Cooking Class: Vegan Egg Yolks – Yolks Without the Chicken!

Sam Turnbull, Vegan Blogger & Cookbook Author

It’s a vegan egg yolk! Just five minutes to make with only six ingredients. It is completely cholesterol-free, unlike the cholesterol bombs of a chicken egg yolk. This yolk is incredibly, super delicious with toast dipped into it. Rich, creamy, savory, umami, – add a crack of pepper on top! Oh yeah, you won’t believe how amazing this is! Additionally, small changes allow this recipe to be turned into a vegan fried egg!

Vegan Egg Yolk

Servings: 4 (makes about 1 cup)

It’s a vegan egg yolk! Just 5 minutes to make, only 6 ingredients, is completely cholesterol free (unlike the cholesterol bombs of a chicken egg yolk), and is incredibly, super delicious with toast dipped into it. Rich, creamy, savoury, umami, with a crack of pepper on top, oh yeah, you won’t believe how amazing this is! I also included instructions for if you want to turn this egg yolk into a vegan fried egg.

Ingredients

For the vegan egg yolk:

• 1 cup water
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch (plus 1 – 2 teaspoons extra if making the fried egg, see instructions)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil  (see notes for oil-free version)
• 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
• 3/4 teaspoon black salt (also called kala namak)
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 4 slices of toast, cut into strips for dipping
• Vegan butter (optional for toast)

To make a fried egg (optional):

• 1 recipe Vegan Egg Yolk (above)
• 1 block firm tofu, drained
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter (see notes for oil-free)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

For the vegan egg yolk:

1. In a small pot, whisk together the water and cornstarch. Now stir in all the remaining ingredients. Put over medium-high heat and whisk while it cooks. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the dipping sauce thickens. Serve hot with strips of buttered toast and a crack of pepper.

To make the fried egg:

1. When preparing the Vegan Egg Yolk you can add 1 – 2 teaspoons more cornstarch if you want the yolk to be thicker.
2. Turn the block of tofu on its side and cut into 4 – 6 thin slices. Use the tip of your knife to cut off the corners of the tofu making it a rough circle. You could alternatively use a round cookie cutter, or just leave it as a rectangle.
3. Melt the vegan butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add in the tofu slices in a single layer (you may have to work in batches). Fry the tofu a couple of minutes per side until lightly browned around the edges, flip and repeat on the other side.
4. Once the tofu slices are cooked, remove from pan and place directly onto plates or serving dishes. Use a small round cookie cutter, a shot glass, or the tip of your knife to cut a small circle in the middle of the fried tofu slices. Serve the slices on a plate and fill the holes with the Vegan Egg Yolk. Garnish with salt and pepper as desired. You can serve any leftover dipping sauce in a small dish on the side.

Notes: To make the egg yolk oil-free you can either simply omit the oil, or you can replace it with aquafaba. Both ways work well. To make the fried egg oil-free omit the vegan butter and instead fry your tofu in a very good non-stick pan. You can use a small splash of water or vegetable broth if needed.

If you wish to reduce the salt, feel free to add salt to taste.

Vegan Egg Salad Sandwich

Serves: 4

Only 10 minutes to make and it tastes just like eggs! Perfect for a quick lunch. Make this salad ahead of time for meal prep. Tasting this sandwich is like the ultimate throwback to my “before vegan” days. It reminds me of being a kid and enjoying lunch with my Grandma on a summer day. Isn’t it nice that we can recreate those taste memories?

Ingredients

• 1 block (454g) medium-firm tofu, drained and patted dry
• 6 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise (or sub vegan plain yogurt for oil-free)
• 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 2 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon black salt
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• salt and pepper to taste (optional)

To make sandwiches:

• 8 slices bread (gluten-free if preferred)
• 4 lettuce leaves
• Any other veggies you like

Instructions

1. Chop the tofu into small cubes.
2. Add to a large bowl along with the vegan mayonnaise, nutritional yeast, yellow mustard, green onions, black salt, and turmeric. Gently mix. If desired add table salt and pepper to taste.
3. Toast the bread if desired. Layer 4 slices of bread with a lettuce leaf and then follow with a generous serving of the vegan egg salad. Top with the remaining slices of bread and serve.

Notes:

Vegan egg salad can be made ahead of time and stored covered in the fridge for 2 – 3 days. If it looks watery, just give it a gentle stir to reincorporate.

Tofu Scramble Spice Mix – Tastes Like Eggs!

Servings: 4

Just 5 ingredients to make your own homemade spice mix that will make your tofu taste like eggs! Make ahead and have it ready to go so breakfast will be ready in a jiffy!

Ingredients

For the tofu seasoning powder:

• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 4 teaspoons black salt
• 3 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric

To use the tofu seasoning powder:

• 1 tablespoon vegan butter or oil (skip for oil-free)
• 1 block medium-firm, firm, or extra-firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons tofu seasoning powder (recipe above)

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients into a sealable jar and shake well or stir to combine. Store in your pantry until ready to use.
2. Add vegan butter or oil to a medium skillet and heat. When hot, add your tofu of choice. Medium-firm tofu will result in a creamy and tender scramble, firm tofu will be a bit less tender, and extra-firm tofu is perfect for a drier scramble. Crumble the tofu of choice into the skillet and sprinkle 2 tablespoonsof the tofu seasoning mix over the tofu. Stir to evenly distribute the spice and heat through.