Vegan Breakfast Sandwich

On the weekends, I like to indulge in a sweet breakfast treat, like pancakes, French toast, glazed donuts, blueberry muffins, or cinnamon rolls. But most days, I prefer to start my day with a savory meal that packs in plenty of protein and vitamins to keep me going all morning long. And it has to be easy to make, too.

Enter this delicious vegan breakfast sandwich. Even without pressing the tofu and with just a quick coating of the marinade, this sandwich has a ton of flavor. It's made with soy sauce and Dijon mustard, plus a little bit of egg-like taste from nutritional yeast and black salt (kala namak). It's so good that it's been my breakfast nearly every day since I've developed this recipe.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

What kind of tofu should I use? Where can I find black salt? If you have any questions about the ingredients in this recipe or what you can use instead, this is the section for you. If you don't see the answer to your question here, please leave me a comment and I'll respond as soon as I can!

extra-firm tofu: I prefer to use a smaller block of tofu (12 oz. or 350 g.) so I don't have to trim it down to fit the English muffins. The most important thing to look for is a tofu that won't crumble when you slice it. Brands of tofu can vary a lot, even when they're labeled extra-firm. House Foods brand extra-firm tofu has a reputation for holding together well, but if you can't find this brand, you may need to try a few until you find one you like.

vegan cheddar slices: You can use any vegan cheddar slices that you like here (or skip them), but I recommend Daiya cheddar slices if you can get them. They've reformulated their cheeses recently, and they won our vegan cheese slice taste test unanimously.

English muffins: I used my homemade English muffins for this recipe, but you can also choose a store-bought muffin like 365 Brand (just check to make sure it's vegan, because many brands aren't). You can also use plain toast, a bagel, a vegan croissant, a gluten-free English muffin, or any other bread you like.

almond milk: You can use any non-dairy milk here that's plain and unsweetened, including almond, soy, oat, or cashew.

nutritional yeast: This is critical for adding some eggy flavor to the marinade. Using fortified nutritional yeast (most grocery store brands are fortified) will give you extra B12 vitamins as well.

low-sodium soy sauce: If you're gluten-free, be sure to swap this for a gluten-free alternative like tamari or coconut aminos.

turmeric: This gives the tofu its yellow color, and it also contains lots of curcumin, which is associated with anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and antioxidant effects.

black salt (kala namak): Black salt is available in the Asian/South Asian section of some grocery stores, or you can buy it online. While this ingredient is optional, it does add a sulfurous flavor that resembles eggs.

onion powder, garlic powder, and salt: Seasonings that add savory flavor to the marinade.

More Topping and Sandwich Layer Ideas

This vegan breakfast sandwich is totally flexible, and you can add or swap any layers or toppings you like! Here are some other ingredients you might want to use instead or in addition:

• vegan cream cheese

• vegan mayo

• hot sauce

• vegan breakfast sausage patty

• vegan bacon

• spinach or other greens

Make Ahead and Storage

To save time in the morning, I prefer to prepare the marinade and soak the tofu slices the night before. This way, I just have to cook the tofu and prepare the sandwich in the morning. If you're only cooking for yourself, you can just cook one tofu slice and keep the extra slices marinating for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, using them one at a time.

Although I prefer this sandwich freshly cooked, you can also prepare the whole sandwich in advance (skip the avocado and tomato) and reheat it in the microwave, oven, or an air fryer. Wrap the sandwiches individually in parchment paper, then place them in a storage bag in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I reduce the sodium in this recipe? If you're watching your sodium intake, there are a few ways to reduce the sodium in this tofu breakfast sandwich. The homemade English muffins have about 442 mg of sodium per muffin, so you can use less salt if you're making them at home. You could also choose a lower-sodium option like Whole Foods' 365 brand English muffins, which have 230 mg of sodium per muffin. Skipping the black salt (kala namak) will reduce the egg-like flavor, but it will also save you 191 mg of sodium. And skipping the vegan cheddar slice will save about 170 mg of sodium as well. You can also leave the salt out of the marinade, which will reduce the sodium by about 80 mg.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Sure! You'll need to use gluten-free English muffins (or other gluten-free bread), plus swap out the soy sauce for coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari.

Can I make this sandwich less messy for eating on the go? Yes! I wrap up my sandwich in a parchment paper wrapper and fold up the back end several times to catch anything that drips. It makes eating much easier and cleaner.

Do I need to press the tofu? No! This recipe tastes great without pressing, however you can press the tofu if you want to. Pressing the tofu will result in a drier, denser texture, instead of the soft and fluffy texture that results from gently squeezing the water out.