What Are The Best Scrambled Egg Alternatives For A Vegan Breakfast?

For the vegans of yesteryear, plant-based breakfast options were fairly limited. While there's nothing wrong with apple cinnamon slow-cooker oatmeal, nutty granola doused in soy milk, or avocado toast sprinkled with pumpkin seeds, these offerings can seem a bit lackluster compared to non-vegan options, like savory egg dishes.

Fortunately, the digital age and the popularization of vegan eating habits fostered an explosion of plant-based breakfast options at the grocery store and at trendy brunch spots, including jackfruit sausage, creamy vegan butter, and smokey soy bacon. Egg substitutes, in particular, have seen a lot of innovation over the years. From tofu — a tried and true vegan scramble classic — to the beloved Just Egg vegan replacement, there's an option almost everyone can enjoy.

Many of these options are also free of common food allergens — if you're allergic to soy, for instance, you can go beyond tofu and opt for chickpea flour. If legumes are a no-go, a commercial replacements might suit your needs. Commercial brands too expensive? No problem — rice flour is easy and inexpensive to make at home. Plus, most of these options are versatile enough to make scrambles, omelets, frittatas, breakfast tacos, and more. Each also mimics the texture of eggs with its own unique flavor profile.

Tofu is the top recommendation because it's a staple of the vegan diet. Not only is it incredibly versatile (protein-packed spaghetti sauce, anyone?), its mild flavor makes it the perfect base for an array of both sweet and savory dishes — including vegan scrambles and frittatas. There's no limit on the flavors you can add to a tofu-based breakfast dish, from classic flavor profiles like soy bacon and cashew cheddar to a Denver-style omelet that includes bell peppers, onions, and nutritional yeast to give it a cheesy kick.

Since tofu has a different texture from eggs, you'll need to blend it with a little cornstarch or rice flour and a splash of plant-based milk to create a batter that mimics the firm, chewy texture of real eggs when it's heated. You can also add your seasonings when blending to help them bloom and intensify their flavor.

If you're looking for an inexpensive, shelf-stable egg substitute, chickpea flour checks all the boxes. It's typically cheaper by volume than tofu, doesn't require refrigeration, is jam-packed with protein, and pairs well with a variety of different flavors. Chickpeas are also rich in folate, which helps power your brain, keeps you full ,and helps you stay alert — a winning combo that makes them an excellent choice for breakfast.

Chickpea flour also has a naturally nutty savoriness that closely resembles the taste of regular chicken eggs, especially when combined with nutritional yeast for a "cheesy" undertone. With little more than chickpea flour, water, and any seasonings you'd like (especially spicy ones), you can make a batter that cooks into a beautiful vegan omelet base. It's lightly crisped on the outside, pliable inside, and strong enough to hold your favorite mix of sauteed veggies.

The tastiest, simplest, and most convincing vegan egg substitute may be the split and husked version of mung beans, moong dal. Native to India, it's used in a variety of dishes throughout Asia, most commonly soups and porridges. With its natural ochre color when husked and split, you have something as close to non-vegan eggs as you're going to get.

Mung beans are also similar in nutritional content to eggs, especially when combined with rich, fatty coconut milk to create a yellow batter. Once in the pan, you can cook these "eggs" into a round for omelets or give them a scramble to serve alongside seasoned potatoes. Just be sure to use split mung beans, as whole mung beans still have the tough outer husk, which won't make a smooth batter.

When it comes to nutritious and deeply delicious vegan breakfast options, the Indian subcontinent has the best choices on lock. Red lentils are softer and break down faster than other varieties, creating a brightly colored paste that becomes a beautifully smooth, velvety vegan egg batter with the addition of non-dairy milk and some rice flour. If you're normally not a fan of lentils due to their bitter aftertaste, don't worry — red lentils are sweeter and more subtly flavored than their yellow and green cousins.

While this option won't scramble as well as moong dal or tofu, it's a delicious and sturdy choice for vegan omelets. They also work well for portable "egg" muffins if you frequently eat breakfast on the go and prefer make-ahead meals. When making your batter, remember the baking powder — it's necessary to provide an airy texture.

If convenience foods are a requirement for your busy lifestyle, there are plenty of store-bought vegan egg replacers to choose from. As mentioned, Just Egg is popular in home pantries and restaurants. Their mung bean–based formula reportedly cooks up almost exactly like the real thing, though some say they need to be seasoned pretty aggressively.

Orgran Easy Egg Mix also has pretty good reviews praising its chickpea-forward flavor, though its texture may be too soft to make a classic omelet. Instead, try it as a quick hash over frozen breakfast potatoes and garnished with sauteed mushrooms. If you're a tofu scramble purist, Hodo All-Day Egg Scramble may be the perfect option. Reviewers say it's not a convincing egg substitute taste-wise, but it's flavorful and protein rich — characteristics present in most egg-based breakfast dishes.

This may not be a holistic vegan egg substitute, but the combination of turmeric and black salt maybe what you need to take your vegan eggs to the next level. Turmeric adds a tiny kick of spicy flavor but is mainly used in this case to give your mix a convincing color. A pinch is all you need to achieve that classic, pale yellow hue. Just be careful when using it, as it's notorious for staining skin and clothes.

Black salt, also called kala namak, is the real star when it comes to flavor. This South Asian rock salt features a slightly sulfurous undertone shared by real eggs. If your goal is to make a plant-based "egg" dish that'll please your meat-loving friends, a tiny pinch of kala namak will add that signature eggy flavor.