When I was little, my grandma made the best egg salad EVER! As a kid, I never liked the way eggs tasted, but my grandma knew how to make egg salad to knock my socks off. Maybe the tangy, creamy, mustardy dressing disguised the egg taste, but whatever she did, I loved it! So, I decided to make vegan egg salad that tasted like grandma's recipe. My vegan tofu egg salad tastes excellent; my husband thought I made authentic egg salad. Although I enjoy vegan tofu egg salad from a bowl to a spoon, my favorite way is to eat a vegan egg salad sandwich.
My husband, who I turned from carnivore to plant-based, often challenges me to recreate his favorite foods but make them healthier. Even though most vegan egg salad recipes use raw tofu, I bake it with turmeric and garlic powder for the texture and firmness of hard-boiled eggs.
What are the secrets to the best vegan egg salad recipe?
I prefer extra-firm tofu, even though many recipes call for softer tofu.
My grandma's egg salad, for instance, was chunky with substance instead of mashed and mushy. So, to honor my grandma, cooked, extra firm tofu or sprouted tofu is my way.
However, the key to cooking the tofu is to press it properly before baking it. I use an inexpensive E-Z Tofu Press I've had for years to press the tofu correctly. If you don't have a tofu press, use many paper towels and a heavy book. Regardless of your pressing method, you want the tofu as drained and dry as possible.
As a result, the dry tofu is ready for baking in the oven. But, first, I remove the tofu from the tofu press and cut it into bite-sized cubes.
Another secret to great vegan tofu egg salad is black salt. For this recipe, I use either celery salt for people who don't like the taste of eggs. But, if you want that egg taste, black salt is the secret ingredient. I do not, however, suggest using both. Celery salt and black salt are salts, so adding both will produce a salty salad. So, pick one or the other.
FAQ
What is black salt?
- Black salt, also known as Himalayan black salt, Indian black salt, or Kala namak, is a volcanic rock salt manufactured in the Himalayas' regions. In addition to sodium chloride(the essential chemical compound of salt), it contains traces of sulfur compounds naturally found in the Himalayan mountains.
What does black salt taste like?
- Black salt tastes just like eggs!
Where can I buy black salt?
- Whole foods Market sells black salt, but I order black salt from Amazon if Whole Foods isn't an option.
How to make vegan egg salad
- Extra-firm tofu pressed and drained.
- Celery
- Green Onions or white onion
- Vegan Cashew Mayo(or substitute silken tofu or white beans for cashews)
- Yellow Mustard
- Celery Salt (if you don't like an eggy taste)
- Black Salt (if you want the real egg taste)
- Fresh black pepper
Even though vegan egg salad only has 6 simple ingredients, it makes the perfect vegan egg salad sandwich!
Oil-free bread suggestions
Since many people on a plant-based diet follow a whole foods approach, here are some of my favorite oil-free bread brands:
- Turlock Pita Bread: Vegan Whole Wheat (Whole Foods)
- Trader Joe's Pita Bread (100% stone-ground whole wheat)
- Trader Joe's Whole Grain Crispbread (more like a cracker, but I love vegan egg salad on top)
- Engine Corn Tortillas (Whole Foods)
- Vermont Bread Company Organic Whole Wheat Variety (Whole Foods) (Most Vermont Bread Company brand bead does not contain oil, but a few do, so check the label)
- Food for Life Ezekiel (4:9 bread varieties, English muffins, and tortillas) (Found in most grocery chains in the refrigerator section).
- Alvarado Breads (make sure you check the label; most are oil-free, but some contain oil. Check the link for a variety of retailers.
- Mission corn tortillas( widely available at most grocery retail chains or online)
Baking tofu for vegan tofu egg salad
Once the tofu is pressed and cut into cubes, it is time to bake it with garlic powder and turmeric.
Toss tofu in garlic powder and Tumeric and place in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Place the tofu on the center rack of the oven.
- If using a crisper pan, the tofu cooks on the top and underneath; you don't need to flip the tofu over.
- If you don't have a crisper pan, after 10 minutes, flip the tofu over using a spatula.
- Cook for 20 minutes in total.
- Remove the tofu from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
- In the meantime, prepare your dressing.
Tips
- Cooked tofu is firmer with a more sturdy texture when baked.
