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This vegan egg salad sandwich makes for a satisfying lunch or dinner, and is packed with so much flavor! It comes together with simple ingredients and minimal effort, making it a go-to recipe for busy days. It's versatile, filling, and holds its own against a classic egg salad sandwich.
Egg salad sandwiches are one of my favorite, easy, filling lunches. But sometimes I want a vegan alternative that gives me all the comfort of the classic recipe, but as a plant-based version.
And this delicious vegan egg salad sandwich recipe is a winner! It has a familiar egg taste and texture, without any actual eggs! Instead the recipe calls for medium-firm tofu, nutritional yeast, mustard, and mayo. These key ingredients bring a savory flavor to this easy recipe, making it taste like real egg salad!
For quick lunches or weeknight dinners, whip this tofu salad sandwich recipe up in just 10 minutes. You literally only need a few ingredients and tools, like a cutting board, mixing bowl, and knife!
I love that something so flavorful can be so easy. One bite in and I think you'll agree that this is the best vegan egg salad sandwich ever!
👩🏽🍳 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fast & Easy: This sandwich comes together in just 10 minutes, and makes 2 servings! It's a great recipe when you are short on time or not feeling up to cooking.
- Plant-Based: Everyone can enjoy this eggless egg salad sandwich! Since it uses tofu instead of eggs it is more versatile and dietary friendly. Even egg lovers will find this recipe to be tasty and satisfying.
- Protein-Packed: With the firm tofu and nutritional yeast, this recipe provides a good amount of plant-based protein to keep you feeling full for longer.
- Family-Friendly: The simplicity of this vegan egg sandwich makes it a winner for both adults and kids. Pack it for school lunches, or enjoy it as family lunch or dinner.
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🥘 Ingredients
This tofu egg salad sandwich requires very simple ingredients! See the recipe card at the end of this post for more information.
- Vegan Mayo & Mustard: Keep things classic with vegan mayonnaise and yellow mustard as the base of this vegan eggless salad.
- Nutritional Yeast: This is a classic in vegan recipes, packed with B vitamins, protein, and minerals. It provides a cheesy and somewhat eggy taste.
- Turmeric: A little bit of turmeric provides some added flavor but also a nice yellow color to mimic eggs.
- Salt & Pepper: Keep this vegan egg salad recipe simple with a dash of regular salt and black pepper.
- Firm Tofu: Use the whole block of tofu cut into small cubes. Make sure to use medium-firm tofu to extra firm tofu, not soft tofu. This is the star ingredient here!
- Celery: Finely diced celery is a popular ingredient for traditional egg salad, and it helps this vegan version feel like the real thing!
- Dill & Chives: Add some fresh chives and fresh dill for the perfect pop of flavor
- Lettuce: The crisp lettuce gives a nice contrast to the soft tofu salad.
- Bread: Whole wheat bread pairs adds whole grains and fiber, and is hearty enough to stand up to the vegan tofu salad filling without getting soggy.
🍲 Ingredient Substitutions
- Dijon Mustard: You can use dijon instead of yellow mustard for a slight adjustment to the taste of this tofu egg salad sandwich recipe.
- Seasonings: Onion powder, garlic powder, and dried herbs can all add an extra dynamic to this egg salad with tofu.
- Veggies: Swap the celery for green onions, diced red onion, or chopped dill pickles.
- Herbs: Any fresh herbs can work for this recipe depending on the flavor you prefer. I love fresh parsley as a fun alternative.
- Leafy Greens: Use swiss chard, butter lettuce, collard greens, or whatever you have on hand!
🔪 How To Make A Vegan Egg Salad Sandwich
This recipe for tofu egg salad is so easy, with only 10 minutes needed! Follow along with the steps below:
Mix Seasonings: In a medium mixing bowl combine the mayo, mustard, nutritional yeast, turmeric, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined and smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Add Tofu & Herbs: Gently fold the tofu, diced celery, dill and chives through the mayo. Store the sandwich filling in a covered container in the fridge until ready to serve.
Start Assembling: Place a layer of lettuce and egg salad on top of a slice of bread.
Serve: Finish with another layer of bread and slice in half. Serve immediately.
💭 Expert Tips
- Stronger Egg Flavor: Use kala namak for a bolder eggy taste! You can find this special salt at any of your local Indian grocery stores or online. This is often used as a secret ingredient in vegan egg recipes!
- Remove Excess Moisture: While not totally necessary in this recipe, you can remove excess water in the tofu with a tofu press or paper towels.
- Texture: If you prefer more of a tofu scramble texture for this egg tofu salad sandwich you can use a potato masher or food processor to slightly mash the tofu instead of cutting it into small pieces.
📖 Variations
- Garlicky Egg Salad: Add minced fresh garlic and garlic powder to the eggless egg salad for an alternative flavor.
- Spicy Egg Salad: Add a hint of heat to the eggless tofu salad with some cayenne or red pepper flakes. You could also smear a spicy mayo or chipotle aioli onto the bread before assembling.
- Vegan Egg Salad Wrap: Use lettuce wraps for this tofu egg salad if you prefer to skip the bread!
- Add Avocado: Add a layer of sliced avocado for extra creaminess, flavor, and healthy fats.
- Side Dish: Skip the slices of bread and serve as a vegan tofu egg salad at parties, holidays, and picnics.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
This vegan tofu egg salad sandwich makes for a great lunch or dinner on its own, but can also be paired with a side of potato chips. Get creative and serve it in any of your favorite ways. Here are a few other ideas to take this meal up a notch:
🙌 Dietary Adaptations
This recipe accommodates vegetarians and vegans! If you want to make it gluten free, simply use a gluten-free bread of your choice.
🫙 Storage Directions
- To Refrigerate: Store the egg salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Egg salad is not suitable for freezing.
- To Assemble: The next time you are ready to enjoy this dish, add the leftover egg salad to your bread with lettuce. Slice and enjoy! There is no need to heat up the egg salad as it is best enjoyed cold.
❓Recipe FAQs
HOW DO YOU MAKE AN EGG SALAD SANDWICH NOT SOGGY?
The best trick for avoiding a soggy sandwich is using lettuce as a barrier between the "eggs" and bread! The lettuce will prevent the bread from absorbing the excess moisture in the egg salad mixture.
WHAT DO VEGANS USE INSTEAD OF EGGS?
For a savory recipe, eggs can be swapped for tofu or chickpeas! You can use either one to make a scramble or eggless salad like this one. Tofu has a great texture that somewhat replicates that of eggs, and it can take on a similar flavor with seasonings. For baked goods, vegans might use flax seeds, chia seeds, mashed banana, or applesauce for an egg substitute.
CAN I USE ANY TYPE OF TOFU TO MAKE VEGAN EGG SALAD?
I recommend using medium firm tofu for the perfect texture! It is soft and smooth, and can absorb all the flavors of the seasonings. Firm tofu is more durable than silken tofu, and softer than an extra-firm tofu or super firm tofu. It will be the best fit to match the consistency of a hard boiled egg! And if you can't find regular firm tofu, extra firm is your next best bet!
WHAT ARE THE BEST SPICES TO GIVE THE TOFU AN "EGGY" FLAVOR?
Nutritional yeast does a great job of bringing tofu to life with a nice flavor, along with the salt and pepper! For an authentic eggy flavor, add a touch of kala namak (Indian black salt) which offers a tangy and umami taste. It has a pungent smellI and is very similar in flavor to that of boiled egg yolks. It can be a perfect addition to any vegan egg recipe.
