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This vegan egg salad is creamy, savory, and packed with that classic eggy flavor. Firm tofu gives it the perfect texture, while a secret ingredient adds a subtle sweetness, golden color, and helps thicken the creamy mayo-based sauce. It’s ready in just minutes and makes the perfect filling for sandwiches, toasts, and wraps!
A reader recently told me about the best egg salad she’d ever had in Kyoto, at a vegan chain called Mercy Vegan Factory. Naturally, I had to look into it. So I checked out their ingredients to get a good starting point for this recipe.
What makes this vegan egg salad a little different is the addition of pumpkin purée. It might sound like an unusual ingredients for egg salad, but it works very well. It adds a hint of sweetness, gives the tofu this lovely yellow color (without having to add turmeric), and has the added bonus of thickening up the creamy mayo-based “sauce.
Behind the recipe: I first went a bit over the top trying to recreate the texture of egg whites. My first idea was to make them from scratch by thickening plant-based milk with jelly powder and agar, then cutting it into little pieces to mimic the boiled egg whites. It worked, but it was more work than necessary.
After a few more experiments, I realized that firm tofu already gave me a texture I was happy with, and it makes the whole recipe much quicker and easier. So that’s what I ended up using.
⭐️ Why It’s So Good
- It tastes like eggs! Yes, despite being completely vegan, this egg salad is surprisingly close to the real thing. From the texture to the eggy flavor, it hits the spot!
- Rich and creamy. The sauce is where all of the flavors come together. Mayo and melted butter create a rich and creamy base while kala namak gives it that unmistakable eggy flavor.
- Made in one bowl. No cooking needed. Crumble the tofu, toss it into the pumpkin-mayo mixture, give everything a good stir, and you’ve got a creamy, savory vegan egg salad that’s ready in minutes.
🧈 Ingredient Notes
- Pumpkin purée – I use pumpkin purée for three reasons. First, it adds a subtle sweetness. Second, it improves the texture, thickening the mayo-based sauce slightly and giving it more body. And finally, it gives the salad the perfect shade of yellow without having to rely on turmeric, which usually adds an unwanted flavor to the salad.
➜ Note: Use plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. - Tofu – To mimic the texture of cooked eggs, you’ll need firm tofu. I don’t recommend extra-firm tofu here, as it would make the salad a bit too dry.
- Mayo – Mayo provides the rich base you’d expect from a classic egg salad. Use your favorite store-bought brand or check out my homemade vegan mayo recipe.
➜ For an oil-free version: Replace the mayo with cashew-based vegan mayo. - Mustard – Yellow mustard adds some sharpness.
- Kala namak – A key ingredient here! Kala namak, also known as black salt, has a sulfurous flavor that mimics the aroma of cooked eggs.
- Nutritional yeast – For depth and savoriness.
- Vegan butter – Melted butter adds extra richness and a subtle buttery note.
- Salt & pepper – To season the salad.
📔 Tips Before Starting
- Crumble or dice the tofu. While I crumbled it here, feel free to dice the tofu into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) cubes.
- Slightly over-season the salad. A perfectly seasoned egg salad will taste bland inside a sandwich or between slices of bread. That’s why I suggest seasoning it a little more than you would normally would. Just remember to taste it before adding more salt.
- Don’t skip the kala namak. If you want the salad to actually taste like egg, kala namak is essential.
- Give it a good stir. If you’re making the salad ahead of time, giving a good stir again before serving to ensure all of the sauce ingredients are evenly combined. They can separate a bit if stored for over 2 days in the fridge.
🥣 How to Make Vegan Egg Salad
- Combine the ingredients. Add the pumpkin puree, melted butter, mayo, mustard, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl.
- Mix until smooth. Using a spoon or whisk, mix all of the ingredients together.
- At this point, you should get a thick yellow-orange sauce.
- Add the tofu. Crumble the tofu into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) pieces and add it to the bowl.
- Mix to combine. Toss to coat the tofu with the sauce. You can now enjoy it in sandwiches, wraps, or on toast!
🥒 Optional Add-ins
You can easily customize this salad by adding:
- Pickles: For a sharper flavor and a nice crunch, add finely chopped capers, cornichons, dill pickles, or spicy cucumber pickles.
- Fresh herbs: Dill, chives, or parsley.
- Chili: Add a pinch of chili flakes, a teaspoon of sriracha, or a tablespoon of chili crisp for some heat.
🍞 How to Serve Vegan Egg Salad
The classic way to serve this is obviously in a sandwich, or spooned over toasted bread and layered with lettuce, tomato, and cucumber. Feeling fancy? Replace the bread with vegan brioche or a vegan croissant! And if you’re not into sandwiches, you can also use it in:
- Wraps: Combine it with fresh salad leaves, grated carrots, onion pickles, sliced bell peppers, and avocado.
- Inari sushi: Fill tofu pouches with sushi rice and top them with 1-2 tablespoons of this egg salad.
- Baked potatoes: Slightly open baked potatoes and garnish them with the salad.
- Crackers: Slightly mash the tofu to turn the salad into a dip. Then dip crackers into it for a quick appetizer!
❄️ Storing Leftovers
You can store this egg salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze vegan egg salad?
I do not recommend freezing it as the texture of both the tofu and the mayonnaise will be altered after freezing.
💬 FAQs
You can, but the salad won’t have that eggy taste.
Yes, you can omit the pumpkin purée. Replace it with a pinch of turmeric and slightly reduce the amount of salt.
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Vegan Egg Salad
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp (42 g) pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup (74 g) vegan mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp (18 g) nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) melted vegan butter
- 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
- 1/4 tsp kala namak (black salt)
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 12 ounces (340 g) firm tofu
Instructions
- Make the sauce. Add the pumpkin puree, mayo, nutritional yeast, melted vegan butter, mustard, kala namak, ground black pepper, and salt to a mixing bowl. Using a spoon or whisk, mix all of the ingredients until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Add the tofu. Rinse and drain the tofu. Pat it dry with a few kitchen paper towels. Next, crumble or dice it into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) pieces and add them to the bowl.
- Mix to combine. Toss to coat the tofu with the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking. Enjoy it in sandwiches, wraps, or on toast!
- You can store this egg salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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