Easter Eggless Egg Salad

IMG_6559 copy

Egg salad has never been one of my favorite foods. Poorly made, it can be alternately mushy from too much mayo or mashing or crumbly from hard-boiled egg yolks (which you couldn’t get me to touch as a kid. Seriously, what other food had that texture?) Egg “salad” was made worse when sandwiched between two soggy slices of white bread. I remember watching other kids pull the inevitable mess out of their lunchboxes and thanking the cafeteria gods that it didn’t belong to me. I’d rather enjoy a good ol’ fashioned PB&J or turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato, thank you very much.

IMG_6560

Since then, I’ve chowed down on egg salad a few times, but remain unconvinced as to its culinary merits. So, when I came across a recipe for “egg” salad made with tofu and herbs, I knew I had to try it. So I did … and was bowled over. Firm tofu, fresh herbs, and a delicious sauce? I think of it as the “egg” salad that’s better than egg salad.

I’ve made this dish many times since that first attempt, experimenting each time with different combinations of herbs and spices. The version below is my favorite.  I’ve made it both with regular mayonnaise for a not-truly-eggless version and vegan mayo for an eggless version. For those who cannot or choose not to have eggs, the vegan version is perfect for Easter.

IMG_6564

Enjoyed with hericots verts, cherry tomatoes, and a toasted whole grain roll:

IMG_6584

The Incredible Eggless Egg Salad

  Prep Time: 10 minutes

  Keywords: vegan dairy-free vegetarian tofu Easter

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup soy or other vegan mayonnaise (use half nonfat yogurt in place of mayo for a lighter dish)
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh parsley and dill
  • 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 lb. extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch cubes

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix together mayo, mustard, turmeric, cayenne pepper, herbs and sugar (optional). Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix in cubed tofu gently. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve over salad or with crusty bread.

Powered by Recipage

Bonus pic! I made this eggless egg salad for a recent sample at Strawberry Fields. Some customers approached the table with skepticism (“Eggless? Are you sure?”), but most were won over with one bite. This salad was even one customer’s first experience with tofu! She pronounced it “not as bad as I thought. Pretty good, actually!”

tofu

9 Comments

  1. I love egg salad…bet this version would be tasty as well!

  2. I’m so mad right now, you know why?? I made a sample yesterday, to give out today at work, BUT I would have MUCH rather made this recipe, because extra firm tofu is our “Dietitian Picks” this week. Darn it. Hmmm…..maybe it’s not too late 🙂 I hope we’re extra busy so I can go through my first samples fast!

    1. I hope so, too 🙂 Although, I’m sure your first samples are delicious!

  3. I admit that tofu is not my go-to ingredient…however, I’ve had the chance to taste some surprising concoctions made with it. I get the feeling that your combo of ingredients would probably have me asking for seconds ;o)

    Happy Easter Jessie.

    Ciao for now,
    Claudia

  4. Sounds awesome!
    I’ve sometimes made an ‘egg’ salad with chickpeas which is pretty good too but I usually use regular mayo so it’s still not eggless.

    1. Mmm, that’s a really good idea 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *