Vegan egg salad sandwiches are a great meal-on-the-go option. They are ready in less than 10 minutes. Perfect for a packed lunch!
Vegan egg salad sandwiches are so easy to make, packed with protein, filling, and delicious.
This simple dish is great for meal prep and a breeze to make in bulk. You’ll definitely want to keep it in mind for packed lunches, or when you’re in a rush & need to eat fast.
Here are just a few things I love about this vegan egg salad recipe:
- The ingredient list is small.
- No stove is required.
- It’s easy to adapt the recipe to fit your own preferences.
In this post:
Old school classics go vegan
When I first went vegetarian, one of the struggles I had was figuring out what to eat when I was a hurry.
Sure, when time wasn’t an issue, I could leaf through cookbooks or pop a dish in the oven for a half an hour. But when I was late for an appointment and had to whip something together on the fly, I was at a bit of a loss.
After all, my habits had been built on throwing together a sandwich of deli slices, egg salad, tuna salad, or even picking up some fast food when I was in a hurry.
(While vegan fast food options do exist, the choices are fewer, especially outside of big cities.)
Obviously a person could keep vegan deli slices in the refrigerator door, and make a sandwich in the same style as the one that used to go in your school lunch box. That’s an easy option.
But what I didn’t realize when I first went vegetarian is that it’s also a cinch to recreate the tuna salad & egg salad of yore with a few simple substitutions.
I shared my vegan tuna salad with chickpeas a while back. And now I’m excited to share my vegan egg salad sandwiches.
Why readers love this recipe
“Very good, and simple! I mixed it up in about 7 minutes and packed it for my lunch. I also added some chopped pickle chips because, well, I like them.
Other recipes for tofu salad are nice, but this is maybe the easiest one that has great flavor. Also easy to scale up or down.” – Jeremy
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
Super firm tofu: Look for vacuum-packed, super firm tofu, as opposed to the variety that comes soaked in water. It makes a firmer sandwich, and it doesn’t have to be pressed before using. I buy mine at Trader Joe’s.
Onions: Green onions (scallions) add a nice pop of color and mild flavor. Finely minced yellow onion also works.
Vegan mayo: Vegenaise is my preferred choice, but use whatever eggless mayo you like best.
Stoneground mustard: Unlike Dijon mustard, stoneground mustard has bite without being overly harsh. It can be replaced with yellow mustard.
Kala namak: Also known as black salt, this sulfurous salt is essential for this vegan egg salad sandwich. It does the heavy lifting for the eggy flavor. Find kala namak online or at your local Indian grocery store.
Black pepper: Black pepper rounds out the flavor. If you like a little heat, add a pinch of cayenne too.
Turmeric: This is mostly for color, but it also is known for its antioxidants. You can omit it if you prefer.
Bread: Whole wheat sandwich bread is my preferred choice. But you can also use a bun or tortilla if you’d like.
Step by step instructions
Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
To make tofu egg salad, put the following into a mixing bowl:
- Crumbled tofu
- Sliced green onion or minced yellow onion
- Eggless mayo
- Stoneground mustard
- Kala namak (Black salt)
- Pepper
- Turmeric
Combine with a spoon. And then add dollops to the bread of your choice.
Make it your own
Make this vegan egg salad your own by adding:
- Fresh dill
- Diced pickles
- Chopped celery
- Grated carrot
- More mayo
- Shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- Fresh lettuce
Instead of enjoying it on a sandwich, try scooping vegan egg salad onto crackers, rolling it into a tortilla, spreading it on a bagel, or wedging it into romaine leaves.
Serving ideas
You can keep it simple and serve vegan egg salad with an apple and potato chips. Or you can serve it with any of these tasty side dishes:
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for about 3 days.
To freshen the salad before serving, add more mayo if necessary. You may want to add another sprinkling of kala namak, as that flavor can fade with time.
I don’t recommend freezing leftover vegan egg salad, because freezing changes the texture of tofu and releases a lot of water.
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
Vegan egg salad sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) package super firm tofu in vacuum packaging
- 2 Tablespoons sliced green onions or minced yellow onion
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise + extra for slathering on sandwiches (Vegenaise is my favorite.)