- Choose black salt or celery salt, not both
- Allow tofu to completely cool to room temperature before making the salad
- This tofu salad lasts 3-5 days refrigerated.
How to make a tangy dressing
When the tofu is cool and celery and onions are diced small, it is time to make the tangy vegan egg salad dressing.
First, I make my Vegan Cashew Mayo recipe and add yellow mustard and celery salt. That's it! But if you don't want to make your vegan mayo, choose your favorite vegan store-bought mayo as a shortcut.
- Vegan Cashew Mayo (substitute silken tofu or white beans for cashews)
- Yellow mustard
- Celery salt or black salt
- Fresh ground pepper
Although my grandma would probably not approve of my cashew vegan mayo, if I tricked her, like she did when I was a kid, she wouldn't know this is vegan tofu egg salad. She might be proud of my ability to replicate her recipe.
Hopefully, you will enjoy this vegan egg salad recipe as much as we do!
Check out these great sandwich recipes if you love vegan tofu egg salad!
- Vegan Chicken Salad
- Jackfruit Tuna Salad
- Chickpea Tuna Salad
- Basil White Bean and Chickpea Dip and Sandwich Spread
- Curry Chickpea Sandwich Spread
- Muffuletta Sandwich
- Crunch Wrap Supreme Recipe
- Roasted Vegetable and Hummus Grilled Lavash Wrap
- BBQ Jackfruit Recipe
- Eggplant Panini Wrap
- Oil-Free Hummus and Tabbouleh Wrap
- Vegan BLT
- BBQ Tempeh
- Tempeh Reuben
Vegan Tofu Egg Salad
Ingredients
- 14 ounces extra-firm tofu or sprouted tofu pressed and cut into small cubes
- 4 stalks celery diced small
- 2 bunches green onions diced
- Garlic powder sprinkle on tofu
- Tumeric sprinkle on tofu
Vegan Egg Salad Dressing
- ½ cup cashew mayo of choice or substitute silken tofu or white beans for cashews for a nut-free option
- 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon celery salt for no egg taste or 1 teaspoon black salt for eggy taste
Other ingredients
- Vegan bread bun, pita or crackers
- Sliced tomatoes
- Lettuce leaves
- Microgreens
Other great add in options
- Capers
- Pickles
Instructions
PRESS TOFU/BAKING TOFU
- Using a tofu press, press tofu slow until about an inch thick
- If using sprouted tofu, dry off and cut (pressing isn't necessary)
- Cut into small cubes.
- Add cubed tofu into a bowl and toss in turmeric and garlic powder; toss
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Place a single layer of tofu cubes on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, or use a crisper pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes; if using a baking sheet, flip the tofu over after baking for 10 minutes. If using a crisper pan, you do not need to flip tofu over.
- Allow tofu to cool completely.
DRESSING/MAKING THE VEGAN EGG SALAD
- Combine ½ cup vegan mayo (or store-bought vegan mayo), yellow mustard, celery salt, or black salt (black salt for an eggy taste).
- Stir and set aside
- Add cooled tofu, celery, and onions to a bowl.
- Add dressing
- Stir to combine
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Black salt, also known as Himalayan black salt, Indian black salt, or Kala namak, is a volcanic rock salt manufactured in the Himalayas' regions. In addition to sodium chloride(the essential chemical compound of salt), it contains traces of sulfur compounds naturally found in the Himalayan mountains.
- Black salt tastes just like eggs!
- Whole foods Market sells black salt, but I order black salt from Amazon if Whole Foods isn't an option.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
JoAnne Lowe
Your grandmother must have known my grandmother! So good. I have to watch for "skinny" recipes with cashews but this was a splurge.
PS Your lentil burrito filling is a new fav too! Freezer is well stocked.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi JoAnne, I am so glad you like it. There are so few cashews that a single serving is hardly anything. I am glad you have stocked your freezer. We all need to do that right now while we are quarantined. Stay healthy and safe.
Anonymous
Ellen Fife
Hi, I was just wondering if you have to soak cashews in the Mayo recipes for the egg salad?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Ellen, I don't soak the cashews, because I have a really good blender (Nutri-bullet); if you don't have a good blender, yes; you should saok them. Or, a quick fix to that is to boil them for 15 minutes. It does the same softening. I hope this helps.
Laura J McMinn
The egg salad is very good! I would suggest adding a little bit of black salt to add "the egg flavor"...takes it up a notch.