Lecithin rewards a little know-how: how to choose it, cook it, store it, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 15 recipes to cook with it.

What is lecithin?

Lecithin is a natural emulsifier, a fatty substance pressed from soybeans or sunflower seeds, and also found in egg yolks. Its job is to make oil and water get along, holding them in a smooth, stable mix instead of letting them separate into a greasy mess.

It is the same compound that makes an egg yolk bind a vinaigrette or a hollandaise. Sold on its own, it gives you that binding power without the egg, which is why it turns up in bread dough and salad dressings, along with homemade dairy substitutes.

You use it in tiny amounts. A teaspoon or two does the work of holding a whole batch together.

How to Use It

In bread, lecithin softens the crumb and helps the loaf keep longer before it stales. It coats the flour proteins and traps moisture, so loaves come out tender rather than dense.

Swedish Limpa Rye Bread and the well-loved Buckwheat Oat Bread both use it for that reason, and Dough Magic, a from-scratch dough conditioner, leans on it for the same effect.

In a dressing or a drink, it keeps the fat suspended so the mixture does not split as it sits. Soy Nog uses it to hold a creamy, even body without dairy.

It also doubles as a pan release. A thin smear on a baking sheet or muffin tin grips less than butter, so cakes and rolls lift out clean.

Add granules to the dry ingredients, or bloom them in a little warm liquid first. Liquid lecithin is sticky, so measure it over the bowl it is going into and expect it to cling to the spoon.

Cooking With It and What Goes Wrong

Lecithin works behind the scenes, so its partners are whatever you are already making: flour and water in dough, oil and vinegar in a dressing, plant milk and oil in a nondairy cream.

It pairs naturally with fruit purees in reduced-fat baking, where Prune Puree replaces some of the butter and lecithin keeps the batter cohesive instead of greasy.

The usual mistake is overdoing it. Too much lecithin leaves a faintly soapy, bitter taste and can make baked goods gummy, so start with about 1 teaspoon per loaf or per cup of oil and adjust up only if you need more hold.

The other slip is dumping liquid lecithin straight into a cold mixture, where it seizes into a stubborn lump. Warm it slightly or stir it into the oil phase first, and it disperses without fighting you.

Substitutes

An egg yolk is the original lecithin source, so one yolk replaces the binding power in most small batches. It does add its own flavor and color, plus a little moisture, so expect the result to shift.

In baking, a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil plus a little extra liquid often covers the softening role without any true emulsifier. For dressings and sauces, a teaspoon of prepared mustard brings real emulsifying strength and a welcome tang.

Soy and sunflower lecithin are interchangeable spoon for spoon. Sunflower is the choice when you want to avoid soy.

Buying and Storing

Lecithin sells as loose granules or a thick liquid, plus soft gel capsules on the supplement shelf. Granules are the easiest to measure and store, dissolve well in warm liquid, and are what most bread recipes assume.

Liquid lecithin is more concentrated and best for greasing pans and oil-based mixes. Look for a product whose only ingredient is lecithin, with no added fillers.

Keep granules in an airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard, where they last about a year. Liquid lecithin also holds at room temperature but lasts longer refrigerated.

Both resist spoiling because they are nearly all fat. Rancidity is the thing to watch, though: if it smells sharp or paint-like, throw it out.

Quick facts

In Chinese

卵磷脂

British (UK) term

Lecithin

en français

lécithine

en español

lecitina

Recipes using lecithin

There are 15 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 15 recipes