Try this vegan egg salad sandwich—hold the egg, please! Just scramble up some tofu with creamy vegan mayo, fresh herbs and spices, and a dash of black salt for that classic eggy flavor. Then layer it between slices of bread with crisp lettuce and juicy tomatoes. It’s a light, protein-packed sandwich perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner—and it makes a tasty, no-fuss back-to-school lunch box idea, too!
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This post was originally published 4/10/2017.
I've mentioned before that I used to love eggs. It's hard to imagine now but 10 years ago, when transitioning to a vegan diet, eggs were the hardest food to give up. Fortunately, I learned very quickly that there is a vegan alternative to everything. In the past decade especially there has been incredible growth in vegan food options both in the grocery stores and made-at-home techniques to replicate anything.
This vegan egg salad sandwich is no exception. It tastes nearly identical to the egg salads I remember in my pre-vegan days and is made from entirely plant-based foods. The base is made with crumbled and seasoned tofu that is mixed with fresh herbs and spices for the perfect taste and texture!
And best of all? This whole salad is whipped together in just about 10 minutes! Now that's a good meal.
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
This tofu egg salad is also filled with lots of herbs: Italian parsley, dill, and chives, and spices such as paprika and garlic for a salad that is fresh, healthy, and full of flavor. Put it in between two slices of toasted seedy bread, and you've got yourself one easy and delicious vegan lunch!
Here is everything you need.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Extra-Firm Tofu - I use sprouted tofu. Sprouted tofu is made from sprouted soybeans (rather than cooked) for tofu that is higher in protein, iron, and calcium. In fact, just 3 ounces of sprouted tofu has about 10 grams of protein! Besides being a very healthy food, tofu is a great egg substitute in this recipe because it has a similar texture and will absorb any flavor you add to it.
- Fresh Herbs - You will need a combination of Italian parsley and fresh dill.
- Vegan Mayonnaise - My favorite brand is Just Mayo. It is shelf-stable and has a similar price point to non-vegan mayonnaise. However, any vegan mayo will do.
- Dijon Mustard - I like spicy mustard for this recipe but if you'd prefer regular mustard, feel free to use that instead.
- Spices - You will need a blend of garlic powder, turmeric, paprika, salt, and pepper
Recommended Equipment
For this recipe, you will need basic cooking equipment including a colander, mixing bowls, and basic kitchen utensils. (<<affiliate links)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One - Prep the Ingredients
Remove the stems from the herbs and finely chop the Italian parsley and dill. Set aside.
In a medium bowl crumble tofu to a consistency similar to scrambled eggs. This is best done with your fingers.
Pro Tip: When looking for tofu, use a water-packed firm or extra firm variety. Avoid high-protein super firm tofu. They are so firm that you will not get the desired egg-like texture.
Step Two - Assemble the Salad
Add the remaining egg salad ingredients and mix to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Refrigerate until ready to use.
If you are making an egg salad sandwich, spread vegan mayonnaise and dijon mustard on two pieces of toasted bread. Layer with greens and tomatoes and then top with about ½ cup of egg salad and serve immediately.
Serving and Storing
Serving - This salad should be served chilled. It’s best when it has at least 4 hours to chill before serving. Once you are ready to serve, taste and adjust seasonings. Serve it on bread with lettuce and tomatoes or on a bed of lettuce.
Storing - Leftover salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Tips and Tricks
- Use a water-packed firm or extra firm variety. Avoid high-protein super firm tofu. They are so firm that you will not get the desired egg-like texture.
- Break apart the tofu by hand. This helps break the tofu into uniform egg-like consistency.
- Fresh is best! I recommed using fresh herbs for this recipe. Substituting the parsley and dill with dry herbs will not give you the same fresh and full flavor.
- For a more eggy flavor, add a pinch of black salt to the tofu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Egg-free egg salad uses firm tofu as the protein. This mimics the texture of boiled eggs. While black salt adds the “eggy” sulfur flavor. Some other vegan egg salad ingredients include plant-based mayo, mustard, nutritional yeast, along with some fresh herbs and spices. Feel free to add celery, red onion, or some bell peppers for some extra crunch.
