Vegan “Egg” Salad Sandwich
This vegan egg salad sandwich takes two minutes to whip up and makes a delicious, easy lunch at home or on-the-go.
When I started phasing out animal protein from my daily diet, one major staple caused me a lot of grief — eggs.
I LOVE eggs.
I’ve mentioned it before, but to really drive home my point, I’ll mention it again. I used to eat six egg whites for breakfast EVERY morning. Yeah, an entire half-dozen.
Not only was that absurd from a nutritional perspective (for so many reasons), but it was incredibly eco-unconscious on many levels as well. I cringe now at the thought, but as they say, “Once you know better, you do better.”
I know better, now. I eat my Super Seed Oatmeal for breakfast most days (except of course on Belgium Waffle weekends), with ingredients sourced from the bulk bin and transported home in reusable, biodegradable silk bags that I found on Etsy.
I’m trying.
I still eat eggs every once in a while — opting for pasture-raised and consuming the entire thing when I do — but it feels good to not rely on them so heavily anymore.
Another egg obsession I used to indulge in was the egg white salad from Trader Joes. Their handy little containers made for quick, convenient lunches. However, those little plastic throw-aways held a mere one serving and with the yolks removed (which is where all the good vitamins are housed, fyi), were pretty nutritionally devoid.
On a recent afternoon, I had a craving for my old lunchtime favorite and decided to experiment with a more eco-friendly egg substitute — tofu.
With its delicate, velvety texture, tofu is an excellent stand-in for eggs.
I use it regularly in tofu egg scrambles and had seen it creatively combined with colorful spices at vegan restaurants to make an on-point egg salad imitation.
With a block of extra firm tofu on hand and a spice rack full of nutritional yeast, turmeric, paprika, and garlic powder, I went to town.
A pinch of this, a dash of that — in two minutes I had a perfectly flavored, plant-based sandwich that satisfied my eggy craving.
Mixed with a little avocado oil and mashed between two slices of sprouted whole-grain bread, it packed just as much healthy omegas and protein as its animal-based counterpart, minus the saturated fat and cholesterol.
The nutritional benefits of this meal have made it a regular in my household, but the simplicity is really its strong suit.
If you’ve got a block of tofu on hand, you’re halfway there.
- 15 oz package of extra firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
- Drain tofu and press between two paper towels to get rid of excess liquid.
- In a small bowl, mash together the tofu, oil, yeast, and spices.
- Add pepper to taste.
- Enjoy as a sandwich or on a bed of greens.
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Weigh-in: Are you a fan of egg salad? Would you give tofu-based vegan egg salad a try?
Ellen says:
Oh my gosh, I would have a problem giving up eggs. I am definitely an ethical vegetarian–almost vegan since I don’t eat a lot of eggs or dairy but not totally vegan. But hardcore vegetarian. I don’t wear leather either. I would have issues giving up eggs. I try to get them from sources I could visit the chickens and make sure they are happy though. So anyway I would try an egg salad which ensured the happiness of chickens like this one!!!
Whitney English says:
Good for you for doing what you can to ethically source your eggs. I would have a very hard time giving them up altogether too!
Brian says:
Hey, it looks really amazing and so easy to make! My wife is vegan, so slowly she is influencing even me :P
Whitney English says:
I’m sure she’s happy that it’s rubbing off on you!
Jessica @Nutritioulicious says:
What a great way to use tofu! Sounds and looks delicious!
Abbey Sharp says:
yum these looks like the perfect sammy! Love the use of turmeric too :)
Steph @ The Grateful Grazer says:
I think I like tofu scramble even better than scrambled eggs. This looks like such a delicious summer lunch option!
Taylor says:
This looks so good I will definitely be trying this recipe soon!
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Stacey Mattinson says:
YUM! From one egg lover to another, these look delicious!
Emily | EmPowered Nutrition says:
Love eggs! But these look delish! :)
Jodi Robinson says:
Would never in a million years have thought to make egg salad out of tofu…such a great idea for a vegan meal!
Rachel says:
Ooh I just started getting into nutritional yeast. It’s SO BOMB. Looks delish Whit!
Whitney English says:
Thanks girl!! I put nutritional yeast in/on everything!!
EA The Spicy RD says:
I love eggs, but not hardboiled/egg salad, so this looks much better to me than traditional egg salad :-) I just got some samples of Ayala’s Magic Spice that has turmeric and nutritional yeast-it would be perfect in this recipe!
Whitney English says:
Oh that spice sounds fantastic, I’ll have to get some!
Kimberly Korn says:
I grew up vegan and switched to vegetarian two years ago after being diagnosed with celiac because my diet got too restrictive. I feel so much better but often wonder if I’d feel even better adding fish to my diet. Do you find plant based to be better?
Whitney English says:
Hi Kimberly, I think it’s a very smart decision you made to keep your diet from becoming too restrictive. Whether you want to incorporate fish or not is definitely a personal choice. I think fish is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids that are otherwise unavailable outside of algae supplements, but I do not think eating it is absolutely essential. I love fish and I eat it about 2-3 times a week but I understand why others choose to eliminate it from their diets. You could always try it and see how you feel, and then go back to a vegetarian diet if you don’t notice any beneficial changes.
Alisa Fleming says:
I’ve never been a big egg fan, but love tofu “egg” salad! It’s so flavorful. Your version looks marvelous, too!
Jolene says:
Looks relish and will definitely try it. I was advised to stay away from tofu but I’m also maintaining a mostly plant based diet. So one hard boiled egg a day is not advised?
Jolene says:
Delish^ lol
Whitney English says:
Hi Jolene! I’m not sure why you were advised against soy. Whether or not you consume eggs and how much is definitely an individual decision that should be based on a variety of factors. I’d suggest talking to a Registered Dietitian about what’s best for you!
Sarah Zavalani says:
Yum! How long does it last?
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