For key components of soft robots, such as soft actuators, it is important to seek sustainable options like bio-derived and biodegradable materials to mitigate environmental pollution. Here, we introduce a materials system to develop biodegradable electrohydraulic soft actuators, which are capable of operating at high electric fields, performing comparably to non-biodegradable counterparts, and displaying high actuation lifetime, proving that biodegradability does not inhibit actuation performance. We use biodegradable actuators to actuate a robotic gripper that is readily compatible with commercial robot arms, demonstrating the wide applicability of biodegradable materials systems in soft robotics.