Vegan “Egg” Salad with Tofu and Chickpeas (Protein Packed!)

This Vegan "Egg" Salad with Tofu and Chickpeas is a crowd-pleaser that everyone in the family can enjoy—from plant-based enthusiasts to meat lovers and even picky eaters. It’s creamy, tangy, and has the perfect crunch thanks to fresh celery and red peppers. Best of all, it's incredibly easy to make—no egg boiling required! It’s an ideal make-ahead dish to have on hand throughout the week and makes a great lunchbox option for kids.

In our house, I make it for my husband with vegan mayo, which gives it that classic egg salad taste and texture he loves. (He even shared it with a friend who was convinced it was made with real eggs—and he couldn't get enough!) Since I’m not big on mayo, I like to swap it out with smashed avocado instead—details on that below. This salad is also wonderfully versatile: enjoy it as a sandwich on whole grain bread, wrap it in collard greens, or serve it as a dip with crackers or veggies.

However you decide to enjoy it, one thing’s for sure—you’ll love how easy it is to make and the wholesome nutrition it delivers.

Nutritional Benefits of this Eggless Salad

This creamy, satisfying salad isn’t just delicious—it’s also packed with nutrition! Each serving delivers 13 grams of plant-based protein (26 grams when you add two slices of whole grain bread), 5 grams of fiber (15 grams with whole grain bread!), and nearly 2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids, making it a heart-healthy and satiating option for lunch or a snack. It’s an excellent source of several essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, copper, manganese, and selenium. Plus, it provides a good amount of iron, magnesium, folate, and zinc to help support mood, energy, immunity, and overall well-being. Whether you're enjoying it in a sandwich, wrap, or on its own, this eggless salad is a nutrient-dense addition to your plant-based rotation.

Vegan “Egg” Salad with Tofu and Chickpeas Recipe

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 0

Vegan “Egg” Salad with Tofu and Chickpeas Ingredients

Tofu and Chickpea Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chickpeas (1 15-ounce can, drained = 1 1/2 cups)
7–8 ounces firm or extra firm tofu, drained* (see below)
2 celery stalks, diced (approximately 1 cup)
1/2 cup seeded and diced red pepper (approximately 1/2 cup)
2 green onions, sliced

*Most blocks of tofu are 14–16 ounces. You'll need half a block of firm or extra firm tofu for this recipe. Save the other half in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Drain the tofu by draining the water out of the package then gently squeezing the half block with two hands over the sink 3–4 times to release much of the water. There's no need to worry about removing every drop of water. Simply drain it enough to prevent the tofu's water content from diluting your dressing ingredients.

Dressing Ingredients

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsps vegan mayo (We enjoy Vegenaise by Follow Your Heart)
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp red wine or apple cider vinegar
1 tsp onion granules (or onion powder)
3/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 - 1/2 tsp kala namak salt** or other type of salt
fresh ground black pepper

**Kala namak, a dusky pink-gray salt, derives its name from the Hindi words "kala" (black) and "namak" (salt), which is why you may hear it called black salt. It mainly consists of sodium chloride with trace minerals like iron sulfide, sodium sulfate, and hydrogen sulfide, giving it a pungent, sulfurous, slightly salty, "egg-like" flavor. Its unique taste makes it popular in vegan cooking, especially for mimicking eggs in tofu scrambles and other dishes. Find it at Walmart, Amazon, Target, Whole Foods, and speciality grocery stores.

Optional Ingredients

2–4 Tbsps fresh herbs, like dill or parsley
2 Tbsps diced jalapeño for spice

Vegan “Egg” Salad with Tofu and Chickpeas Directions

Prepare your eggless salad ingredients: Add the chickpeas to a large bowl. With a potato masher or fork, mash about half of the chickpeas.
With clean hands, crumble the tofu into the bowl with the chickpeas.
Add the celery, pepper, and green onions. Toss to combine.
Make your dressing: Add the vegan mayo, dijon mustard, vinegar, onion granules, turmeric, and 1/4 teaspoon of kala namak to a medium-size bowl. Whisk together to combine.
Pour dressing over top of the salad ingredients and toss to combine ingredients with the dressing.
Add fresh ground black pepper and more kala namak to taste, as well as other optional ingredients, like fresh herbs of your choice (we didn't have dill on hand, otherwise we would have used it!) or diced jalapeño for spice.

Ways to serve Vegan “Egg” Salad with Tofu and Chickpeas

There are many ways to enjoy this salad. Here are a few ideas:

Serve solo in a bowl.
Add a scoop to a fresh greens salad.
Serve in lettuce wraps, like collard greens or Romaine leaves.
Make a Vegan "Egg" Salad Sandwich with whole grain bread, lettuce, tomato and any other sandwich fixings you love.
Use it as a dip with crackers as a part of a vegan charcuterie or cheese board.

Tips for altering ingredients in Vegan “Egg” Salad with Tofu and Chickpeas

If you are monitoring sodium intake, use only 1/4 teaspoon kala namak or omit it completely.
Use iodized or kosher salt in place of kala namak (it just won't have that "egg-y" flavor).
Vegan mayo is a good substitute for traditional mayo as it lacks cholesterol and may have less saturated fat, though it's still high in fat. To lower fat content, reduce the mayo by 2–4 tablespoons. You'll also want to reduce the vinegar to 2 teaspoons, and dijon to 1 tablespoon.
For oil-free (there's oil in the mayo), use mashed avocado in place of vegan mayo.
Substitute green, yellow, or orange bell pepper for red bell pepper.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving without the bread (4 servings total):

364 calories, 13 grams protein, 18 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 28 grams fat, 1.9 grams omega-3's, 2.3 grams saturated fat, 650 mg sodium

Good source of iron, magnesium, folate, zinc

Excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, copper, manganese, selenium

Using whole grain bread, boosts protein content to 23 grams total and total fiber content to 15 grams total.

Have you tried this recipe? Please share your experience!