- 1 teaspoon stoneground mustard
- ¾ teaspoon black salt kala namak
- Generous dash of black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric for color (optional)
- 8 slices sandwich bread
Instructions
- Crumble the tofu into a mixing bowl with your fingers. Add the sliced green or minced onion, vegan mayonnaise, stoneground mustard, kala namak, black pepper, and turmeric (if using).
- Combine all of the filling ingredients with a fork, mashing some of the tofu. You want it to still have some texture. So don't make a puree, but smooth it enough that it won't fall out of the sandwich.
- Taste for any adjustments and add more mayo, stoneground mustard, black salt, or pepper that you might like.
- Slather mayonnaise on two slices of sandwich bread, and fill with the tofu mixture.
Watch how to make it
Notes
Nutrition
Originally posted January 6, 2017. This content was updated January 15, 2024. At that time, the recipe was changed to 4 servings instead of 1. And I made pepitas an optional ingredient.
Jeremy Manternach
Very good, and simple! I mixed it up in about 7 minutes and packed it for my lunch. I also added some chopped pickle chips because, well, I like them. Other recipes for tofu salad are nice, but this is maybe the easiest one that has great flavor. Also easy to scale up or down.
Cadry Nelson
Thank you for the great feedback, Jeremy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, and pickles sound like a delicious addition.
Cavell
Oops! Sorry for the duplicate comment. I didn’t realize I had commented already. It IS that good, though!
Cadry Nelson
Haha! I appreciate the enthusiasm!
Cavell
It’s on my regular lunchtime rotation. Delicious!
Cadry Nelson
I’m so glad you’re still enjoying it!
Cavell
Easy and delicious! It’s on our regular lunch rotation now.
Cadry Nelson
That’s great, Cavell! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it! Thank you for letting me know.
Sloan Wheeldon
This recipe is delicious! The crunch of the pumpkin seeds really compliments the texture of the tofu. And yes, it really does only take five minutes to make!
Cadry
Thanks, Sloan! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it & found it easy to make.
Jen
I’m also a big fan of kelp powder or umeboshi vinegar for that briny bit. I am totally making a nice sammich today… thanks for the recipe:)
Cadry
Oh, that’s a good idea to use umeboshi vinegar! I have a couple of bottles in my refrigerator. I’ll have to try that next time!
Zachary Tomlinson
I like your idea to fold this into some lettuce or in a tortilla; that sounds yummy. I am looking for a restaurant in Florida that can offer this kind of thing for my family and me. I think that everyone should try this delicious sandwich.
Cadry
Thanks, Zachary! Yes, I often wrap this in a tortilla since I always have tortillas around. The great thing about this tofu salad is that it’s easy to make at home – no restaurant required. But if you really want to find something like it at a restaurant near you, visit happycow.net. From there you can search your local vegetarian offerings.
Shell
I love the combinations of flavors you use in this sandwich…yum!!! This would be a quick and easy on-the-go lunch.
Cadry
Thanks, Shell! That’s one of the things I love about this sandwich – it’s so quick and easy. It’s a favorite “running late” meal. 😀
Hannah Teson
Oooh I love tofu salad sandwiches, but I never make them! I think your post may have inspired some upcoming lunches….
Cadry
I’m glad to hear that, Hannah!
Kris
I love tofu “egg” salad. I make Vegan Richa’s version which is similar. In fact I just had my son order me another package of black salt! Every vegan needs that in their cupboard for sure.
Cadry
Absolutely! Black salt is a must have in my kitchen. In fact, I just keep it on the counter for easy access. 😀
Bianca Phillips
Yum! I love vegan egg salad sandwiches so much, but it’s been far too long since I’ve had one. Your version — with the pumpkin seeds!! — sounds amazing.
Cadry
Thanks, Bianca! The pumpkin seeds really add a special something. You’ll have to give it a whirl and let me know what you think after your January plan!
Becky Striepe
This sandwich looks so good – I need to make it for Dave and Darrol! And your photos are looking amazing. That new lens is fantastic!
Cadry
Thanks, Becky! It’s always a win when something that’s really easy is also delicious too. I’ve already had it two days in a row, and I’m thinking about rounding it out for three! And thanks for the kind words on the photos. I’m loving that shallow depth of field. So fun to have a new toy to play with!