What Is a Substitute for Egg Whites?

What's the best egg white substitute?

Aquafaba is the closest functional substitute for egg whites. The liquid from a 15 oz can of chickpeas yields about 6 tablespoons of aquafaba, enough to replace 2 egg whites. Use 3 tablespoons of aquafaba per egg white.

Aquafaba whips into stiff peaks just like egg whites, holds its shape similarly, and stabilizes mixtures the same way. The flavor is neutral enough that it works in sweet applications (meringues, macarons, marshmallows) without any chickpea taste. For best whipping results, use the liquid from canned chickpeas with no added flavorings.

How do you use aquafaba in meringues and macarons?

For meringues: whip 6 tablespoons of aquafaba (or the liquid from one 15 oz can of chickpeas) with 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and whip until stiff, glossy peaks form. Use as you would whipped egg whites.

For macarons: aquafaba works but the shells are slightly more fragile than traditional macarons. Many vegan macaron recipes use aquafaba successfully. The technique is the same as for egg-white macarons, just with the aquafaba substitution at 3 tablespoons per egg white.

What about commercial egg replacers or other substitutes?

Commercial egg replacer powder (like Bob's Red Mill or Ener-G) works as an egg white substitute when mixed with water. Use 1 tablespoon of powder plus 2 tablespoons of water per egg white. This works well for binding but doesn't whip into peaks the way aquafaba does.

For meringues specifically, unflavored gelatin can work as a stabilizer when combined with water (1 teaspoon of gelatin plus 2 tablespoons of warm water makes a meringue-like foam when whipped). Powdered egg whites (sold commercially) are made from real egg whites and work as a 1-to-1 substitute when reconstituted with water.

When does the egg white substitute fail?

For angel food cake, the structural requirement of beaten egg whites is hard to fully replicate. Aquafaba comes close but produces a slightly denser, less airy cake. The technique works but doesn't match the original.

For egg wash on baked goods (the glossy finish on bread and pastry), aquafaba brushed on top gives a similar shine but lighter color than egg-white wash. For non-vegan applications, real egg whites are still the best choice when you have them. For vegan baking, aquafaba is reliable for nearly every egg white application.