Vegan egg mcmuffin (McDonald’s copycat)

When you think about it, egg mcmuffins are like egg Benedict’s blue collar cousin.

They have the same basic ingredients, except an egg mcmuffin has cheese and a Benedict has hollandaise.

In fact, that was the original sandwich concept back in 1972 when Herb Peterson came up with the idea for McDonald’s signature breakfast sandwich.

(Fun fact: When the sandwich first came out, it was also sold with a container of strawberry preserves for a sweet and savory sandwich. Unsurprisingly, that didn’t catch on.)

Now obviously this popular sandwich sold at the Golden Arches isn’t vegan.

(Nope, not even the eggs inside. Although many people wonder if the eggs in the mcmuffin are in fact chickens’ eggs. They are.)

However, it’s super easy to make a plant based egg mcmuffin at home.

These tasty sandwiches are 100% meat free, dairy free, and egg free.

But you get the same eggy flavor from seasoned tofu, chewy & smoky vegan ham, and non-dairy cheddar. It’s all served together on a toasted English muffin.

Great for a vegan breakfast on the go, or a quick savory brunch of comfort food at home. It’s also a delicious breakfast-for-dinner.

In this post:

Here are the ingredients you will need for this delicious vegan mcmuffin.

Black pepper: A dash of pepper brings that vegan egg experience home.

Oil: You’ll need a little oil to brown the tofu in a non-stick skillet. Any cooking oil that you like can be used here.

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

Start by cutting the tofu.

1. Cut the tofu into 4 even slabs across the longest part of the block.

2. Pick a round cookie cutter, ring mold, or glass that’s about the same size as an English muffin. Place it in the center of a tofu slab & cut into a circle.

3. Repeat with the remaining tofu slabs.

(Use leftover tofu scraps for a tofu scramble.)

5. Cover each of the tofu circles with a slice of vegan cheese. Turn the heat to low and cover until softened.

Make this English muffin breakfast sandwich your own by varying the ingredients or cooking methods.

• Instead of cutting the tofu into circles, just slice it in quick & easy rectangles across the short part of the block.
• Instead of cooking the English muffin in a toaster, butter it & toast it in a warm skillet cut side down.
• Instead of making a tofu egg, use a folded Just Egg.
• Instead of vegan ham, use seitan bacon, tempeh bacon, veggie sausage patty, vegan Canadian bacon, or a slice of raw tomato.
• Instead of vegan cheese slices, add avocado, guacamole, vegan cream cheese, or jalapeño cashew cheese spread.
• Instead of an English muffin, make a toasted breakfast sandwich with sandwich bread or a bagel breakfast sandwich. Or have it on a biscuit. (A lot of refrigerated canned biscuits are accidentally vegan.)
• Throw these ingredients into a tortilla for a breakfast quesadilla.
• Add some leafy greens like spinach.
• Add briny crunch with pickled red onions and/or pickled jalapeños.
• Add a spread like vegan sriracha mayo, special sauce, or hot sauce.

Melting the cheese

If you’re having a hard time getting the cheese to soften or melt, add a very small pool of water to the skillet, far away from the tofu & ham. Then cover the skillet with a lid.

The extra steam it provides helps to soften the cheese.

Separating the muffins

When prying the English muffins apart, don’t slice with a knife. That will ruin the nooks and crannies of the muffin.

Instead use a fork or your fingers along the seam of the muffin to pull it apart.

You want it to have rough, porous edges, not smooth like sliced bread.

Getting the ham size just right

If your vegan ham is too big for a sandwich, cut each slice into a circular shape with a cookie cutter, ring mold, or cup.

If necessary, you can cut around the cup with a knife or use your fingers to pull the ham away from the exterior of the glass.

This handheld sandwich can be a full meal on its own.

Or enjoy it with any of these side dishes:

• Hashbrown patty
• Air fryer breakfast potatoes
• Baked french fries
• Baked or air fried onion rings
• Vegan poutine
• Broccolini with kale
• Watermelon blueberry salad (from Veggies Save the Day)

Wrap any leftover sandwiches in a resealable sandwich bag or freezer bag, glass container with lid, or wrap each one in foil.

They will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days.

To reheat, microwave for 40 seconds to a minute.

(If you’ve wrapped the sandwiches in foil, you’ll obviously want to remove that first.)

Or warm in the oven or toaster oven at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

(If your sandwich is wrapped in foil, start by reheating the sandwiches in foil to heat through. Then open the foil & continue until the outside has crisped.)

I don’t recommend freezing for this recipe. Tofu changes texture & releases water after being frozen & thawed.