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It doesn't always have to be the powder - egg substitutes are also a natural choice

Eggs bind, emulsify, loosen and add colour and flavour to food. Vegan alternatives? Often a challenge for caterers. There are many options - and not just in powder form.

Keep it simple! No eggs needed in gastronomy

What´s it all about?

  • To what extent do egg substitute products help hoteliers and restaurateurs to operate better?
  • What types of egg replacer are there?
  • Why shouldn't restaurateurs label vegan?

Vegan dishes offer great potential for hotels and restaurants. It is true that only a small proportion of Germans eat a strictly vegan diet - according to a survey around three per cent currently do. But a quarter want to eat as little meat as possible. And twice as many see themselves as flexitarians and are therefore open to vegetarian and vegan diets . This is a great opportunity for catering and hotel businesses, especially when it comes to eggs. With vegan egg substitutes, caterers not only appeal to a larger target group - they also have economic advantages. This is because vegan alternatives do not harbour salmonella. This means that longer shelf lives are possible and the processing and storage of food is much less complicated.

🥚 How many eggs do Germans eat?

236 eggs were eaten by every German on average in 2023. That's almost 40 small egg cartons containing six eggs. Although egg consumption in the period from 2006 to 2024 was only higher in 2020 (242 eggs per capita), more and more people are giving up animal products at the same time.

Vegan egg replacer is not only available as a powder

You don't necessarily need egg whites and egg yolks of animal origin to make guests happy, says Björn Moschinski, who was honoured by "Feinschmecker" as the first chef for his vegan cuisine. The chef, catering coach, author and animal rights activist knows that there is a wide range of ingredients that work well as egg substitutes. What these are depends very much on the intended use. Whether for breakfast, lunch or in patisserie - there is a suitable egg substitute for every dish. But how do you achieve fluffiness and binding in desserts, omelettes or quiches? There are now plenty of answers to this question - mostly in the form of powdered egg substitute products. However, there are not only ready-made products for entering the world of vegan dishes, but also a whole range of natural ingredients, some of which are already part of everyday cooking.

The search for the right egg substitute

Anyone who looks closely at the ingredients of eggs knows that egg whites and yolks are not only rich in protein. Above all, they contain water as well as various fats and minerals. Björn knows that this must be taken into account in vegan recipes. An extra portion of fat and liquid can make all the difference. Kitchen teams who want to go vegan should therefore go on a discovery tour, he recommends. Once the decision has been made in favour of certain dishes, it is important to allow time to develop the actual recipes: "It never works perfectly the first time." But this is to be expected with all changes to the menu.

A natural egg substitute for every meal

Aquafaba

Aquafaba (chickpea water) has a neutral flavour and is easy to work with. Well suited for desserts such as mousse or meringue.

Chia

Chia is a good source of protein. Seeds swollen into pudding are suitable as an egg substitute in pancakes, muffins, burgers or savoury fillings.

Fruit purées

Fruit purées can replace eggs in moist cakes and sweet pastries. Puree made from apples or bananas is particularly suitable.

Linseed

Linseed is particularly popular in baked goods as it provides a similar texture to eggs. But it also binds burgers and patties.

Silken tofu 

Silken tofu - also known as scrambled tofu - also provides the right consistency for the vegan version of the classic cheesecake. It is also a key ingredient in vegan desserts and savoury dishes such as quiches.

Soya flour

Soya flour binds doughs and savoury dishes such as patties or quiches. Be careful with the dosage - too much can easily change the flavour.

Silken tofu and chickpea flour for breakfast

Egg dishes are particularly popular at the start of the day. Almost one in two Germans would not want to do without a boiled egg in the morning. One in four likes to eat scrambled eggs for breakfast, followed by fried eggs (11%) and omelettes (6%). There is not yet a vegan alternative to boiled eggs, but scrambled eggs and omelettes are also vegan. Chickpea flour mixed with baking powder is often used as a base for omelettes. Instead of water , you can also use whipped silken tofu, which provides more moisture and creaminess. Add turmeric for the yellow colour and kala namak - black salt - for the slight sulphur note of cooked eggs.

Cake without egg thanks to fruit purée

Vegans don't have to go without when it comes to coffee. When baking muffins or cakes, for example, apple sauce or pureed bananas provide a moist and fluffy texture. This also applies to pancakes or waffles. Fruit purees are not only vegan, they also have other advantages: This is because apple and banana give desserts a natural sweetness and new flavour notes in addition to their fluffiness. Egg-free baked goods therefore not only appeal to vegans, but also to those who fancy new flavours and healthy alternatives.

Coffee art with milk foam works alsow with oat drinks and other alternatives

Milk alternatives – more than substitutes

Versatile: The benefits of plant-based alternatives and why they don’t just replace cow’s milk.

Vegan dessert treat with chickpeas

Fluffy desserts often owe their consistency to whipped chicken egg whites. Aquafaba is a vegan protein alternative. Aquafaba is the cooking water from beans or pulses, such as chickpeas. When the beans are cooked, proteins and starch are added to the cooking water. This means that aquafaba can be whipped and used as a vegan protein substitute. In whipped form, the drained water from chickpeas adds air to dishes. The range is wide: from meringue and brownie to chocolate mousse and marshmallows, everything is possible.

Savoury dishes with flavour and without egg

Aquafaba is not only suitable for desserts, but also for savoury dishes. The natural emulsifier adds creaminess to vegan mayonnaise, sauces or soups - without any flavour of its own. For quiches that require both binding and a creamy texture, a mixture of soya flour and water is a tried and tested solution. Flaxseed, ground and mixed with water, can be used to make burgers or vegetable patties. Chia seeds have similar properties to linseed: Mixed with water and swollen, they make a gel-like binding agent for savoury fillings, burgers or patties.

Sustainable and healthy is the order of the day

Björn Moschinski advises restaurateurs not to use the vegan label in a bold way. This word alone provokes a strong rejection from at least a third of people. On the other hand, those who describe their purely plant-based dishes as healthy and sustainable arouse the interest of people who eat both animal and plant-based foods. Vegans, who have to search for such dishes in almost every restaurant, only need a green logo to find the corresponding offerings on the menu, says Moschinski, who has been vegan since his youth.

METRO offers products and tips for vegan dishes

METRO offers a number of products that avoid the use of eggs. In addition to ingredients such as chickpea flour, silken tofu, chia seeds or linseed, there are also ready-mixed products, which usually consist of lupin flour, locust bean gum, maize starch, maltodextrin or salt and turmeric.

Facts and recipes for caterers can also be found in the brochure " Fleischloser Genuss".

Cover of the CFF recipe book
A Ladle

A ladle of… plant proteins

Vegan butter, plant-based chicken or egg substitute: are alternative proteins the future of the hospitality industry?

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