How to Make a Flax Egg (2 Ingredients)

A step-by-step guide on how to make a flax egg, the perfect egg substitute that requires only 2 ingredients and is ready in just 5 minutes.

It's actually a great vegan egg substitute for baking. I've used it to make all kinds of baking goods and it actually works really well because it doesn't change their consistency or their flavor.

However, this egg substitute doesn't work for some savory recipes like scrambled eggs or omelets. Although I've used it successfully to make some savory recipes as a binder, as you can read below.

This super simple, basic, and easy recipe is included in my Veganuary collection, but you can use it all year long as an egg replacer.

I use flax eggs instead of regular eggs for baking recipes like my vegan chocolate chip cookies, or vegan brownies, but also as a binder to make savory ones like vegan meatballs, or vegan zucchini fritters.

📋 Substitutions & variations

• You can either use golden or brown flax seeds.
• I prefer to use golden flax seeds because they are lighter in color and less noticeable in the finished product.
• If you can't find flaxseed or have allergies, use chia seeds instead and make a chia egg. Just follow the same recipe (1 tablespoon of ground chia seeds + 3 tablespoons of water).
• Chia seeds don’t have to be ground in order to gel, but the texture of your baked goods will be better if you grind them first.

🍽 Equipment

To make this recipe you'll need:

• Measuring tablespoons to weigh your ingredients.
• A small container and a mini whisk or a fork to mix the ingredients.

❄️ Storage

• Refrigerator: store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days, but as it works best freshly made I prefer to make the exact quantity I need just before using it.

💭 Expert tips

• Keep in mind the longer you let the mixture rest, the thicker it will be. However, I only wait 5 minutes and it works great.
• After mixing the ingredients and letting the mixture rest, you'll end up with a thick layer on the bottom and a water layer on the top, just mix it again until well combined.
• This recipe is for one flax egg, but you can scale up the formula to make however many flax eggs you need.
• Use store-bought flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed) or grind flax seeds in a coffee grinder, spice grinder, or a powerful blender.
• Ground flaxseed meal can go rancid pretty quickly, so it can be a good idea to buy flax seeds, store them in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 months, and grind them as needed.
• Store ground flaxseed in the freezer for maximum shelf life.
• Keep in mind that 1 tablespoon of whole flax seeds will yield about 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed meal.