How To Sub Out Egg Whites With Chia Seeds In A Pinch

It's always a good idea to know how to substitute eggs in recipes if needed — whether you're trying to make a recipe vegan, or you simply ran out of eggs and don't feel like running out to the store. When a recipe calls for egg white specifically, one easy way to substitute it is to use chia seeds.

To replace one egg white, you need one tablespoon of chia seeds plus three tablespoons of water. Combine the chia seeds and water in a small bowl, then let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. After a few minutes, the mixture will form a kind of gel — as the chia seeds absorb the water, a small bubble forms around each seed. The result of this is that the chia seed-water mixture becomes a natural thickener that can replace egg whites in recipes without any difference in taste or texture. Of course, if a recipe calls for two egg whites, then you'll need to double the recipe.

You can use the chia seed replacement for any recipe that calls for the egg white to be fully integrated into the overall dish, such as pastries or other baked goods. Unfortunately, this replacement is not suitable for an eggless "egg dish" — for example, you could not use chia seeds to make egg white breakfast cups.

One prime example of a dessert that requires egg whites: macarons. You can make our rose-champagne macarons without eggs by swapping out the egg whites for chia seeds — and you can even make the recipe vegan by using vegan butter. Either way, the sweet treat will taste just as delicious. Egg whites can also be used to make your boxed pancakes fluffier or to make your homemade waffles into a restaurant-quality breakfast, both of which are scenarios in which you can try out the chia seed replacement method in a pinch.