Substitutions / egg yolk
What to use instead of egg yolk
Use whole egg at 1 whole egg / 2 yolks. More white changes the texture — slightly less rich and a bit firmer in custards or sauces.
Every option, best first
| Use instead | How much | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Whole egg | 1 whole egg / 2 yolks | More white changes the texture — slightly less rich and a bit firmer in custards or sauces. |
| Coconut cream | 1 tbsp / yolk | Adds fat and body but brings a faint coconut flavour and loses the emulsifying power. |
| Silken tofu | 1 tbsp blended / yolk | Works for binding and moisture but gives no richness and can slightly alter flavour in delicate recipes. |
How much is a cup of egg yolk?
Substituting by volume and weighing are different problems, and the second one has an exact answer. Weigh egg yolk in grams →
A word on how to read these
A substitution is a trade, not an equivalence. The ratio gets the quantity right; the third column is the part worth reading, because it tells you what you are giving up. In a stew, most of these are invisible. In a cake — where flour, liquid, fat and leavening are in a fixed relationship — the same swap can change the crumb.
Why baking notices and stew doesn't →
Where these came from
These substitutions were written by Gather's own kitchen model — the same one the app uses when you tap an ingredient and ask what else would work — then checked and saved as a fixed list in July 2026. Nothing on this page is generated while you read it. They are a good starting point and not a substitute for tasting as you go.