Easy Vegan Eggless Salad 🌱 An easy & delicious plant-based version of a classic favorite dish made with tofu, crispy celery, pickles & fresh dill tossed in the tastiest dressing. You won't believe it's egg-free!
Being vegan doesn't mean you can't still enjoy traditional family recipes. By replacing animal products with plant-based ingredients, it's easy to update many of your favorite dishes. A perfect example is this simply delish 100% vegan version of egg salad made with tofu, crispy celery, fresh dill and dill pickles, vegan mayo, black salt, turmeric and a dash of pepper & paprika
A few years ago, John and I were invited to a potluck pool party and I wanted to bring something I knew everyone would enjoy. Being the only vegans in the group, I decided to create a plant-based dish that was appealing, delicious and unexpected. So I made this easy vegan eggless salad served with french bread and cucumber slices. While I was at it, I added a few spoonfuls to a batch of my scrumptious vegan old fashioned potato salad. It was perfection! Both salads were huge hits, every bite was devoured (with no leftovers) that's for sure.
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The main ingredient in this recipe is tofu. If you haven't used tofu before, this recipe post will provide you with everything you need to know to get started! I suggest reading it all the way through so you don't miss any helpful tips. You might also like to watch my video where I demonstrate how to make this easy vegan eggless salad.
Why you will love this recipe
- It tastes just like egg salad!
- 100% vegan - no chickens were harmed!
- Quick & easy to make
- It's amazing added to my old-fashioned vegan potato salad
- Everyone will enjoy it - vegans and non-vegans alike!
- Perfect for potlucks, picnics, & tea parties!
🌱 Tofu Tip
How to choose the right tofu for vegan egg salad
Here’s how. One of the first things you should know is tofu comes in different firmnesses: Silken (for puddings, desserts, and sauces), soft (desserts, dips), medium/firm (scramble, eggless egg salad), and extra firm (braised tofu, strips, sandwiches, barbecue, skewers). The texture and levels of firmness may vary depending on the brands you buy. I suggest trying a few different brands and finding the ones that work best for your particular recipes. For this easy vegan eggless egg salad recipe, you will want to use medium/firm.
This salad is SO EASY to make! Since it doesn't require any cooking on the stove, you can throw this together in about 20 minutes or less! It's the perfect recipe to use when you need to whip up something for unexpected guests or if you're in the mood for a super tasty & satisfying quick bite. With just a few ingredients and a few minutes - VOILA! You've got a delish & nutrish dish to enjoy!
🥕 See the printable recipe below for quantities & complete details
Ingredient Notes
Here are your ingredients:
- Tofu - medium or medium-firm
- Celery
- Dill pickle - whole pickles or dill pickle relish
- Fresh dill
- Vegan mayo - your choice
- Mustard - yellow, ballpark style
- Turmeric - adds flavor and a nice yellow color to the salad
- Himalayan Black Salt - (aka Kala Namak) adds the 'eggy' flavor
- Paprika - I prefer sweet (not smoked) paprika in this dish
- Black pepper - freshly ground is best but not essential
🌱 Spicy Secrets
Two key ingredients in this recipe that you will definitely want to use are Turmeric and Himalayan Black Salt (Kala Namak). Turmeric provides a natural yellow tint, just like traditional egg salad. Kala Namak adds an eggy flavor to the salad. It's amazing stuff. (See more in the FAQ's below). A little bit goes a long way, so only use the amount indicated in the recipe. If you want your salad to taste saltier, just add a sprinkle of table salt.
Instructions
First things first.
Remove the water from the tofu. Most tofu is packed in water. When you are ready to prepare your tofu, you will need to drain off all of the water and press any excess liquid out of the tofu, as it will help the tofu absorb the flavor of the dressing and will keep the salad from being watery. The simplest and fastest way is by using a tofu press, but you can also sandwich the tofu between two cutting boards (I suggest first slicing the block of tofu into 1″- 2″ thick slabs) and then press down firmly, or, place heavy cans or books on top and let it sit for 10-15 minutes (on a slight slant so the liquid drains into a bowl or sink).
A tofu press is a good friend in the kitchen!
🌱 Serving Suggestions
Vegan eggless salad is one of those dishes you can enjoy all on its own or in a sandwich for a casual lunch. You can also dress it up for a tea party with cucumber slices and small toasted baguette rounds. A sprig of fresh dill and a sprinkle of paprika on top adds a little extra color & pizzazz! I use this eggless salad as an ingredient in my old fashioned vegan potato salad. I also love serving it with vegan macaroni salad - it's my mom's recipe, so of course it's marvelous!
