Do Duck Eggs Taste Different Than Chicken Eggs?

Duck and chicken eggs have different nutrients, changing their taste and texture. Many people find that a duck yolk is a richer, more flavorful version of a chicken yolk.

Quail eggs, ostrich eggs, goose eggs—there’s seemingly no real substitute for a chicken egg, but can duck eggs dethrone this ever-popular treat?

You may take a crack at duck eggs, whether for your preference, health, or curiosity, but the first question you probably want to ask is: “Do they taste any different from chicken eggs?”

The simple answer is yes, duck and chicken eggs taste different. The differences are nuanced, though, and superiority will ultimately depend on what you want from your eggs. 

Duck and chicken eggs have different nutrients, changing their taste and texture. 

If you’re trying to properly compare the two types of eggs, get them from a reliable source with high-quality eggs. A well-fed and well-cared-for bird will lay more nutritious eggs. The nutrients give the eggs their unique taste, so higher-quality eggs will have more distinct flavors.

In the end, of course, taste comes down to personal preference, but you can expect the tastes of duck and chicken eggs to vary in the following ways.

Taste of duck eggs. The contents of an egg primarily consists of the yolk and the albumen (egg white). The tastes of chicken and duck egg whites are comparable, often without a significant difference.

You can find the most noticeable taste difference, though, in the yolk. Many people find that a duck yolk is a richer, more flavorful version of a chicken yolk.

Chicken eggs have a naturally mild flavor, though this varies depending on where they’re from. The protein and fats in eggs give it a mildly savory and sulfurous flavor profile. 

When scrambled, boiled, or fried, duck eggs emphasize these usually mild flavors and can make your typical breakfast richer for it. Using duck eggs in your recipes can give your meals a more distinct flavor profile instead of the typically subdued flavors of chicken eggs. 

Textural differences. The nutritional differences also change the texture of duck eggs as a solo food and an ingredient. 

For example, duck eggs have a higher protein-to-water ratio than chicken eggs. This difference makes the duck egg yolks creamier and the egg whites smoother since the protein helps bind the molecules. 

The protein-to-water ratio makes duck eggs an effective ingredient in baked goods. Its ability to bind ingredients better can result in a spongier cake, fluffier meringue, or creamier custard.

If taste and texture aren’t a concern, you may still be interested in the health differences between the two eggs. 

Your typical chicken egg has:

• 87.5 calories
• 6 grams of protein
• 6.7 grams of fat
• 178 milligrams of cholesterol

It also has less than 1 gram each of carbohydrates, fiber, and sugar. 

Duck eggs are more nutrient-dense, which contributes to their stronger flavor. A duck egg has:

• 156 calories
• 8.4 grams of protein
• 13 grams of fat
• 530 milligrams of cholesterol

A duck egg has less than 1 gram each of carbohydrates, fiber, and sugar.

Duck eggs are nearly twice as nutritious as chicken eggs since duck eggs are generally bigger than chicken eggs. They have more yolk and albumen, so there are more nutrients per egg. 

The cholesterol problem. Many people at risk for heart disease cut out egg yolks to avoid cholesterol. Doing this with duck eggs, though, would cut out the egg's most flavorful and distinct part. 

A person without a heart disease risk can have up to 300 milligrams of dietary cholesterol every day without issue, but a person at risk for heart disease shouldn’t have more than 200 milligrams. 

A single duck egg has much more cholesterol than is recommended daily, so even though extra protein and flavor may be appealing, the added cholesterol might not be worth it, depending on your dietary needs.

Extra vitamins and minerals. Before you rule duck eggs out of your diet, consider the differences in vitamins and minerals. Typical chicken eggs have:

• 76.5 micrograms of vitamin A
• 0.077 micrograms of vitamin B6
• 0.34 micrograms of vitamin B12
• 27 milligrams of calcium
• 0.84 milligrams of iron

Duck eggs, in comparison, are more densely packed with vitamins and minerals than chicken eggs. The nutritional differences between the birds, the sizes of the eggs, or a combination of factors can cause this difference in nutrients.

• 144 micrograms of vitamin A
• 0.181 micrograms of vitamin B6
• 2.82 micrograms of vitamin B12
• 42 milligrams of calcium
• 2.51 milligrams of iron

So, if the extra cholesterol and fat aren’t a concern, duck eggs can be an easy way to supplement your diet with certain vitamins and minerals.

A common misconception about the quality of eggs is that they’re more nutritious if the yolk is darker. This often leads people to claim that duck eggs are better because the yolk tends to be more orange.

The egg yolk color, though, is more of a reflection on the breed of the bird and what the bird eats. If they have a diverse diet with richly colored feed, the birds will produce egg yolks with richer colors. 

This relationship doesn’t mean that the bird is eating a healthy or nutritious diet, but rather, that they’re simply eating food that changes the color of their yolks. Certain feeds or dyes can change the color of the yolk without adding nutrients. 

A bird’s diet changes both the nutritional value of its eggs and the color of its yolks, but the color of the yolks does not indicate quality. 

The taste of your eggs will depend on their freshness. Fresh eggs will give you the best representation of their taste when you are comparing duck and chicken eggs.

To keep your eggs fresh and tasty:

• Make sure that the eggs are kept cold at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. 
• Keep them in the carton to protect them from cracking and breaking. Bacteria can get inside a broken or cracked egg, so toss them if they’re broken.
• Toss them after a month. Eggs stay fresh for about 3 to 4 weeks in your fridge. 

Their stronger flavors, extra nutrients and calories, and higher cost might not be for everyone, so the only way to know if you should switch to duck eggs is to try them yourself.