Vegan Egg Salad

side view of egg salad sandwich on a wooden cutting board.

4.99 from 57 votes

This creamy and zesty Vegan Egg Salad puts an indulgent, plant-based spin on the classic! It has uncanny eggy flavors, a rich and velvety mouthfeel, and is extra delicious when stuffed into sandwiches with homemade avocado spread. Easy to throw together and the perfect make-ahead lunch!

Prep Time25

Total Time25

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

1 (14-ounce/400g) block firm tofu, drained (see Note 1)
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon (70g) vegan mayo
2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish or dill relish
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon kala namak (Indian black salt) (see Note 2)
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon sweet or hot paprika
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon capers, drained
¼ cup (24g) roughly chopped scallions, light green and white parts only (or chives)
¼ cup (5g) tightly packed fresh dill leaves, roughly chopped
Kosher salt or sea salt, as needed
¼ cup (30g) very finely diced red onion (optional)

For egg salad sandwiches (see Note 3)

1 medium or large ripe avocado
Salt and pepper to taste
A couple squeezes of lemon juice
A squeeze of Dijon mustard (optional, to taste)
8 slices of bread of choice
Sandwich fixings: lettuce leaves, cucumber ribbons or slices, sliced tomatoes, pickles or pickled red onions

Instructions

Prepare the tofu. Slice the tofu lengthwise into 4 slabs. Cover the tofu with a thin dish towel or several paper towels. Weight down the tofu with a heavy cookbook. Press for 15 to 20 minutes, changing the towels in between if possible. Or use a tofu press.
Now slice each of the 4 slabs lengthwise into about 8 slivers, so you have 32 slivers. Now cut each sliver into pea-sized cubes (very tiny cubes).
Make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together vegan mayo, relish, nutritional yeast, mustard, kala namak, turmeric, paprika, and black pepper to taste.
In a food processor, pulse together the capers, scallions, and dill until mixed up but still chunky. Or, use a knife to very finely chop the ingredients together.
Make the egg salad. Add the tofu cubes and the caper mixture to the mayo dressing. If using red onion, add it in as well.
Stir gently to coat all the tofu pieces without crushing them. Taste for seasonings, adding a pinch of salt and black pepper as needed. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or more) before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
If you're making egg salad sandwiches, make the avocado spread just before serving.
Using a fork, mash the avocado in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a touch of Dijon mustard. Taste, adding more lemon juice or mustard as desired.
Lightly toast each slice of bread using a toaster, toaster oven, underneath your broiler, or in a frying pan with some oil or cooking spray.
Assemble the sandwiches. Spread some of the avocado spread on one slice of bread, then add your sandwich toppings of choice. Follow with a generous amount of the vegan egg salad. Top with the remaining slice of bread. Repeat with remaining bread. Serve with pickles on the side, if desired. If keeping leftovers, store the tofu salad separately (it will stay good in the fridge for 5 to 6 days).

Notes

If you can’t find firm tofu, use extra firm tofu instead. It will only need to be pressed for 5 to 10 minutes because it has less water than firm tofu.
Kala namak is what gives the egg salad its distinctive eggy taste. You can buy it from Indian grocers, South Asian grocery stores, or online (affiliate link).
The nutrition info is just for the egg salad and does not include the sandwich option.

Nutrition