12 Things to Do with Leftover Egg Yolks

Eggs are expensive; don't toss their liquid gold centers.

Related To:

1439997246

Photo by: HUIZENG HU/Getty Images

HUIZENG HU/Getty Images

Maybe you’re on an egg white omelet kick or maybe you just made a dessert that uses a lot of egg whites (angel food cake and meringues, we’re looking at you). It feels wasteful and expensive to throw away those leftover egg yolks. Instead, mix them together and remember this conversion: 1 large egg yolk is typically 1 tablespoon or .54 ounces. According to the USDA, you can store egg yolks in the fridge for up to four days. Stash them there now and make one of our leftover egg yolk ideas later.

Food Network Kitchen Step by Steps Beauty Caesar Salad

Food Network Kitchen Step by Steps Beauty Caesar Salad

Photo by: LUCY SCHAEFFER

LUCY SCHAEFFER

#1: Whip Up Caesar Salad Dressing

Meet one of the lowest lift ways to use up extra egg yolks: make a batch of Caesar salad dressing. Food Network Kitchen’s recipe for The Best Caesar Salad (pictured above) is a classic place to start. Looking for creative ideas to use that Caesar dressing? Check out our Caesar Salad Pizza and Chicken Caesar Crouton Cups.

Photo by: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Matt Armendariz, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

#2: Add an Extra Egg Yolk to Box Cake Mix or Chocolate Chip Cookies

Egg yolks contain moisture and fat, and when you add an extra one to desserts that are easy to tinker with, like box cake mix or your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, it makes for richer results. Chocolate chip cookies will taste chewier, while cake mix will taste moister. Our Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies (pictured above) lean on an extra egg yolk for moisture and chew, as do our Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Classic 100 Carbonara

Classic 100 Carbonara

Photo by: Caitlin Ochs

Caitlin Ochs

#3: Make Carbonara

Egg yolks along with a few other tasty ingredients like Parmesan come together to make Carbonara’s silky, rich yellow sauce. If you have leftover egg yolks, you have an excuse to make it for dinner. Check out our recipe for The Best Carbonara (pictured above) or iterate on the classic and make some Spaghetti Squash Carbonara or Carbonara Fried Rice.

#4: Use Them As Egg Wash

Egg wash made from egg yolks instead of whole eggs turns baked goods extra golden brown. See, for example, our Golden Rugelach recipe, Pecan Coconut Pie (pictured above) and Grape Galette with Almond Cream, which are all beautifully burnished.

Photo by: Armando Rafael

Armando Rafael

#5: Bake a Creamy, Custardy Dessert

Egg yolks make for a glossy, smooth, deep yellow custard. If you’re into baking, save your egg yolks and then put them to work in a beautiful custardy dessert like Key Lime Pie, The Best Creme Brulee, Classic Banana Pudding (pictured above) or Pots De Creme.

#6: Mix an Emulsified Sauce

Several classic sauces lean on egg yolks for their thick and creamy consistency, including hollandaise sauce (our Blender Hollandaise, pictured above, is a breeze), aioli and mayonnaise. Make sure you buy pasteurized eggs because you’ll be eating them raw.

KK_11_0712_FN_sh1_173.tif

Photo by: Kang Kim

Kang Kim

#7: Make Ice Cream

Egg yolks (and typically a large number of them) give homemade ice cream recipes their creaminess. If you’re feeling motivated, our Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream, Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream, Black Sesame Ice Cream and Sweet Corn Ice Cream (pictured above) recipes will serve as inspiration.

Photo by: Armando Rafael

Armando Rafael

#8: Bake The Tenderest Sugar Cookies

For extra rich sugar cookies that snap but aren’t brittle, add an egg yolk to the dough. Our Red Velvet Sugar Cookies (pictured above), The Best Butter Cookies and Pink Grapefruit Shortbread are great examples of this principle in action.

Egg Stuffed Ravioli

Egg Stuffed Ravioli

Photo by: Teri Lyn Fisher

Teri Lyn Fisher

#9: Stuff Foods with Whole Egg Yolks

You know when you break into a perfectly poached or soft-boiled egg and the yolk runs out, lovely for mopping up with bread or other carbs at hand? Well, you can recreate that effect by gently stuffing whole raw egg yolks into dishes like this Crispy Rice Pancake with Egg Yolk Center, Egg Stuffed Ravioli (pictured above) and Egg Yolk Stuffed Latkes.

Food Network Kitchen’s Bacon, Egg and Cheese "Toaster Tarts" for Year of Oats/Drunk Pies/Diners, as seen on Food Network.

FNK_BaconEggAndCheeseToasterTarts_H

Food Network Kitchen’s Bacon, Egg and Cheese "Toaster Tarts" for Year of Oats/Drunk Pies/Diners, as seen on Food Network.

Photo by: Renee Comet ©2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Renee Comet, 2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

#10: Use Egg Yolks as a Rich Binder

Recipes like meatballs and meatloaf commonly call for an egg mixed in to bind (or hold) the mixture together. Egg yolk on its own can work the same way, imparting a much richer flavor. For example, egg yolk binds together the cheesy bacon filling in these Bacon, Egg and Cheese "Toaster Tarts" (pictured above) as does it the cheesy veggie filling in these Bacon Ravioli with Mushrooms.

Food Network Kitchen Step by Steps

Food Network Kitchen Step by Steps

Photo by: Lucy Schaeffer

Lucy Schaeffer

#11: Cook Some Shepherd’s Pie

Fun fact: egg yolks are commonly mixed into the mashed potatoes crowning shepherd’s pie to help form a beautiful golden crust. If you’re looking for a recipe, check out ours for The Best Shepherd’s Pie (pictured above) and Chicken Shepherd’s Pie. And if you’re making a casserole dish full of baked mashed potatoes, you might want to try mixing in a few egg yolks to achieve the same effect.

Eggnog for Breakfast _ Jelly Doughnuts

Photo by: Levi Brown

Levi Brown

#12: Make Eggnog

Eggnog is a very fast way to use up a lot of egg yolks quickly (our Capital Eggnog recipe, for example, uses 12 egg yolks!). Even if it’s not Christmas time, eggnog is a great secret ingredient for baking. It enhances these Eggnog-Cranberry Muffins, this Eggnog Coffee Cake (pictured above) and Eggnog Overnight Toast, to name a few stunner applications.

Related Links:

Next Up

The One Thing You Should Always Do When Making Fried Eggs

High heat (not low heat) is best. Here’s why.

Precisely How Long Should You Boil Eggs?

A quick internet search would lead one to believe that there are hundreds of methods to boiling eggs. While this is true, we are sharing the only foolproof method you will ever need.

How to Fry Eggs: A Step-by-Step Guide

These step-by-step tips will teach you how to make fried eggs, whether you like them sunny-side up or over easy.

How to Make Ramen Eggs (Ajitama)

All you need is six ingredients, including the eggs.

This Is the Only No-Fail Way to Tell If an Egg Is Bad

Because who knows how long it's been in the fridge?

How Long Are Hard-Boiled Eggs Good For?

It all depends on how you store them.

Food Network Magazine: April 2010 Recipe Index

Find recipes for Easter, Passover, mac and cheese, easy weeknight meals and 50 simple egg dishes from Food Network Magazine.

Can You Freeze Eggs?

In a word: yes. But it’s important to follow a few rules.

This Is the Healthiest Way to Cook Eggs

Make your go-to breakfast food even better for you.

Ellie Krieger's Healthy Scrambled Egg Hack Is Life-Changing

You'll never look at egg whites the same way again.