If you have laid your hands on a copy of Fuss-Free Vegan cookbook, then you will know that I have dedicated an entire chapter to vegan breakfasts. Sometimes, as a vegan, a really hearty and satisfying breakfast can be hard to come by. Smoothies and granola just ain't gonna cut it some days. Good thing we can now make The Ultimate Vegan Breakfast Sandwich right in the comfort of our own homes. No need for brunch restaurant line-ups anymore!
...which is a good thing, because boy do you need multiple napkins for this one... and I'm not sure your waiter would bring you enough napkins. You might even want to take a shower after, as this epic vegan breakfast sandwich is so drip down your arms good, you're going to want to dive right on in.
Thick slices of smoky, marinated tofu on an English muffin with mashed avocado, a slice of ripe tomato, and a homemade 5-minute vegan egg yolk inspired sauce. The breakfast angels are singing!
Not only is this sandwich as epic as a vegan breakfast sandwich can get, but I love that the tofu gets more flavourful the longer it marinates. I just keep my tofu marinating in the fridge, so when morning hunger strikes, it's game on!
To make The Ultimate Vegan Breakfast Sandwich: mix the nutritional yeast, olive oil, soy sauce, water, liquid smoke, Sriracha, and garlic powder together in a large resealable bag or a small casserole dish. Add the tofu pieces and turn them to coat evenly. Let marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes but the longer the better.
I like to store my tofu covered the fridge so that I have marinated slices ready to go in the morning. They should keep for about 1 week.
When you are ready to cook the tofu, heat a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot add the tofu slices and any remaining marinade.
Cook for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown. The marinade will get sticky and brown, so just push it onto the tofu with a spatula as this will add even more flavour.
Make the Vegan Toast Dipping Sauce according to the directions.
To assemble the vegan breakfast sandwich, take ¼ of the mashed avocado and spread it on the bottom layer of an English muffin. Top the avocado with a slice of tofu, add 1 - 2 tomato slices, drizzle as much or as little Vegan Toast Dipping Sauce as you like, and then add the English muffin top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 4 sandwiches. Enjoy hot. I like serving the remaining Vegan Toast Dipping Sauce on the side for dipping (if there is any left).
The Ultimate Vegan Breakfast Sandwich
Ingredients
For the tofu:
- 1 block (350g) extra-firm tofu, *pressed for a minimum of 30 minutes, then cut into 4 slices
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha, or other hot sauce (optional)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
For the vegan breakfast sandwich:
- 4 English muffins, sliced in half and toasted (gluten-free if preferred)
- 1 avocado, mashed
- 1 large tomato, sliced
- 1 recipe Vegan Toast Dipping Sauce, hot
Instructions
- To prepare the tofu: mix the nutritional yeast, olive oil, soy sauce, water, liquid smoke, Sriracha, and garlic powder together in a large resealable bag or a small casserole dish. Add the tofu pieces and turn them to coat evenly. Let marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes but the longer the better. I like to store my tofu covered the fridge so that I have marinated slices ready to go in the morning. They should keep for about 1 week.
- When you are ready to cook the tofu, heat a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot add the tofu slices and any remaining marinade. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown. The marinade will get sticky and brown, so just push it onto the tofu with a spatula as this will add even more flavour.
- To prepare the vegan breakfast sandwich: take ¼ of the mashed avocado and spread it on the bottom layer of an English muffin. Top the avocado with a slice of tofu, add 1 - 2 tomato slices, drizzle as much or as little Vegan Toast Dipping Sauce as you like, and then add the English muffin top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 4 sandwiches. Enjoy hot. I like serving the remaining Vegan Toast Dipping Sauce on the side for dipping (if there is any left).
Notes
Nutrition
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Kels says
I made a few modifications to the marinade: I used only 1 tsp nutritional yeast (I'm sensitive to it), 1 tsp oil, added 1/2 tsp smoky paprika and 2 TBSP maple syrup. This takes it more to a smoky maple bacon flavor, vs eggy flavor (I think I got that combo from one of your other marinades!). I cut my tofu into 6 pieces, which are the right size for me. Then cooked it in my air fryer, because, yes. Air fry everything. Results were phenomenal. The air-fried marinated tofu is in my fridge and has been used for sandwiches, on top of salad, and with peanut sauce on noodles!
K says
Ughhh sooo good!! I make this at least a few times a month and the eggy sauce is something I cannot live without. It’s sooo delicious on tofu scramble as well. You are one of those food bloggers who I just trust completely. Like, if I’m making one of your recipes, I just know it’s going to be insanely delicious, no questions asked. Thanks so much for doing what you do!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you K! I love that! Honoured you trust my recipes so much 🙂
Michele says
We make this very often! Love this recipe. We leave the oil out of the sauce and it still turns out great.
Beata says
What a way to celebrate Easter! Wanted to make something special. We are not vegans or vegetarians but I love to experiment and I haven't had a breakfast sandwich (vegan or not) in probably forever! I used the super firm sprouted tofu (did not press), cut it into more or less English muffin sized slices and marinated for at least 5 days in the fridge. I like to make a lot of marinade so that all the tofu slices were completely submerged in the marinade. Then this morning it was all a breeze. I actually preferred the avocado slices rather than mashed up avocado, but had to make sure, so I ate two sandwiches, lol. For the vegan egg yolk, I actually made my own vegan recipe inspired by several online posts from several different websites, including Sam's vegan yolk post. The sandwiched were nothing short of scrumptious!!! Totally going into the breakfast rotation. Thank you, Sam!!!
Sheila McEown says
This was our Boxing Day brunch. Non vegan husband had two! Seriously delicious, thank you!
Christina says
This is fantastic and easy to make! My husband loves it too!
When we used to eat eggs we loved having breakfast for dinner and this is a great alternative and very satisfying, especially with the vegan dipping sauce!
So this is a great sandwich for whatever meal you want to eat it for!
Thank you Sam!
Danny says
I cannot get enough of this recipe! So glad I found your site, I have now added quite a few of your recipes to my permanent recipe mix! The dipping sauce is amazing, and the tofu slices are so moist and flavorful. Yum, yum yum!
Mona says
Hi Sam,
I have tried several of your recipes and they are always incredible! This recipe sounds fantastic too, but I’m wondering if I can substitute tempeh for tofu. I’m not a tofu fan....
Court says
Wow! I made just the tofu patties to go with a vegan breakfast sausage and english muffin, and this tofu patty was the star of the show. Sooo many times I have marinated tofu and it is so lifeless but this tofu patty was exceptional! Really smelled slightly eggy but not in a bad way. Cooked exactly as you said to and it came out amazing. My vegetarian boyfriend loves it as well! This will be on heavy rotation for us for sure! Thanks so much.
Courtney R says
This was Soo good! I literally just made the tofu egg party and the dipping sauce and ate that. Sooo good!! There's so much flavor. Thanks for another great one!
Courtney R says
*patty
Although eating it was like a party haha
Melinda Stone says
Picky husband LOVED this! He is a reluctant vegan! We've found that it greatly reduces inflammation in our joints, and we feel 100% better on a daily basis. As parents of a 3 year old with both of us pushing 50, we'll take it!! ;D GREAT recipe!! Also love that I can do so much of it ahead of time!!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful!! Thrilled it was a hit, Melinda 🙂
Julia says
Oh my goodness, this is THE BEST!!! It’s really easy to make, just press and marinate the tofu the night before, then only the sauce to make the next morning! Thanks Sam for all your fantastic recipes, your awesome
Sam Turnbull says
Aww shucks, you're welcome, Julia 🙂
Melissa says
This recipe with the sauce is so on point. Worth it to find the black salt. We like to add vegan breakfast sausage for added protein. It's seriously the best.
We went to a restaurant and ordered something similar (hoping it was the same recipe), and it was so disappointing to not have that sauce.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you love it, Melissa!
