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Using a bit of sensory food science magic, we can mimic the mouth feel of your favorite egg salad with this tofu egg salad. This is a protein-packed vegan recipe that can be enjoyed as is, for a BBQ, or in a sandwich. It’s packed with flavor but doesn’t require any special ingredients.

A bowl of tofu scramble garnished with herbs and paprika, with serving utensils, surrounded by toast and smaller dishes on a green tablecloth.
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Every summer, our weekends are packed with family gatherings and friends days on the water or in the mountains. Which means I always pack a picnic-friendly vegan recipe (aka something that travels well and keeps me full). Enter this tofu egg salad.

  • Simple Ingredients: Many vegan egg salad recipes rely on black salt to mimic the flavor and smell of eggs, but not this one! It just requires pantry staples.
  • Everyone Loves It: The texture of tofu is remarkably similar to hard-boiled eggs. When I showed up to a barbecue with it, no one even thought twice about asking if it was vegan!
  • High Protein Vegan Lunch: Super firm tofu actually has about 30% more protein than the same amount of eggs. This makes for one hearty bite!
Two slices of bread topped with egg salad, garnished with herbs and paprika, on a wooden cutting board with more egg salad in bowls in the background.
Half of the tofu is crumbled and the other half is cubed to mimic the texture of hard-boiled eggs.

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Creating vegan versions of classics is one of my favorite pastimes! It brings in my food scientist background to help create the experience of the original recipe without the animal-based products. Here’s what this no egg egg salad uses to make magic! Be sure to jump to the recipe card for the full quantities.

  • Extra Firm Tofu: In general, the firmer the tofu, the more protein it has. For this reason and the heartier texture, I like to use extra firm tofu for this recipe.
  • Vegan Mayo: You can find this in most stores next to the regular mayonnaise.
  • Flavor Makers: To bring in the flavor of an egg salad, you’ll need nutritional yeast, chives and dill (fresh of course), Dijon mustard, and optionally black salt (or kala namak).
  • Spices: For the basics, grab garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and turmeric. Just a bit of turmeric adds that classic yellow color to trick the brain into thinking this is made from eggs.

what’s black salt?

Black salt (aka kala namak) is known for its funky, sulfuric flavor that tastes eerily like hard-boiled eggs, making it a vegan tofu egg salad (almost every vegan egg salad recipe online requires it). But it can be hard to find! This recipe relies on sensory science to use ingredients that your brain associates with egg salad so that you don’t need to go out and find this tricky ingredient.

A block of tofu, bowls of nutritional yeast, mustard, and mayonnaise, a plate of mixed spices, and a plate of chopped dill and chives on a green surface—perfect essentials for making Tofu Egg Salad.

make it your way

Everyone I talk to about this recipe has an egg salad recipe they compare it to. Whether it be their moms, grandmas, uncles, whoever. But that’s the great thing about this recipe! As long as you stick to the listed spices and herbs, you can add any other mix-ins you’re used to, like celery, red onions, or even avocado.

If you like playing with flavors, try adding liquid smoke, smoked paprika, or miso.

A plate of cubed tofu salad mixed with herbs and spices, topped with fresh dill and a sprinkle of paprika.
Tofu Egg Salad with fresh herbs served on slices of bread, arranged on a wooden cutting board.
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Tofu Egg Salad (No Black Salt)

5 from 3 ratings
By: Sarah Bond
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
This tofu egg salad uses sensory food science tricks to mimic classic egg salad, no special ingredients needed!

Ingredients 

  • 1 16-oz block super-firm tofu, 450 g
  • ½ cup vegan mayonnaise, 100
  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper, turmeric
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Instructions 

  • Prep: Drain and pat dry 1 16-oz block super-firm tofu. Cut half into small cubes and crumble the other half.
    Two glass bowls on a green surface: one filled with cubed tofu, the other with crumbled tofu.
  • Flavor: In a medium bowl, stir together everything except the tofu.
    A metal whisk rests in a white bowl filled with a thick, yellow batter containing green herb flecks, placed on a light green textured surface.
  • Add Tofu: Gently fold in the tofu.
    A mixing bowl containing a yellowish tofu salad mixture with herbs, stirred with a wooden spoon, sits on a green textured surface.
  • Serve fresh or refrigerate to chill before serving!
    A large plate of scrambled tofu garnished with herbs and paprika, surrounded by slices of toasted bread and small bowls of tofu scramble on a green tablecloth.

Notes

Storage: You can keep this salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Enjoy cold on a sandwich, with veggies, or on toast!
Are there any substitutes for mayo? Sure! You can use hummus or mashed avocado (maybe omit the turmeric because yellow and green colors don’t mix well).
How long should I press the tofu? A tofu press is great for this because ensuring there is no extra moisture really helps the salad stay good for longer. If I press the tofu with heavy books or a pan, I try to leave it for at least 15 minutes with lots of paper towels to absorb the moisture.
Black Salt: If you do happen to have black salt/kala namak, add ¼ tsp when you add the other seasonings. The black salt adds a funky sulfuric flavor that mimics eggs.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 2.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10.5g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 280mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 290IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 3.5mg

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!

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5 from 3 votes

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6 Comments

  1. Alyssa says:

    5 stars
    This was super delicious and easy. I loved the texture and flavor. I also added a tablespoon or two of dill relish. 🙂

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      Thanks for the kind words Alyssa, happy eating!

  2. Feidreth says:

    5 stars
    Even my husband, who’s a pickier eater than I am, loved this. I tripled the “sauce” and doubled the tofu, and that’s how we liked it best. Fresh and dried chives and dill are expensive so I skipped them, and I made it without the garlic, onion, and smoked paprika partly out of laziness and partly out of not wanting to get too adventurous for my husband’s sake (and we don’t have good garlic powder around here, so I didn’t have any). I’m so glad I found this ’cause my usual grocery places don’t have black salt–but they do have nutritional yeast!

    This is gonna be great to have, and it’ll be great for my husband’s lunch too!

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      So happy you both enjoyed this one, happy eating!

  3. Carl Matthews says:

    5 stars
    So amazingly delicious!!!

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      Yay, so glad it was a hit Carl!