Best Substitutes for Egg Wash in Baking and Cooking

What to Use as a Substitute for Egg Wash

Egg washes are commonly used in cooking and baking to coat and glaze breads, pastries, meat, and more before baking. However, eggs can be expensive or unavailable. Thankfully, effective substitutes exist for making vegetarian, vegan, or restricted diets easier to navigate.

What is Egg Wash

An egg wash is made by beating eggs, sometimes with other ingredients like milk or water, to use as a glossy or binding wash on foods before baking. The proteins in eggs turn solid at baking temperatures, forming a crispy cooked exterior.

Common uses for egg wash include:

• Glazing breads and pastries
• Promoting browning on meats and vegetables
• Helping breading adhere
• Sealing dumpling wrappers

While convenient and effective, egg-based washes exclude certain eaters. Thankfully, suitable replacements provide comparable function.

Egg Wash Substitutes

Several substitute ingredients can mimic eggs as a sealing, browning, and glazing agent.

Dairy-Based Substitutes

Dairy ingredients offer protein for binding and browning similar to eggs. Options include:

• Milk - Skim or whole milk work well for bread glazes.
• Buttermilk - The extra protein aids browning.
• Yogurt - Plain yogurt glazes nicely.
• Cream Cheese - Whipped cream cheese makes a smooth wash.
• Cottage Cheese - Blend to remove lumps before applying.

Plant-Based Substitutes

For vegan cooking, use plant-based protein sources like:

• Soy milk - Choose unsweetened to avoid burning.
• Nut milk - Almond, cashew and oat milk work well.
• Tofu - Blend silken tofu with milk for an egg-like effect.
• Vegetable purees - Carrots, sweet potatoes, or beansprocessed until perfectly smooth.

Starch-Based Substitutes

Starchy pastes mimic eggs for binding and glazing. Useful options include:

• Cornstarch wash - Dissolve cornstarch in cold water then heat to thicken.
• Flour + water paste - Equal parts flour and water blended.

Starchy glazes won't achieve the same browned effects as egg or protein-based washes, but help items like pie crusts and breaded foods adhere.

How to Replace Egg Wash

When substituting for egg wash, consider the desired function - glazing, sealing flavor, promoting browning, or binding breading. Test different replacements to determine what works best for specific applications.

Browning Meat, Fish and Vegetables

For savory dishes, opt for dairy-based substitutes over sweeter nut milks to achieve nice browning. Brush or dip ingredients lightly to avoid soggy coatings.

• Chicken, pork, salmon - Buttermilk or plain yogurt
• Beef, lamb, eggplant - Milk or cream

Glazing Breads and Pastries

Sweet or neutral-tasting substitutes help breads shine. Brush gently across the entire surface:

• Muffins, scones - Nut milk or cream cheese
• Pies, tarts - Soy or nut milk
• Sweet rolls, challah - Milk or cornstarch wash

Sealing Dumplings, Ravioli, etc.

For stuffed wrappers, use a wash made from:

• Tofu blended with non-dairy milk
• Smooth sweet potato or carrot puree
• Chia or flax eggs (seeds soaked in water)

Lightly coat edges before sealing and cooking to prevent leakage.

Binding Breading

To help breading adhere try:

• Oat milk - best for lighter breadings
• Flour + water paste - for heavy bread or fry coatings

Let coated items sit 5-10 minutes before frying or baking to solidify the coating.

Nutrition Comparison to Eggs

From a nutritional standpoint, eggs provide high-quality protein, brain supportive choline, and antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin. Replacing egg wash eliminates minimal calories, but some substitutions compare favorably in nutritional value:

Protein Content

• Greek yogurt - Up to 20g protein per cup
• Milk - 8g per cup
• Tofu - 10g per 4 ounces
• Nut milks - 1g per cup

Choline

• Soy milk - 107mg per cup
• Milk - 38mg per cup
• Tofu - 11mg per 4 ounces

While most substitutes lack choline, regular inclusion of dairy, soy, or tofu in the diet helps meet needs.

Antioxidants

• Carrot and sweet potato purees - Rich in vitamin A antioxidants

For the small amount used to wash foods, eggs provide relatively few additional nutrients compared to the whole recipe. Healthful substitutes support specialized diets without significant nutrition downsides.

Egg Allergies and Diet Restrictions

The most common motivation for replacing egg wash is an allergy or vegan diet. Thankfully, safer and more inclusive options exist.

Egg Allergy

Dairy-based egg washes pose little risk for those with only an egg allergy. For people also avoiding dairy:

• Opt for plant-based milks and purees
• Check packaged substitute ingredients for allergens
• Clean equipment well after preparing egg wash

Veganism

Vegans eating plant-based for ethics, environment, or health require substitutes like:

• Unsweetened nut and grain milks
• Tofu
• Fruit and vegetable purees
• Flax eggs

Getting creative with produce and non-dairy replacements keeps vegan food delicious andsatisfying.

The Takeaway on Egg Wash Substitutes

With flexible ingredient swaps like milk, purees, alt-milks and tofu, cooks can meet special diets or restrictions without sacrificing taste. Get creative with your own veggie-based egg washes!

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.