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    Home » Breakfast

    Easy vegan egg in a hole with Just Egg

    Updated: May 3, 2025 · Published: Oct 6, 2022 by Cadry Nelson · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 31 Comments

    Jump to recipe
    Text overlay: cadryskitchen.com, Easy vegan egg in a hole. Two slices of vegan egg in a hole on a plate.

    Vegan egg in a hole is a delicious and eye-catching breakfast. It takes only minutes to make, but it never fails to impress.

    Enjoy it any weekday morning, or serve it at brunch.

    Vegan egg in a hole with tofu and JUST Egg on plate by coffee mug.

    Breakfast just got a “hole” lot more fun! 

    If you thought vegan eggs in a hole were impossible, think again. 

    By using tofu as the egg white & Just Egg as the yolk, you can have that classic breakfast all over again.

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • Why readers love this recipe
    • What is egg in a hole?
    • Vegan egg in a basket
    • Ingredients
    • Step by step instructions
    • Make it your own
    • Can I make this ahead of time?
    • Serving suggestions
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why readers love this recipe

    5 stars

    “My mom used to make the eggy version for us growing up (she called them bull’s eyes), so thanks for veganizing it!” – Vegyogini

    What is egg in a hole?

    Egg in a hole is a fried egg that’s cooked in the middle of a slice of bread.

    It’s known by a variety of names like:

    • Egg in the basket
    • Eggs in a frame
    • Eggs in a nest
    • Hole in one
    • One-eyed Jack
    • One-eyed Pete
    • Pirate’s eye
    • Popeye

    In the United States, it’s sometimes called toad in the hole. However, across the pond, the name “toad in the hole” is usually reserved for sausages cooked in Yorkshire pudding.

    Egg in a hole originated around the turn of the center. It came on the scene about the same time as eggs Benedict. 

    Decades later, it was featured in the Cher flick, Moonstruck.

    Vegan egg in a basket

    Obviously, eggs aren’t vegan. So usually egg in a hole isn’t vegan either.

    However, this easy breakfast can be veganized with a few substitutions.

    1. Butter the bread with non-dairy butter. 
    2. Use tofu for the egg white.
    3. Use a vegan liquid egg replacement like Just Egg for the yolk.
    4. Finish with a few shakes of nutritional yeast, kala namak, and black pepper to bring home that eggy flavor.

    Ingredients

    Here are the ingredients you will need for this vegan eggs in a nest recipe.

    Labeled ingredients for vegan egg in a hole with tofu and JUST Egg.

    Bread: Any sandwich bread will work here. I especially like a grainy bread that won’t fall apart when cooking. 

    Vegan butter: Use your choice of non-dairy butter like Earth Balance or Miyoko’s. Buttering the bread directly gets everything evenly toasty and browned. 

    Super firm tofu: I recommend using a 16-ounce package of vacuum-sealed, super firm tofu. It doesn’t need to be pressed first, because it’s not packed in water.

    Just Egg: This liquid egg replacement is made with mung beans.

    You can find it in the refrigerated section at chain stores like Walmart and Target. It’s also available in many mainstream grocery stores, and most natural grocery stores.

    Oil: Any neutral flavored oil will work. Avocado oil is my go-to.

    Black salt: This sulfurous salt is also known as kala namak. It’s what gives the tofu its eggy flavor.

    You can find it online or at Indian grocery stores. It adds a lot to the flavor, so you don’t want to skip this one.

    Nutritional yeast: Also known as nooch, this flaky supplement adds cheesy, savory, umami flavor.

    You can find it at Trader Joe’s, online, or at most natural grocery stores. If you can’t find it, omit it.

    Black pepper: A few shakes or grinds of black pepper adds to the “fried egg” experience.

    Step by step instructions

    Here’s how to make the recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

    Collage showing how to prepare tofu.

    1. Open a 16 ounce package of vacuum-packed tofu, and turn the tofu on its side. Cut it in 4 long, even slabs.

    (If you’re only making one piece, you can use a bread slice as a guide for how thick the tofu should be.)

    2. Use a biscuit cutter or cookie cutter to cut a circle in each tofu slab.

    3. Use a smaller round cookie cutter to cut a hole in the center of the tofu circle.

    If you don’t have a small round cookie cutter, use a shot glass or stainless steel jigger (shown here).

