The Best Vegan Eggs Benedict

The Vegan “Eggs”

1. Marinate the tofu eggs as long as you can in order to get the best flavour to permeate the tofu (overnight if possible). *Watch the video below for a clear demonstration on how to prepare these tofu "eggs"!
2. Medium firm tofu provides a texture most similar to egg whites but it is more delicate to work with than firm tofu. Drain any excess water from your package of tofu but don’t try and press water out of the tofu block because you risk breaking the tofu. You can pat the block dry if you wish.
3. Cutting parallel with the short side of the block of tofu, slice the block into 4 rectangles of even width. This will ensure you get 4 tofu “eggs”. I like to round off the edges of the rectangles to make more of a circular or oval shape. You can use a small glass or jar as a guide. *Keep the discarded tofu and use it for a tofu scramble the next morning with any leftover hollandaise sauce and bacon!
4. Make a few small cuts in the centre of the tofu “eggs” to help the marinade penetrate the centre. Don’t slice all the way to the bottom or through the sides of the egg. Think of it as cutting small air vents in the centre of the egg or scoring bread.
5. Carefully transfer the tofu “eggs” to a shallow dish with a lid. You will find that holding them from the straight side (not the rounded cut side) will be more stable.
6. Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and pour the marinade over the eggs. Try to guide the marinade into those slits you cut in the egg if possible. Carefully turn the eggs in the marinade a couple of times to fully coat them. Leave the eggs in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for as long as you can (preferably overnight).
7. *If you don’t have time to let the eggs marinate you can skip to pan frying them and just pour the marinade over the eggs in the pan. They just won’t be quite as flavourful.
8. Just before serving, heat a pan over medium low heat with a drizzle of oil or a bit of vegan butter. Transfer the tofu “eggs” to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until slightly browned on the bottom and heated through.

The Tempeh “Bacon”

1. I like to make square slices of tempeh bacon for the vegan eggs benedict so I start by cutting a rectangular piece from the tempeh that is about the width of my english muffins. I then slice that rectangle in half to create two squares. I then stand those tempeh squares on their side and cut 3 thinner squares. *You will only need 4 squares for the eggs benedict so don’t worry if any turn out thinner, you can choose the best 4.
2. Slice the remaining tempeh into long thin slices and these you can serve on the side. *See photos in the blog post for reference.
3. Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl and turn the tempeh slices in the marinade. Allow the tempeh to rest in the marinade for at least 15 minutes but it can marinate for however long you marinate the tofu “eggs” and the flavour will be even stronger.
4. When ready to serve, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the tempeh from the marinade and bake for 20 minutes turning half way through (you can brush the tempeh with any reserved marinade halfway through the baking time). *Alternatively, you can pan fry the tempeh for a few minutes on each side.

The 10 Minute Vegan Hollandaise

1. Melt the vegan butter in a small saucepan over low heat until it just starts to sizzle.
2. Slowly whisk in the flour and fully combine with the melted butter. Allow the flour to cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Slowly add the plant milk ⅓ cup at a time. Whisk constantly to avoid any clumps in the flour and create a smooth sauce.
4. Stir in the remaining seasonings and cook on medium low until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir constantly and make sure you scrape down to the bottom and along the sides of the pot so the sauce doesn’t stick.
5. Once thickened, remove from the heat and keep warm until serving.
6. *Alternatively, make the sauce ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave before serving and add a bit more milk to thin the sauce again if it has thickened too much in the fridge.

To Serve

1. Slice and toast the english muffins. Spread vegan butter over the toasted muffins if desired.
2. Lay a square slice of tempeh bacon on top of a muffin.
3. Then add a tofu “egg” on top of the “bacon”.
4. Pour a generous amount of vegan hollandaise sauce over top and garnish with fresh chives.
5. Serve alongside my vegan home fries, fresh fruit, and/or a light salad.