Avgolemono substitutes
Avgolemono substitutes — 6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Cornstarch slurry plus lemon juice and butter
Per 2 cups broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water, plus 1½ tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon butter
The egg-free version that separates avgolemono's two jobs and covers both: starch for thickening, lemon for acid, butter for mouthfeel.
If you cannot make avgolemono, replace both of its jobs separately: whisk a tablespoon of cornstarch slurried in cold water into every two cups of broth for the body, then stir in a tablespoon and a half of lemon juice off the heat for the acid, plus a knob of butter for richness. For a creamier result use a quarter cup of heavy cream or tempered full-fat Greek yogurt with the lemon. If you only have yolks and no whole eggs, three yolks per four cups of broth makes a richer avgolemono than the original.
- Verdict —
- You'll taste it
- Best for —
- chicken soup
Updated 26 Jul 2026 · no sponsored swaps
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of avgolemono | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornstarch slurry plus lemon juice and butterchicken soup | 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water, plus 1½ tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon butter per 2 cups brothYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 2 | Egg yolks onlychicken soup | 3 egg yolks plus 3 tablespoons lemon juice per 4 cups brothTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Heavy cream with lemon juicechicken soup | ¼ cup heavy cream plus 1½ tablespoons lemon juice per 2 cups brothYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 4 | Tempered full-fat Greek yogurt with lemonchicken soup | 1/3 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice per 2 cups brothTweak it | Tweak it |
| 5 | Blended silken tofu or cashew cream with lemonvegan soups | 1/3 cup silken tofu blended smooth, or ¼ cup cashew cream, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice per 2 cups brothTweak it | Tweak it |
| 6 | Lemon juice and olive oil alonechicken and rice soup | 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons good olive oil per 4 cups brothYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
Cornstarch slurry plus lemon juice and butter
different taste and texture
The egg-free version that separates avgolemono's two jobs and covers both: starch for thickening, lemon for acid, butter for mouthfeel.
- Best for
- chicken soup, lemon rice soup, egg allergies, sauces for dolmades, fricassee
The soup ends up glossy and slightly slick rather than velvety and opaque, and it tastes cleaner and less rich because there is no egg. Add the lemon after the starch has cooked for a minute, and take the pot off the heat first, because prolonged boiling with acid thins a cornstarch bond back out. Do not skip the butter, or the soup tastes thin and watery despite being thick.
Egg yolks only
similar taste, different texture
The classic restaurant version of avgolemono, used when you have yolks left over or want a richer sauce.
- Best for
- chicken soup, lamb fricassee, sauce for dolmades, giouvarlakia, artichoke stews
This is arguably better than the whole-egg version, not a compromise. The soup comes out thicker, deeper yellow and much richer, without the light foam that beaten whites create. Yolks also curdle at a slightly higher temperature than whites, so this version is more forgiving for a nervous cook.
Heavy cream with lemon juice
different taste and texture
The safest egg-free route, because cream will not curdle when it meets hot acidic broth.
- Best for
- chicken soup, quick weeknight versions, sauces, egg allergies
You get richness and a pleasant pale colour but very little thickening, so the soup stays loose unless there is rice or orzo in it. The flavour is rounder and softer, and the lemon reads gentler against the fat, so taste and add more lemon than you expect. Add the cream first, then the lemon off the heat.
Tempered full-fat Greek yogurt with lemon
different taste, similar texture
A tangy dairy finish that mimics avgolemono's combination of body and acidity.
- Best for
- chicken soup, vegetable soups, lentil soups, egg allergies
Closer to the real thing than cream because yogurt supplies both thickness and sourness. It must be tempered exactly like eggs: whisk a ladle of hot broth into the yogurt, then another, then pour it back and keep the pot below a simmer. Skip low-fat yogurt, which splits into grains almost immediately. The finished soup tastes distinctly dairy-tangy rather than eggy-lemony.
Blended silken tofu or cashew cream with lemon
different taste, similar texture
The vegan version, which gives an opaque creamy body and holds up to acid without splitting.
- Best for
- vegan soups, vegetable broth soups, egg allergies, dairy-free cooking
Blend the tofu with a ladle of hot broth until completely smooth before it goes in, or the soup will be speckled. Silken tofu leaves a mild beany background note that lemon and dill largely cover; cashew cream is sweeter and rounder. Neither has the eggy savour, so add a teaspoon of nutritional yeast or a little extra salt to compensate.
Lemon juice and olive oil alone
different taste and texture
The least-bad emergency option when you have neither eggs nor a thickener.
- Best for
- chicken and rice soup, last-minute fixes, vegan cooking
Be honest with yourself: this is a lemony broth, not avgolemono. It has none of the silky body and none of the pale opacity, so the soup looks and feels like a clear soup. It does taste right, which matters more than most people expect, especially if the pot already has rice or orzo releasing starch.
Questions
5 questionsCan I make avgolemono without eggs?
Yes, but you have to replace both of the things eggs are doing. Use a cornstarch slurry for the thickening and a good hit of lemon plus a spoonful of butter or cream for richness and acid. The result is glossier and less velvety than the original, but the soup will taste correct.
Why did my avgolemono curdle?
Almost always because the broth was too hot when it met the eggs, or because the soup was boiled afterwards. Temper slowly with small ladles of hot broth, take the pot off the heat before the egg mixture goes back in, and never let it bubble again. If it has already curdled, a stick blender rescues it.
Can I use vinegar instead of lemon in avgolemono?
In a pinch, yes. Use about two thirds as much white wine vinegar as lemon juice, since vinegar is sharper and more one-dimensional. Add a strip of lemon zest to the broth if you have any, because it puts back the floral aroma vinegar cannot give you.
Can I just leave the avgolemono out of the soup?
You can, and you will have a plain chicken and rice soup, which is fine but is a different dish. The egg-lemon finish is what makes it avgolemono. At minimum, squeeze in lemon juice at the table, because the acid is the part people actually taste.
What is the difference between avgolemono soup and avgolemono sauce?
Only the amount of broth. The same tempered egg-lemon mixture stirred into a large pot of broth becomes soup, while the same mixture with much less liquid, sometimes thickened with a little flour, becomes the sauce served over stuffed vine leaves, meatballs or lamb fricassee.
Tips for substituting avgolemono
7 tips- Avgolemono is doing two jobs at once, and this is the thing most recipes never say: it thickens the soup with egg protein while also being the acid that makes it taste bright. Any substitute has to cover both, or the soup will be either thin or flat.
- Tempering is the whole technique. Beat the eggs and lemon until frothy, then ladle in hot broth one small ladle at a time, whisking constantly, until the bowl feels genuinely hot. Only then pour it back into the pot, off the heat and whisking.
- Never let the soup boil after the eggs go in. Above roughly 180F the egg proteins tighten into curds and the soup goes grainy. Keep it below a simmer and serve it soon after.
- If it does curdle, do not throw it out. Blitz the soup with a stick blender for fifteen seconds and it will come back smooth, just a little less delicate.
- Use fresh lemon juice, not bottled. Avgolemono has nowhere to hide the dull, faintly metallic taste of bottled juice, since lemon is half of the flavour.
- Avgolemono does not reheat well or freeze well. Warm leftovers gently on low, stirring, and expect it to be slightly grainier than the first day. If you plan to save half the pot, thicken only the portion you are eating.
- The eggs in avgolemono are only lightly cooked. If you are serving someone who has been advised to avoid lightly cooked eggs, use pasteurised eggs or choose the cream or cornstarch version instead.