    Collage showing how to prepare bread.

    4. Use a knife to butter 1 to 4 slices of bread, depending on how many you’re making.

    5. Use the same larger biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter to cut a hole in the center of each bread slice. 

    (You won’t need the bread circles for this recipe. You can either brown them separately. Or save them for tiny vegan grilled cheese sandwiches or BLT’s.)

    Two pieces of bread stuffed with tofu circles in skillet.

    6. Put the buttered bread in a lightly oiled skillet at a medium heat. 

    (Depending on how many eggs in a hole you’re making & the size of your skillet, you may need to work in batches.)

    Add the tofu circles to each bread slice.

    Just Egg being poured into tofu circle in bread slice in skillet.

    7. Fill a tofu center with Just Egg. Add a little more Just Egg around the edges of the tofu, so that it can seal to the bread. 

    You don’t have to add it everywhere. Just enough to hold the two together.

    Just Egg being poured into tofu circles in bread.

    8. Continue filling all of the tofu circles.

    9. Add a sprinkling of nutritional yeast, kala namak, and black pepper to the “eggs.”

    10. Cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bread has browned on one side.

    Two pieces of bread with fried vegan egg in the middle in a skillet.

    11. Use a spatula to flip each bread slice, being careful to really get the spatula underneath the “egg.”

    12. Add a sprinkling of nutritional yeast, kala namak, and black salt to the other side of the “egg.”

    13. Cover & cook for another 2 or 3 minutes, until the other side has browned.

    14. Remove from skillet & serve.

    Make it your own

    Make vegan fried egg in toast your own with these simple variations.

    Try a different vegan liquid egg

    I haven’t tried the recipe with a different brand of vegan liquid egg. However, it would probably work just as well. 

    You could also try a homemade chickpea egg (like pudla) in the center.

    Use a different shape for the hole

    Instead of cutting a circle in the bread & toast, choose a different shape. 

    Hearts are especially fun for Valentine’s Day. 

    Add toppings

    Vegan egg in a hole can be a great vehicle for avocado toast. 

    (If you add avocado, sprinkle it with kala namak too for even more eggy flavor.) 

    Here are more topping ideas:

    • Sliced tomato or tomato bruschetta
    • Pickled red onions
    • Vegan feta cheese
    • Vegan hollandaise sauce
    • A slice of browned seitan bacon
    • A browned vegan sausage patty
    Vegan egg in a hole with tofu and JUST Egg on plate by tomatoes and avocado.

    Can I make this ahead of time?

    I don’t recommend making vegan fried egg in toast ahead of time. While tofu reheats fine, bread is less forgiving. 

    However, you can do some simple prep work ahead a day or two ahead:

    • Cut holes in the bread
    • Slice the tofu
    • Cut holes in the tofu

    Store the tofu and bread in airtight containers or plastic baggies. Store the tofu in the refrigerator and the bread on the counter. 

    Then when you’re ready to prepare it, you can simply butter the bread, put the tofu into place in an oiled skillet, fill with Just Egg, and season.

    Serving suggestions

    Vegan egg in a hole is substantive enough, it can be a complete breakfast on its own. 

    Or you can fill it out with any of these side dishes:

    • Baked breakfast potatoes
    • Air fryer breakfast potatoes
    • Seitan bacon
    • Vegan sausage
    • Fresh fruit
    Egg-free egg in a hole on plate by avocado and tomato slices.

    If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!

    📖 Recipe

    Two slices of vegan egg in a hole on plate.

    Easy vegan egg in a hole with Just Egg

    Author: Cadry Nelson
    5 from 10 votes
    Egg-in-the-hole gets a vegan makeover! With tofu for the egg white & Just Egg for the yolk, this classic breakfast is yours in no time flat. It's a brunch dish that's sure to impress!
    You can easily size this recipe up or down, depending on your guests & appetite. Keep in mind you may need to work in batches if you're making a lot or have a smaller skillet.
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 16 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Keyword: brunch, dairy free, egg free

    Ingredients

    • 1 (16-ounce) package super firm tofu in vacuum-sealed packaging
    • 4 slices bread
    • 1 to 2 Tablespoons vegan butter like Earth Balance, divided
    • ½ teaspoon avocado oil for oiling pan
    • ¼ to ½ cup Just Egg or other vegan liquid egg replacement, divided
    • Sprinkling of kala namak to taste
    • Sprinkling of nutritional yeast flakes
    • Sprinkling of black pepper

