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Avgolemono substitute

Best substitute

Cornstarch slurry plus lemon juice and butter

Use 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water, plus 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon butter, for every 2 cups broth

Best for chicken soup

Taste and texture differ

The egg-free version that separates avgolemono's two jobs and covers both: starch for thickening, lemon for acid, butter for mouthfeel.

Other avgolemono substitutes

Ranked, with the exact amount to use

Substitutes for Avgolemono with ratios

  1. 2Egg yolks only

    Different texture

    Use 3 egg yolks plus 3 tablespoons lemon juice for every 4 cups broth

    The classic restaurant version of avgolemono, used when you have yolks left over or want a richer sauce.

    What changes
    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.

  2. 3Heavy cream with lemon juice

    Taste and texture differ

    Use ¼ cup heavy cream plus 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice for every 2 cups broth

    The safest egg-free route, because cream will not curdle when it meets hot acidic broth.

    What changes
    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.

  3. 4Tempered full-fat Greek yogurt with lemon

    Different taste

    Use ⅓ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice for every 2 cups broth

    A tangy dairy finish that mimics avgolemono's combination of body and acidity.

    What changes
    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.

  4. 5Blended silken tofu or cashew cream with lemon

    Different taste

    Use ⅓ cup silken tofu blended smooth, or ¼ cup cashew cream, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice for every 2 cups broth

    The vegan version, which gives an opaque creamy body and holds up to acid without splitting.

    What changes
    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.

  5. 6Lemon juice and olive oil alone

    Taste and texture differ

    Use 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons good olive oil for every 4 cups broth

    The least-bad emergency option when you have neither eggs nor a thickener.

    What changes
    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.

What is Avgolemono?

Avgolemono is Avgolemono, meaning egg-lemon, is a Greek finishing mixture of beaten eggs and lemon juice that is tempered with hot broth and stirred back into a soup or sauce, where it thickens and brightens at the same time.

Cooking 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.

Frequently asked questions

Can 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.

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