higher risks of heart disease and diabetes. Yet all of these claims go out the window when the facts are easily double-checked.
Despite this, Humans have raised animals for their resources such as milk, eggs, and meat for countless centuries- if not longer. Not until recently has the issue of ethics of animals in the last 10 years become such a prominent point among those who are adapting to a Vegan diet. In fact, some Lacto-ovo vegetarians have no problem with eating eggs or have any problem with raising hens for egg production.
All of this aside, there are plenty of egg substitutes that are suitable for Vegans and are mostly cruelty-free. Here are some examples of egg substitutes that are currently available at any supermarket or online shop.
Aquafaba
You know, that sticky slippery liquid can often be poured out of chickpea cans or bottles. Somehow, it was nearly by accident that somebody who was fooling around with this liquid realized how viable this liquid would become for vegetarians. It can be whipped to perfection like meringue and whipped cream and also cooks just like egg can be cooked in a pan. There are obvious differences since aquafaba must be flavored since it has no taste!
The ingredient that many Vegans are adding to get the eggy flavor is done by adding nutritional yeast flakes and some salt and pepper. This will provide the sulfur-like taste that eggs feature plus whatever added flavors are added into the aquafaba mix.
Flaxseed/chia seed
These are all-natural seeds that are often ground up and added to water to create an egg-white consistency. These seeds are typically better for baking cookies and brownies and all other baked goods, so they don’t lend so well for making an omelet. The flavor of flaxseed and chia seed is another problem since these flavors can overbearing and unpleasant if the seed has become rancid. They don’t last too long and must be stored so they don’t go bad.
Chickpea flour/tapioca flour
These types of milled flour have been around for a while and are very handy for adding into a Vegan omelet or egg recipe. The flavor is a lot nicer than chia and flaxseed and will be ideal for creating the right amount of fluff for making a veggie omelet or frittata. It might interest you to know that tapioca flour has been used as a food binder and food thickener for nearly everything inside baked goods to all kinds of sauces.
Mung bean
One of the benefits of mung bean is that the color is nearly the same as scrambled egg. When you use split yellow mung bean. These are usually soaked and boiled overnight and are ground up in a blender to get a smooth texture. There are added ingredients obviously to make the flavor less mung-beany including tapioca flour, salt and pepper, turmeric, and nutritional yeast.
What about Soy?
The fact that many Vegans seem to have soy allergies, means that we’ve left soy off this list. According to government data, children who have grown up with vegan diets or have parents who began vegan diets before having children, are having children with soy allergies. This means that soy products and anything within the legume family will be problematic for those who suffer from soy allergies.
Making a Chard Frittata using egg substitute
Egg Substitute Chard Frittata Recipe
Equipment
- kitchen oven
- Cast-iron skillet
- Flat spatula
- Bowl
- Paper towel
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 + 1 Tablespoons + Cup Aquafaba
- Nutritional yeast (for egg flavor)
- 1 Bunch Swiss chard (chopped fresh)
- 3 or 4 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 White onion (small)
- 2 Cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Cayenne chili powder
Instructions
- You need to begin by preheating the kitchen oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and have a cast-iron skillet that isn’t ceramic-coated. The Swiss chard is the first to be prepared by washing the leaves off in cold water. Separate the stems from the leaves into two piles. The leaves are chopped into little strips. The stems are better if they are chopped similar to green onions. The same must be done for your onion as well making thin chopped slices.
- Place a couple of tablespoons of oil into the skillet when it reaches medium heat. This is when you add the slices of onion cooking for a total of 5 minutes until they are soft and glassy. Now you will add the Swiss chard and the chopped stems to soften in the skillet full of softened onions for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper for taste and allow the chard leaves to become tender.
- Any liquid that has collected in the skillet needs to be drained, so use a flat spatula to squish off any liquid inside the chard. Pour this liquid into the sink as needed. The aquafaba is placed into a bowl with salt and pepper and a bit of nutritional yeast for added egg-like flavor. Add a pinch of cayenne chili powder and also add the chopped garlic. Whisk this until the mixture is slightly bubbly-looking but break any large bubbles on the top.
- Scoop the remaining chard leaves and onion into this mixture and stir this through to get an evenly coated mix. Now is the best chance to clean your skillet, using a paper towel to wipe out any residual chard and onion liquid. Add more olive oil into the skillet and set this to medium heat once again. Carefully pour the mixture into the skillet and use a wooden spoon to evenly space the ingredients around.
- This mixture will start to cook on the bottom and along the sides but will need finishing in the oven. Allow the aquafaba egg mix to cook for only 2 or 3 minutes before you transfer this into the oven. This will take about 8 to 10 minutes to help the aquafaba to cook correctly.
- When this time is finished, check the mixture to see if it’s completely set. Use a kitchen towel or oven mitt to remove the skillet to a cutting board. Turn off your oven. Now all you do is take a butter knife and loosen the edges of the frittata so it comes out easier. Place a large plate that fits inside the skillet and flip the frittata upside down. Now use another plate to flip this back over so the baked side is facing up.
- This is when you slice the frittata into equal pieces and serve on regular plates. Slices that are wedge-shaped work best and can now be eaten while it’s nice and hot.