The BEST Vegan “Egg” Salad

GFGluten Free

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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.

vegan egg salad on piece of toasted bread with tomato and fresh chives

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!

white speckled bowl with vegan egg salad topped with fresh black pepper

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.

ingredients for vegan egg salad on white serving board

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!

pressed and chopped medium firm tofu on wood rectangular plate

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.

pink kala namak salt in salt holder

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.

vegan egg salad on two pieces of toast with fresh chives and black pepper

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.

large white bowl of vegan egg salad on grey background

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 🙂

Print

The 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.

  • Author: Caitlin Shoemaker
  • 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

Scale
  • 2 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

  1. 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.”
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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!

Keywords: vegan egg salad, tofu salad, tofu egg salad, dairy free egg salad, healthy egg salad, healthy vegan egg salad

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This Vegan Egg Salad is the best, thanks to 2 secret ingredients! Full of plant-protein, it's a great breakfast or lunch recipe.

 

About the Author

Hey there, I’m Caitlin! I make easy-to-follow, wholesome, and budget-friendly vegan recipes that are mostly gluten-free and refined sugar-free. I’m also an avid yogi, love the great outdoors, am chocolate-obsessed, and enjoy eating almond butter straight off of the spoon.

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Comments

  1. Egg-cellent recipe! Took a while to find really good Nalack salt. So many out there have little sulfur flavor. Once you have the right one this recipe is fantastic. It’s my go to recipe now

  2. So good! Great flavour notes! In my family, egg salad always has just a touch of sweetness from a small bit of added relish. I will add this next time so it tastes just like Mom used to make. Thank you!

  3. It’s crazy how much this tastes like real egg salad. It was really great, I will definitely start making this all the time. I always feel like the black salt flavor fades really quickly, so after a few days I added more to my leftovers to bring back that eggy flavor. Also added dill and scallions since I had them.

    1. That’s an interesting approach! If it doesn’t have anything else added (cashew only) then I believe it could work. We haven’t tested that but if you give it a shot let us know how it works out!

  4. I’m incredibly impressed with this recipe. I can’t even believe that it’s not made with with eggs. Like, I’m blown away. My omni hubby said it was fantastic, and I agree. I followed the recipe as written and added some of my own ingredients to make it mine, including : dried dill, sweet pickle relish, celery and onion. I’ve already made this twice in 2 days. And I’m excited to bring this to a party to see if anyone notices the difference. I’m betting that no one will. Thanks for this recipe, it’s amazing.

    1. Love hearing when you make a recipe your own! Especially if you’ve already made it twice in 2 days!

  5. I’ve made this the long way and the cheater way w vegan mayo many times. Delish, delish, delish. Thanks so much!

  6. This is so good!! I’m not vegan but my partner is and I was trying to find something that would work for us both. This is definitely it! I used firm tofu because I couldn’t find medium and the texture was fine. I also added parsley, red onion, celery, lemon juice and a bit of relish.
    This is by far the best vegan egg salad I’ve ever had. Black salt is such a revelation!

    1. The black salt is such a crazy ingredient! If you ever make anything where tofu is mimicking egg, like in a scramble, then black salt is the go to! Glad you both enjoyed it!

  7. Hello there! I’m unable to find medium form tofu anywhere. I only find silken, firm, extra firm and super firm. Would firm work well??? Ps I’m dying to try this out.

  8. This is the best vegan egg salad sandwich fixins ive had since i turned vegan. Bless your heart for this because i missed eggs!

  9. I can’t wait to try this! I do not have white vinegar – do you think another vinegar could be substituted instead (I have apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, and rice vinegar)? Trying to see if I can avoid buying another bottle 🙂

    1. Of the 3 I would go with apple cider vinegar. It has a bit of a flavor to it but the recipe calls for such a small amount it shouldn’t be noticeable!

  10. Just made this and it is BANGING 😀 added 2tsp mayo (Hellman’s vegan mayo) and its super super creamy and delicious, thanks so much for this recipe!!!!

    1. That’s weird! It should be available at most major grocery stores including Trader Joes, Whole Foods, and sometimes if you can’t find it in the refrigerated section you may find shelf stable tofu in the aisles that have Asian food.

  11. I’m looking forward to trying this! I had a recipe for a tofu scramble that had black salt, and it definitely added the eggy flavor. Only one word of warning. Because it isn’t as salty as regular salt, it could be easy to get too much black salt for certain people. It has a known laxative effect, which could be good for some people but bad for others.

    1. Definitely good for that flavor! But yes, always best to follow our recommendations and if you need more salt for flavor, typical table salt is the way to go after you achieve the flavor!

  12. Didnt press your. Added an extra tsp of all seasonings. Didn’t soak cashews. Substituted soy sauce for black salt. Added two heaping tsp. Of mayo. Best vegetarian egg salad ever!! Didn’t know tofu could taste so good!!!

  13. Taste was good but mine didn’t look anything like your pics. 1/4 tsp of turmeric barely added any color. After mixing in the dressing, the texture looked like a mix of egg salad and scrambled eggs. What do you think I’m doing wrong? (Yes, I used the correct firmness of tofu)
    Thanks for your help.

    1. The turmeric is mostly for color, if you found you wanted yours more yellow you can bump up that turmeric a bit. As for the tofu, did you press it as well?

  14. Do you think I could do this recipe with chickpea tofu insead? I am not a big fan of tofu but make my own chickpea tofu.

    1. Haven’t actually used chickpea tofu BUT if the texture is in any way similar to soy tofu it should work well!

  15. Tofu definitely makes a great substitute for eggs! I made a really tasty vegan egg sandwich the other day and its sure better than the real thing!

  16. I used vegan mayonnaise due to time issues but so delicious. My brother couldn’t believe how much it tasted like real egg salad. A definite hit but just wondering if you have nutritional information on it though. Thanks for the amazing recipe!!

    1. So happy that you guys enjoyed it! We don’t have any nutritional info for the recipes but there are some calculators available online that could help.

  17. This came out so good! It was my first time using black salt, so I was a little scared when I took my first bite. The flavor is spot on! Another great recipe!!