01
Egg Substitute
10.0best for sauce1:1
Commercial egg replacer; follow box ratio, works for binding and lift in most baking
10.0
egg substitute
for sauce.
Sauce work leans on yolk lecithin to hold emulsions — hollandaise stabilizes 85% butter into 15% water by whisking yolks to 150°F over a bain-marie, and once built it survives 20 minutes at 140°F before breaking. Viscosity targets sit around 1000-3000 cP for a coating sauce that haloes a plate for 30 seconds. This page ranks substitutes by emulsion half-life at 140°F, their behavior during a 20% reduction, and whether they coat the back of a spoon for 5 seconds before sheeting off.
top substitutes
adjustment for sauce
Commercial replacer can carry a sauce emulsion at 80% of yolk strength — viscosity tops out near 1800 cP versus 2800 for hollandaise. Whisk over 140°F bain-marie for 3 minutes; holds 15 minutes before breaking. Won't survive a 20% reduction, so build sauce to final volume rather than reducing at the end.
02
Tofu
5.01/4 cup : 1 cup
Blend silken tofu smooth, 1/4 cup per egg
5.0
adjustment for sauce
Blended silken tofu (1/4 cup per egg) coats the back of a spoon at 1500 cP when warmed to 150°F with 1 tbsp oil whisked in. Holds emulsion 30 minutes at 140°F — longer than shell yolk because soy protein doesn't re-denature. Reads neutral; finish with 1 tsp lemon juice to brighten before serving.
03
Greek Yogurt
5.01/4 cup : 1 cup
1/4 cup per egg, adds moisture and binding
5.0
adjustment for sauce
1/4 cup yogurt per egg stirred off-heat into warm sauces (pan at 155°F or lower) produces a tangy coating at 1200 cP. Above 165°F casein curdles in 20 seconds — pull the pan early. Best for stroganoff-style and tikka-adjacent sauces where acid register is welcome; cannot hold a butter emulsion above 30% fat.
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04
Avocado
4.01/4 cup : 1 cup
Mashed avocado, adds fat and moisture in baking
4.0
adjustment for this dish
1/4 cup mashed avocado per egg blended with 2 tbsp warm broth builds a 2000 cP coating sauce for tacos, grain bowls, and cold pastas. Chlorophyll greens the plate within 2 hours of exposure, so finish at service. Doesn't reduce — water boils out of the cell matrix past 185°F and the sauce splits into pulp and oil.
05
Buttermilk
4.01/4 cup : 1 cup
Adds tangy moisture; 1/4 cup replaces 1 egg in pancakes and cakes, tenderizes crumb
4.0
adjustment for this dish
1/4 cup buttermilk per egg thins to 400 cP so it pours rather than coats; stabilize with 1/2 tsp cornstarch per cup to reach 1500 cP. Curdles above 165°F within 30 seconds — build cold or finish off-heat. Tangy pH 4.4 pairs with smoked paprika and dill; won't carry butter above 20% fat before breaking.