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This Vegan Egg Salad is the best, thanks to 2 secret tricks! Full of plant-protein, it’s a great breakfast or lunch recipe.
Do you like Egg Salad? I would guess that you do, since you’re reading this blog post.
I loved Egg Salad as a kid, and would pack it for lunch frequently (much to my classmates’ chagrin). I can’t say that I’ve regularly missed it since I went Vegan, simply because I found new foods to try and enjoy! However, recently I had a hankering for an Egg Salad Sandwich. I whipped up this easy plant-based version for myself and it was so good that I knew I had to share with you all too!
Now, let’s be real here. There are a LOT of tofu-based copycat Egg Salads out there on the internet. However, I’m still convinced that mine is the BEST. I didn’t want to make something that just looked like Egg Salad, I wanted something that actually tasted like it too.
I did some research, recalled those countless Egg Salad Sandwiches of my childhood, and experimented in the kitchen until I was completely and totally satisfied.
The Texture Issue
Tofu can be a great substitute for Egg Salad. However, not all Tofu is created equal! I *literally* sat in my kitchen with a spoon and sampled several different types of plain tofu. Not the most fun I’ve ever had in my life, but I did learn that Medium-Firm Tofu has the best egg-like consistency.
Silken Tofu is too soft, and Firm tofu is just too dense, almost “mealy”. After pressing my Tofu I decided to roughly chop it, instead of crumbling it. Normal Egg Salad is not crumbly — so this Vegan version shall not be either!
The Taste Issue
While Tofu + Vegan Mayo + Turmeric looks like Egg Salad, it just tastes like…Tofu, Mayo, and Turmeric. No surprises there!
The secret to making Vegan Egg Salad taste like the real dang deal is to use Black Salt. Also known as Kala Namak, this rock salt is often used in Southern Asian cooking and has a sulfur-like taste to it. Which, if you didn’t know, tastes almost exactly like Hard Boiled Eggs. I purchased a bag of Black Salt online for a pretty affordable price, but you may be able to find it at specialty grocery stores as well.
Side Note: Don’t ask me why it’s not actually Black…because I have no idea.
Combining the Black Salt with a variation of my homemade Vegan Mayo creates a Egg-like, Mayo-like “dressing” that takes this Vegan Egg Salad recipe to the next level. Plus, my Mayo is also Oil and Refined Sugar-Free!
You can serve this Egg Salad however you’d like; I enjoyed it most over toast and a bed of greens, but you can’t go wrong with a classic sandwich either! If you’re feeling extra fancy you can also add in some finely diced Celery or Red Onion to the mixture, for an extra crunch.
A Few Final Thoughts:
- If you have a Nut Allergy, please see the recipe notes. You can substitute a portion of the dressing ingredients with store-bought (nut-free) Mayo instead!
- Kala Namak (or Black Salt) is significantly less salty than traditional Table Salt. Please taste the recipe as you go, but do not be alarmed with the amount of Salt. Similarly, if you are using Table Salt instead of Black Salt, please see the recipe notes.
If you like this recipe, you’ll also love this Easy Vegan Quiche and these Chickpea Salad Sandwiches!
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
PrintThe BEST Vegan “Egg” Salad
This Vegan Egg Salad is the best, thanks to 2 secret tricks! Full of plant-protein, it’s a great breakfast or lunch recipe.
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 0 Minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 Servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 14 ounce blocks Medium-Firm Tofu, pressed*
- 1 cup Cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours
- ½ tsp Nutritional Yeast
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp Distilled White Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Fresh Chives, chopped
- 1 ½ tsp Kala Namak (Black Salt)*
- ¼ cup Filtered Water
- Black Pepper, to taste
- ¼ tsp Turmeric (Optional, for color)
Instructions
- Remove the Tofu from its package and press for 10-15 minutes. Then, the Tofu to a clean, dry towel and wrap it up while you prepare the “dressing.”
- To make the Mayo “dressing”, add all of the remaining ingredients, except for the Chives, to a high-speed blender and process until thick and creamy.
- Uncover the Tofu and use a knife to roughly chop it; I cut mine into thin strips, then on random diagonals to make a variety of chunks. Gently press another clean towel on top of the chopped Tofu to remove any excess moisture, then transfer to a bowl. Add in the Chives and dressing, and fold until well incorporated.
- Add more Black Salt and Pepper to taste, then serve as desired. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 7 days; this recipe will not freeze well.
Notes
- If you are not familiar with pressing Tofu, see this tutorial here.
- For a Nut Free Version, substitute the Cashews for store-bought Vegan Mayo. Instead of the “dressing” above, simply blend 1 1/2 cup Vegan Mayo with 1 tsp Dijon Mustard and 1/2 tsp Kala Namak Salt.
- If you are not using Black Salt in this recipe, start with 1/2 tsp of Fine Salt and add from there.
- If you’d like to add some crunch to this recipe, add ¼ cup finely diced Celery or Red Onion!
Want to save this Vegan Egg Salad for later? Pin the recipe to your Pinterest boards:
This is the best recipe I’ve tried. I definitely use the black salt. If I don’t say anything people don’t realize it’s not made with eggs.
So happy you like it!
Absolute perfection! This recipe is a staple for me and I’m always wowed by the results.
I boiled the cashews in water for 15mins instead of soaking for 4 hours and I had to add a couple tbsp more water while blending the dressing. I also crumbled the tofu with my hands after pressing to give it an scrambled egg look.
I’ve never left a comment on a recipe before, so that should tell you how impressive this is.
So happy you keep coming back to this!
The taste of this recipe is very delicious! However, mine turned out to be on the drier side. I made the recipe exactly as is and when I was done blending, it seemed that the quantity produced wouldn’t be enough to cover 2 packs of tofu. Any suggestions?
I think it could be a difference in tofu package size!
What size packages of tofu did you use for the recipe? Thanks.
Hi there! I used two 14-ounce packages, but I think you could also get away with using 16 ounce packages as well (you may just need to add a bit more salt)