🌱 FAQ's
What is tofu?
Tofu, also known as bean curd, is a nutrient-rich food created from soy milk that has been heated and coagulated. The soy milk curds are pressed and formed into blocks. Much like traditional cheesemaking. The word “tofu”comes from the Japanese term for bean + curdled or fermented. Tofu is very mild in taste but it readily absorbs the flavors of seasonings and marinades. It is often served as a plant-based meat or egg replacement. According to Wikipedia, tofu first originated in China more than 2,000 years ago. Today, it is a staple in many Asian countries including Vietnam, Thailand, and Korea.
Is tofu good for you?
Yes! There is good reason why tofu is so popular with vegans and vegetarians. Not only is it perfect for preparing delicious dishes, it is also super nutritious! Low in calories, high in protein and iron, tofu contains all 9 essential amino acids, as well as calcium and magnesium.
Is tofu gluten-free?
Plain tofu is usually gluten-free, but some seasoned tofu products may contain gluten or have been processed with shared equipment. If you have gluten allergies, be sure to purchase only certified gluten-free tofu.
Is it hard to cook with tofu?
It’s easy! Sometimes people are at first intimidated by tofu because they don’t know what to do with it or are worried they’ll prepare it incorrectly. Here’s a little tip: Tofu is very forgiving. You can add almost anything you want to it and it will turn out tasty! It’s hard to undercook or overcook. In fact, you don’t have to cook it all for some recipes, like this vegan eggless egg salad. Tofu itself is very subtle in flavor and is perfectly suited for marinades and seasonings, as it absorbs and takes on the flavors of whatever you prepare it with. Once you learn the basics about preparing tofu, it will quickly become one of your favorite ingredients to use.
What is Kala Namak?
Himalayan Black salt (Kala Namak) is a kiln-fired rock salt mined in the Himalayan region. It imparts an “eggy” flavor in recipes, due to its natural sulfur content. Kala Namak is not actually black in color, instead it ranges from a mauve-grey to a muted pinkish hue. Don’t confuse it with Himalayan Pink salt, which is a pale pastel pink. I use Kala Namak in my popular Easy Vegan Tofu Scramble recipe.
How to store vegan eggless salad?
Keep this salad refrigerated in a covered airtight container up to three days. I find it is best enjoyed within 1-2 days, while the celery is crispy. I don't recommend freezing it, as it will alter the texture of the tofu and the celery.
🥕Learn more tips about this recipe by watching my video
🌱 Tofu Fun Fact
Did you know? The brilliant polymath, inventor, publisher, writer, postmaster, diplomat, and Founding Father – Benjamin Franklin, became an ethical vegetarian at the age of sixteen. He was also the first American known to mention tofu, according to a letter he wrote in 1770, where he referred to it as “cheese from China”. In fact, according to this article, he may be responsible for bringing tofu to America! Thanks Ben!
very vegan 🌱 very good
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If enjoyed this recipe, please rate it in the comments below.
Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Easy Vegan Eggless Salad
Equipment
- large bowl
- fork
- spatula or spoon for stirring
Ingredients
- 14 oz tofu medium-firm, one package, drained
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill minced
- ⅓ C mayo vegan
- 3 tablespoon dill pickle relish
- ½ teaspoon Himalayan Black Salt
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon paprika save a pinch for garnish
- 1 teaspoon mustard yellow ballpark style
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Thoroughly drain tofu as described in blog post.
- After your tofu is drained, place it into a mixing bowl and break into small pieces with a fork.
- Add chopped celery and dill.
- In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, combine mayo, dill pickle relish, Himalayan black salt, turmeric, paprika, mustard, pepper to make dressing.
- Pour onto tofu and mix well.
- Sprinkle remaining paprika over top and garnish with a sprig of dill.
- Refrigerate and serve. Simply delicious!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Natalie Alarcon
Today we made both your egg salad and the potato salad and its the BEST we EVER had. We live in France right next to Germany (where we lived many years as well) where potato salad is huge but yours wins the prize! Highly recommended!!
Connie Edwards McGaughy
Hi Natalie! I'm so glad you decided to make both salads & am delighted that you love them like I do! Thanks so much for letting me know!💚🥕
Michelle Rulmont
Delicious! Very easy and tastes just like egg salad. We used firm tofu because that is all the store had and it was perfect! This will be in my regular menu rotation!
Connie Edwards McGaughy
Yay Michelle! So glad you enjoyed it!🥕