Craig says
Surfng the net for some ideas as relatively new to the plany based diet and come across the ultimate breakfast muffin. Liked the look of it and the egg yolk substiute so thought i would buy the book.
Never really got on with tofu before but marinating it over night made all the difference.
The breakfast was a winner all round and the egg yolk sauce is incredible. I didn't think it would taste so good.
Just rustled up the chickpea sandwich for lunch.
Thanks Sam
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed!
Monique says
You are a genius! We all loved it. We had it for dinner on vegan biscuits. Next time I’ll make the dipping sauce but it was flavorful enough without it.
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome!!
Jessie says
I was hesitant about this breakfast sandwich recipe and the dipping sauce, but I think its my new favorite recipe!!! Delicious!! And so easy to make! My husband also loved it and he is neither vegan nor vegetarian!! Thank you!!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! Thrilled it was a hit 🙂
Tim Setterlund says
can these be assembled and then frozen? im the only vegan around here, so i would like to make a bunch and save for later
Sam Turnbull says
Tofu changes texture dramatically when frozen so I wouldn't recommend it. Instead, you can half the recipe. The tofu can marinate in the fridge for up to a week!
Rochelle says
Delicious!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!!
David Regan says
Hi, is it 415 calories per sandwich or for 4?
Thanks
Sam Turnbull says
Per sandwich. Enjoy!!
Jo says
We (okay, my husband) made this for supper tonight and it was soooo good. He had his on an English muffin, I had mine on an everything bagel -- I highly recommend the bagel approach, fyi!
Photo of this deliciousness in my site link if you're interested. 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing!! So happy you loved it so much, Jo 🙂
Ruth says
Hi Sam! I made this sammy for breakfast today and it is SOOOO GOOOOD! You described it perfectly, and your instructions are spot on! I'm not a huge fan of giant sandwiches that I can't wrap my dainty little mouth around.....LOL! How do you do it?
I think next time I'll cut the tofu into 6 or 8 portions. Last week's Vegan Toast Dipping Sauce heated up nicely in the microwave.
Would it work to cook all the tofu, then freeze, thaw and reheat when needed? It wasn't hot all the way through. I think it might reheat better in the microwave.
You're the Best!
Thank you.
Ruth
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha! I have a huge mouth, so maybe that's why I like large sandwiches. 🙂 The textue of tofu gets quite spongey when frozen so beware of that, otherwise, enjoy!
Roman Slajchert says
Hi!!!! I think this is so awesome and I can’t wait to make this next weekend and I love watching your videos with my mom! #CHOOK CHOOK!!! This is soooo cooool!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha!! Awesome! So glad you are a fan, Roman 🙂
Pat says
Oh my goodness, this is awesome! I substituted tahini for olive oil in the marinade and baked the tofu in the oven on convection setting, about 10 minutes per side at 375. Delicious!
Crystal says
I make this almost every weekend. You're a jem- thank you!!! 😀
Sam Turnbull says
Oh that's amazing! You're most welcome 🙂
Jillian says
Perfection!! We had this for dinner tonight and LOVED it. Thanks for another great one!
Sam Turnbull says
Oh that's so awesome, Jillian! So happy you loved them 🙂
Tiffany B. says
This is such a beautifuk, tastey breakfast/brunch sandwich. It is very filling and satisfying. If you have Not made this, you are seriously missing out. I get my black salt at the Asian market in a powdered form and it is a game changer!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful!!! So happy you love it so much, Tiffany 🙂
Michelle says
This sandwich is everything! I have been looking for a good breakfast sandwich since going vegan and I missed having gooey egg yolks. This sauce is so amazingly delicious and all of the elements of the sandwich go so well together. This will definitely be a new staple in my diet. Thank you!!!
Sam Turnbull says
That's so awesome!!! Thrilled you loved it so much, Michelle 🙂
Anastasia says
This was sooo delicious and soo simple to make!! The tofu was to die for. I can't wait to make more this weekend for brunch so excited!!