    Instructions

    • Open a 16-ounce package of vacuum-packed tofu. Blot the tofu dry with a clean kitchen towel.
      Turn the tofu on its side. Cut it in 4 long, even slabs. 
    • Use a biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter to cut a circle in each tofu slab.
      Use a smaller round cookie cutter to cut a hole in the center of each tofu circle. If you don’t have a small round cookie cutter, use a shot glass or stainless steel jigger. 
    • Use a butter knife to butter the bread on both sides.
      Use the larger biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter to cut a hole in the center of each bread slice. 
      (You won’t need the bread circles for this recipe. You can either brown them separately. Or save them for a tiny vegan grilled cheese sandwiches.)
    • Lightly oil a large, non-stick skillet. Bring it to a medium heat.
    • Add the buttered bread to the skillet.
      (Depending on how many vegan eggs in a hole you’re making & the size of your skillet, you may need to work in batches.)
      Add the tofu circles to each bread slice.
    • Fill each tofu center with Just Egg.
      Add a little more Just Egg around the edges of the tofu, so that it can seal to the bread. You don’t have to add it everywhere. Just enough to hold the two together.
    • Add a sprinkling of nutritional yeast flakes, kala namak, and black pepper to the “eggs.”
    • Cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bread has browned on one side.
    • Use a spatula to flip each bread slice, being careful to really get the spatula underneath the “egg.”
      Add a sprinkling of nutritional yeast, kala namak, and black salt to the other side of the “egg.”
    • Cover & cook for another 2 or 3 minutes, until the other side has browned.
    • Remove from skillet & serve.

    Notes

    There will be tofu scraps left over. Put them into a covered container for later use and refrigerate.
    If you only have access to water-packed tofu, you’ll want to press it first. Find out how to press tofu <– here.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 281mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 327IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2mg

    Content, photos, and recipe updated October 3, 2022. Originally posted February 12, 2015. 

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    About Cadry Nelson

    Cadry Nelson is the writer, recipe creator, and photographer behind Cadry’s Kitchen, and the author of Living Vegan For Dummies, 2nd Edition. Since launching her blog in 2009, Cadry has been making plant-based cooking approachable, and reimagining classic comfort foods. Her work has been featured in NBC News, Buzzfeed, Yahoo, Parade, VegNews, and more. She regularly appears on local TV shows, demonstrating to a broad audience how easy vegan cooking can be.

    Reader Interactions

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      5 from 10 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    1. Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day

      January 18, 2017 at 10:29 pm

      This is the cutest breakfast ever! I am totally going to do this. I already have the heart-shaped cookie cutter!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        January 18, 2017 at 10:36 pm

        Aw, thanks, Amy! I don’t usually do a lot for Valentine’s Day, but this is a fun & easy way to get festive. I hope you enjoy it! 😀

        Reply
    2. Ian

      September 20, 2016 at 2:54 am

      This dish does have many different names, but but toad in the hole is the name of a different dish! If you take a look on Google images you’ll see it – sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding batter. Another dish that is crying out for veganising. But Yorkshire batter is hard to get right without eggs. I’ve seen some people have luck with aquafaber, but I’ve never been able to get it to work.

      Reply
    3. Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen

      September 14, 2016 at 6:44 pm

      OMG I LOVE this idea!! <3 I am so going to try these!!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        September 15, 2016 at 11:58 am

        Yay! I’m so glad to hear that!

        Reply
    4. Ashley

      February 23, 2015 at 6:40 pm

      Oh my goodness how cute are you? And what a great idea to veganize egg-in-a-hole…it’s one of those dishes that I am too quick to dismiss as not carrying over to a vegan diet. Thanks for proving me wrong!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        March 11, 2015 at 10:02 am

        Aw, thanks, Ashley! Kala namak is a wonder seasoning. It certainly gets a lot of use around here. 😀

        Reply
    5. Mandy

      February 16, 2015 at 9:18 pm

      5 stars
      Brilliant, looking forward to trying this!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        March 11, 2015 at 10:01 am

        Excellent! I hope you enjoy it, Mandy!

