Where Do Vegan Eggs Come From? The Surprising Origins of Plant-Based Eggs

December 13, 2025 •

4 min read

The global plant-based egg market is projected to reach over $9 billion by 2030, but many still wonder: where do vegan eggs come from?. These innovative products are created from a diverse array of plant-based ingredients that mimic the taste, texture, and function of traditional eggs.

Quick Summary

Vegan eggs are derived from a variety of plant sources, including legumes like mung beans and chickpeas, seeds such as flax and chia, and specialized algae. They serve as functional replacements for scrambling, binding, and leavening in recipes.

Key Points

Mung Beans and Tofu: Commercial liquid eggs like JUST Egg use mung bean protein, while home cooks often rely on crumbled tofu for scrambled egg alternatives.
Flax and Chia Seeds: When combined with water, these seeds create a gelatinous mixture perfect for binding ingredients in baked goods.
Aquafaba (Chickpea Liquid): The brine from canned chickpeas can be whipped into stiff peaks, making it an excellent vegan substitute for egg whites in meringues and mousse.
Algae-Derived Proteins: Ingredients from microalgae, such as algal flour, are used in some commercial vegan egg products to provide protein, texture, and binding properties.
Precision Fermentation: Advanced technology uses engineered microorganisms to produce animal-free egg proteins that are molecularly identical to those from chickens.
Black Salt for Flavor: Kala namak, or black salt, is a common ingredient added to vegan egg recipes to provide the distinctive sulfurous taste associated with eggs.

The Diverse Origins of Vegan Eggs

Vegan eggs do not come from animals but are engineered from a fascinating variety of plant-based ingredients designed to replicate the properties of chicken eggs. The composition varies widely depending on the desired function, whether it's for a fluffy scramble, a binding agent in baked goods, or a rich mayonnaise. The innovation in this field is driven by ethical concerns for animal welfare, environmental sustainability goals, and increasing consumer health awareness. Food scientists and home cooks alike have harnessed the unique properties of plants to create convincing and versatile egg alternatives.

Plant-Based Ingredients for Culinary Functions

To understand where vegan eggs come from, it's helpful to categorize the ingredients based on the function they serve in cooking and baking:

Scrambles and Omelets: For recreating the classic texture of a scrambled egg, protein-rich legumes are key. Popular commercial products, like JUST Egg, use mung bean protein to achieve a convincingly fluffy and coagulated texture when cooked. For homemade versions, crumbled and seasoned firm or silken tofu is a well-established method. Kala namak, or black salt, is often added to these mixtures to impart the characteristic sulfurous, "eggy" flavor.
Binding Agents: Eggs are crucial binders in many recipes, from cookies to veggie burgers. Ground flaxseeds or chia seeds, mixed with water, form a gelatinous, thick substance known as a "flax egg" or "chia egg" that holds ingredients together. Another option is chickpea flour mixed with water.
Leavening and Aerating: For light and fluffy baked goods or meringues, the protein structure of eggs is needed. Aquafaba, the liquid from a can of chickpeas, is a miraculous discovery that can be whipped into stiff peaks just like egg whites. For leavening without whipping, combining baking soda with an acid like vinegar creates a chemical reaction that adds lift.
Emulsifying: In products like mayonnaise, eggs act as a powerful emulsifier to combine oil and water. Plant proteins, often derived from soy, peas, or potatoes, can be used to mimic this effect, creating stable and creamy emulsions.

Commercial Innovators and Their Ingredients

Many brands have brought sophisticated vegan egg products to market, using specific plant sources to achieve a high degree of realism:

JUST Egg: The market leader in liquid vegan eggs, JUST Egg is famously made from mung bean protein. It is sold in cartons and can be scrambled, used in baking, or made into an omelet.
WunderEggs: Designed to mimic hard-boiled eggs, WunderEggs are made from a blend of nuts, including almonds and cashews, along with coconut milk and agar for texture.
The Vegg: This brand focuses on creating a yolk-only replacement, often used in custards or savory dishes, made from ingredients like nutritional yeast and black salt.
VeganEgg (Follow Your Heart): This was one of the earliest algae-based egg replacers, which demonstrated the potential of microalgae for texturizing and binding.

The Rise of Precision Fermentation

Looking beyond whole plant ingredients, the future of vegan eggs is expanding into advanced food technology. Precision fermentation is a process where microorganisms like yeast or bacteria are programmed to produce specific proteins. Companies like The Every Company are exploring this method to create animal-free egg proteins that are molecularly identical to those found in chicken eggs, without involving any animals. This "third category" of food offers immense potential for replicating the functional and sensory attributes of eggs with high fidelity.

Comparison of Vegan Egg Replacements


Type	Primary Source(s)	Best For	Pros	Cons
Mung Bean	Mung Bean Protein	Scrambles, Omelets, Frittatas	Highly realistic texture, easy to use	Can be expensive; some taste variations
Tofu	Soybeans	Scrambles, Quiches, Fritters	Widely available, affordable, high protein	Can taste bland without seasoning; texture varies
Flax/Chia Seed	Flaxseeds, Chia Seeds	Binding in Baking (cookies, breads)	High in fiber, omega-3s, inexpensive	Adds earthy flavor; not suitable for scrambling
Aquafaba	Chickpea Brine	Meringues, Mousse, Whipped Toppings	Creates excellent foams, neutral flavor	Requires careful whipping; only mimics egg whites
Chickpea Flour	Ground Chickpeas	Omelets, Quiches	High in protein, good binder	Can have a slightly bitter taste; requires seasoning
Algae Protein	Microalgae (algal flour)	Liquid Egg Replacements	Good for scrambling, binding, high in protein	More expensive; sometimes creates digestive issues
Precision Fermentation	Engineered Microbes	Molecularly Identical Proteins	Potentially identical function and taste	Still in development/ingredient stage; not yet widely available

Conclusion: A Future of Plant-Powered Eggs

The question of where vegan eggs come from is no longer a simple one. The answer lies in the ingenious utilization of the plant kingdom's diverse resources. From humble pantry staples like flaxseeds and chickpeas to cutting-edge protein isolates from mung beans and soybeans, and even revolutionary techniques like precision fermentation, the vegan egg landscape is constantly evolving. Each alternative serves a unique culinary purpose, providing a cholesterol-free, more sustainable, and often more ethical choice for consumers. As technology advances, the line between traditional and plant-based eggs continues to blur, offering new possibilities for kitchens worldwide. For more information on food innovations in the vegan space, one can consult scientific publications and market reports.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary ingredient in many commercial liquid vegan eggs, such as JUST Egg, is mung bean protein. Other brands use different plant proteins like soy or algae.

Vegan eggs are often cholesterol-free and can contain fiber, which is not present in chicken eggs. However, they may lack certain nutrients like Vitamin B12 unless fortified.

Yes, many vegan egg alternatives are specifically formulated for baking. Homemade substitutes like flax or chia eggs work as excellent binders, while aquafaba is ideal for aerating.

Thanks to ingredients like black salt (kala namak), many vegan eggs successfully mimic the savory, sulfurous taste of chicken eggs, particularly in scramble and omelet formats.

Simple homemade options include a "flax egg" (ground flaxseed and water), mashed banana or unsweetened applesauce for moisture, and silken tofu for a scramble.

Commercial vegan hard-boiled eggs, like WunderEggs, are typically made from a mixture of nuts (almonds, cashews) and coconut milk, solidified with agar and flavored with black salt.

Precision fermentation involves programming microorganisms to produce specific, animal-free egg proteins. This next-generation technology aims to create molecularly identical proteins for the most authentic taste and function.