While giving the vegan egg salad some nice soft texture, tofu really doesn’t taste like much. Adding in some Kala namak, aka “black salt”, will give you that sulfuric flavor and make tofu taste like eggs. Adding in some mustard and turmeric will give it a little more depth of flavor and that iconic yellow egg color. Chill the eggy tofu salad after mixing for the best flavor.
Yes, and we love the idea of make-ahead vegan egg salad. It stores very well and works amazingly in vegan meal prep- especially for school lunches. The flavors will develop over time and actually taste much better the next day. Just be sure to keep the tofu salad in an airtight container for an extended shelf life. Toss it after 3-5 days in the fridge.
A good vegan tofu-based salad is lower in saturated fats than traditional egg salad. It’s also a great high-protein vegan lunch. You can make this oil-free by skipping the mayo or using an avocado mash instead. You could also replace with a homemade Avocado mayo from our recipe here on My Darling Vegan. While nutritional value will vary depending on add-ins, all in all this is a healthy alternative to a traditional egg salad sandwich lunch.
More Classic Vegan Salad Recipes
- Creamy Vegan Potato Salad
- Vegan Pasta Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Vegan Spring Quinoa Salad
- Tempeh Tuna Salad
- Classic Vegan Cobb Salad
Check out all of my vegan salad recipes for more weeknight meals!
Creamy Vegan Egg Salad Sandwich (No Eggs, Just Tofu Magic!)
Ingredients
Vegan Egg Salad
- 8 oz extra firm sprouted tofu
- 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoons vegan mayonaise
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon green onion, minced
- juice of ½ lemon
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- salt and pepper, to taste
Everything else
- 4 slices of whole grain bread
- a small handful of mixed greens
- cherry tomatoes
- vegan mayonnaise
- dijon mustard, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl crumble tofu to a consistency similar to scrambled eggs. Add the remaining egg salad ingredients and mix to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- To make sandwiches, toast two pieces of bread. Spread vegan mayonnaise and dijon mustard on the toasted bread. Layer with greens and tomatoes and then top with about ½ cup of egg salad. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use a water-packed firm or extra firm variety. Avoid high-protein super firm tofu. They are so firm that you will not get the desired egg-like texture.
- Break apart the tofu by hand. This helps break the tofu into a uniform egg-like consistency.
- For a more eggy flavor, add a pinch of black salt to the tofu.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Lida says
This is amazing. My 15 yo is vegan so I am learning. This one is a winner. He tasted it and said, is this a egg salad? Woo-hoo! BTW I added the tiny bit of black salt. It makes the eggy smell/taste. But even without it, this is simply amazing.
Rémy says
This is DELICIOUS!! Egg salad was one of my favourite things before I became vegan and wow, this really hits the spot. I'm sure with kala namak it would be uncanny.
I didn't have parsley but I did add chives because I had some, and I added red onion (which I recommend). I served it with spinach instead of greens. My tofu was only firm (not extra) and the texture is very egg-like.
I've tried another egg salad recipe and it was nothing compared to this. Slam dunk! 🙂
Suzy says
Five stars for sure (though the site wouldn't let me fill them in!) 🙁 This is the best vegan egg salad recipe ever! I'm deleting all the others I've saved using chickpeas! I served this in a whole wheat pita with thinly sliced tomato and lettuce leaves. I added a bit more green onion and two ribs of diced celery to give it a bit more crunch. Instead of salt, I used 1/4 tsp of kala namak (black salt) which gave it even more of an eggy flavor. Next time I will mix all the dry herbs together then sprinkle on the tofu and combine. I had a few pockets of spice that didn't mix well. Finally, what is "spouted" tofu? I used extra firm, slightly drained. I will definitely be making this again!
Ashley Woodward says
Your presentation is so amazing it just makes you hungry. Thank you for sharing, I will try this sandwich first chance I got!
Casey the College Celiac says
I was never a huge egg salad person (I can't even remember eating it more than a couple times) but this recipe is calling my name! Love the spices!