        Reply
    6. Nicole@VeganShowOff

      February 13, 2015 at 2:02 pm

      I’ve never heard of the egg version of this dish but I’m definitely all about the tofu version! The only cookie cutter I own just happens to be heart-shaped too! I wonder if my omni boyfriend would make this for me for Valentine’s Day breakfast? With a side of home fries! Hmmmm, I’ll have to start dropping hints ASAP lol

      Reply
      • Cadry

        February 15, 2015 at 7:55 am

        How serendipitous that your one cookie cutter is a heart! I hope that your hints for tofu and fries played out! 😀

        Reply
    7. An Unrefined Vegan

      February 13, 2015 at 12:47 pm

      5 stars
      Love this, Cadry! Adorable!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        February 13, 2015 at 12:48 pm

        Thanks, Ann! 😀

        Reply
    8. Barb@ThatWasVegan

      February 13, 2015 at 10:57 am

      5 stars
      I used to eat the original version when I was a kid… it never even occurred to me to make a tofu version! Brilliant! And it looks delicious 🙂

      Reply
      • Cadry

        February 15, 2015 at 7:54 am

        Thanks, Barb!

        Reply
    9. kalecrusaders

      February 13, 2015 at 9:50 am

      A hearty Valentine’s Day breakfast!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        February 13, 2015 at 10:26 am

        Oh, such a good pun! I wish I’d thought of that!

        Reply
    10. kittee

      February 13, 2015 at 12:35 am

      aw, so sweet! i will be yours, cadry! i will.
      xo
      kittee

      Reply
      • Cadry

        February 13, 2015 at 10:27 am

        Yay! Best Valentine’s Day ever! 😀

        Reply
    11. Vegyogini

      February 13, 2015 at 12:11 am

      5 stars
      My mom used to make the eggy version for us growing up (she called them bull’s eyes), so thanks for veganizing it! I love your breakfast-in-bed take for Valentine’s Day.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        February 15, 2015 at 7:54 am

        Bull’s eye, huh? It seems like this one dish has an endless amount of random names. I hope you had a nice Valentine’s Day!

        Reply
    12. johanna

      February 12, 2015 at 7:32 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks Cadry – I have always been a little jealous of people who eat this sort of dish but now I am going to try a vegan version – not sure mine will be as cute as your heart shaped one but am sure it will taste good – love fried toast but rarely have it

      Reply
      • Cadry

        February 15, 2015 at 7:50 am

        Excellent, Johanna! I hope that you enjoy it. And yes, there’s something special about fried toast. That extra crispness makes it that much more satisfying than ordinary toast from the toaster.

        Reply
    13. rika@vm

      February 12, 2015 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      Simply adorable for V-day! I want to find a cookie cutter like this…Cadry! I loooooooove kala namak, I have a box of these and still need to use them! Do you have any tips on how to store them longer?

      Reply
      • Cadry

        February 15, 2015 at 7:49 am

        Thanks, Rika! You know, I had kala namak in an open baggie that I’d just sealed with a clip for a couple of years before I started using it. It didn’t show any signs of its age at all once I started dipping into it. Since it’s a salt, I think it’s a lot more forgiving than spices, which start to lose their potency. So I think any way that you choose to store it should be fine!

        Reply
    14. Laloofah

      February 12, 2015 at 4:36 pm

      5 stars
      Ah well, you know I’m not a slatherer 😉 but I am a big fan of your eggy tofu, and as fate would have it I was planning to make some in a few minutes! (It’s not just for breakfast anymore!) 🙂

      Sending you and David heartfelt wishes for a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        February 15, 2015 at 7:47 am

        I’m glad to hear that you’re breaking out the eggy tofu outside of breakfast hours. I hope you had a happy Valentine’s Day too!

        Reply
    15. Jenna

      February 12, 2015 at 4:34 pm

      5 stars
      I love you for this idea!! Cutting them out with a heart cutter is just so cute and holiday appropriate. 🙂

      Reply
      • Cadry

        February 15, 2015 at 7:46 am

        Yay! Thanks, Jenna! 😀

        Reply
    16. Sophia

      February 12, 2015 at 3:21 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so good and is SO cute!!! I need to pin it to give it a try!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        February 14, 2015 at 10:27 am

        Thanks, Sophia! Let me know if you try it! 😀

        Reply

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