Sometimes I get asked what do oil free plant based eaters do for lunches or healthy sandwiches now when giving up lunch meat, mayo and other processed ingredients. Of course you could always make a vegetable sandwich or wrap, but sometimes you want something that can look a little more covert or are craving an old comfort food.
These tofu eggless “egg salad” sandwiches look and taste great and are really easy to make so you have enough for sandwiches or snacks for the week. Not looking for a sandwich? You can eat it with a spoon for a high protein snack, or serve with veggies on top of crackers too.
Many vegans and plant based eaters will use store bought mayo but I just can’t bring myself to buy it. It’s literally all oil, and just there to moisten the bread and add a little flavour. So that’s why I’ve made my own mayo as well with white beans, cashews and seasonings. It works awesome with this recipe and can be used for other sandwiches or wraps as well when you’re looking for something different than hummus or avocado. It is creamy and a really good substitute as well and not as dry and thick as hummus if you miss having a spread that will melt into the bread.
You can add whatever veggies or additional add ons to your tofu eggless “egg salad” that you want, but I really wanted to pump up the flavour and crunch so I added chopped red onion, celery, pickles and green onions. I find the texture just more appealing when I have a mix of soft and crunchy together so it’s not too wet or mushy.
I would dare anyone who says they don’t find tofu appealing to try this sandwich, because honestly it is very similar in texture to hardboiled eggs and with seasonings it looks really convincing as well. I would never eat just plain slabs of tofu in a sandwich, but served like this with veggies and homemade mayo is really delicious and refreshing.
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Oil-Free Vegan Tofu Eggless “Egg” Salad (Plant Based)
1 350 g/12 oz package of Organic non-gmo firm or extra firm tofu, pressed
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp kala namak (black salt) or Herbamare or Sea Salt
2 celery ribs, sliced into small pieces
6 sweet gherkin or other mini pickles of choice, sliced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 green onion, sliced
1 cup of oil free vegan white bean cashew mayo or other homemade mayo
Directions:
1.Press the tofu in a tofu press or place in towels or paper towel in a baking dish with heavy weights on top of it to squeeze out excess water. I use the EZ tofu press. This helps disperse the water inside the tofu so it can become more sponge like and absorb marinades instead of being bland and watery. Stick the drained tofu into the tofu press and crank down the springs until it’s really squished and let it drain excess water out for a few minutes in the sink or a large bowl while you prep your veggies.
2. When tofu is pressed slice it in half on a cutting board. Slice one half of the tofu into small cubes, and crumble the other half of the tofu with your hands and place into a dry non stick frying pan.
3. Turn on the heat to medium and sprinkle on the turmeric, garlic powder, and kala namak or salt. Stir with a wood spoon to combine well so the colour is evenly yellow. If necessary add a splash of water to get seasonings dispersed. Cook just until tofu is a little dry and not soggy.
4. Scrape tofu into a medium sized mixing bowl. Add celery, pickles, and onions to the bowl. Spoon in at least 1 cup of vegan bean cashew mayo or other mayo of choice and stir to combine.
5. Taste test and add any extra seasonings like salt, mayo, mustard etc. if desired. Since my vegan bean cashew mayo already has mustard in it I didn’t add any extra.
Use to make sandwiches, wraps or lettuce wraps for lunch or as a dip for a quick veggie snack. This recipe makes enough for about 8-10 sandwiches depending on the size of your bread slices. I spread some additional vegan white bean cashew mayo onto the bread, spoon on the tofu mixture and top with fresh lettuce.
Have you ever had homemade vegan mayo before? Or tried making tofu eggless egg salad before?