Sam Turnbull says
YAY! Thrilled you loved it so much, Anastasia 🙂
angela says
Just had to check in again, Sam...made this for my cousin when she visited last year. She's neither a vegan nor a particular fan of tofu, but she texted me yesterday and asked for "that amazing breakfast" again!
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo!! I love winning over the non-vegans. Great to hear!
Bridget says
How do you make your sauce so yellow? Is there some kind of black salt that isn't black?
My sauce looks like grey/green slop. Not yellow.
Did you modify the sauce in the photo, to make it look more appealing?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Bridget, no I didn't modify the photo. If you read the post for the Vegan Toast Dipping Sauce I explain that black salt (kala namak) is actually pink. If your black salt is black in colour than it is a different kind of salt, and probably doesn't have the key egg taste that kala namak does. You can see the kind of black salt I am referring to here. Hope that helps!
Lindsey says
To be honest we have never even made the sandwich, however, we love the tofu. My (formally picky) son learned that he loved tofu when he tried it. We eat it several times a week. The only improvement I have made is freezing and thawing the tofu. After pressing it soaks up almost all of the marinade very quickly. YUM!
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome!! So happy you love it so much, Lindsey 🙂
Vicki says
Where can I get your ingredient recommendation in Canada online? The links go to amazon.com which doesn't ship to Canadian addresses. For instance, the liquid smoke listed above - I definitely want this brand because it's 'pure' with no additives, but I could not find the same thing on 'amazon.ca'.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Vicki! This is the one I use. Althought I usually just buy it at my local grocery store. It can be found in the BBQ sauce section usually on the top shelf. Almost all liquid smoke is 100% natural (it's just the condensation collected from a fire). Enjoy!
angela says
Holy cow! This was delicious! I ate it again today, cold, and it was just as good. Didn't make the sauce- didn't have black salt- but I will. Put butter lettuce and sprouts on as well. Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful!! Thrilled you loved it so much, Angela. THanks for the comment 🙂
Kristeen says
Holy crap. The tofu tastes a lot like bacon. I think next time I’m going to press the hell out of it for 24 hours and prepare it like this recipe:
Thank you so much! My fiancé and I have been eating vegan banana bread for breakfast for the last three months and this is the first savory breakfast we’ve had. Awesome!
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome! So happy you enjoyed it Kristeen 🙂
Denise says
Heaven to Betsy! This is absolutely fabulous!! My husband said it was probably one of the best sandwiches he has had. The black salt was hard to find but is a must! A bit salty at first but then..wow!
I am new to your website and have tried a few recipes and have loved EVERY ONE OF THEM! They are so flavorful! Thank you!!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww yay!! So happy you are loving my recipes so much, Denise. Thank you for the lovely comment 😀
Leigh Vallejo says
I am having a hard time finding vegan english muffins. Do you have a brand you suggest?
Sam Turnbull says
The ones I have in my freezer currently are President Choice brand which is here in Canada, but you can always substitute with any bread of choice if you like. Enjoy!
kristin says
yummm! this looks insanely delicious.
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! I hope you enjoy it, kristin.
Kimberly says
As someone else has already said, THIS IS CRAZY GOOD!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha love it!!
Katherine says
I LOVE your blog!! and I LOVE your recipes! I"m so glad I stumbled upon your site!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!!!! I'm so glad that you stumbled upon my site too, Katherine!
Tom says
This sandwich is incredible! I wanted to eat all 4 but restrained myself. You have got the magic touch!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thanks so much, Tom 🙂
Joanne says
This is amazing!!! I love the marinade for the tofu! I love having blocks of marinated tofu handy to add to salads. And the eggy sauce is fantastic. A few days after I made the sandwich, I made the dip sauce again and added some lemon juice, capers, and pepper and poured it over some roasted Brussel sprouts, the marinated tofu, and rice.. One of the best things about your recipes is that you can often use it in some other form giving you so many options. Recently, I told a newly vegan convert that your site and book are a great way to expand your skills.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it so much, Joanne, and thank you for spreading the word about my site and book! 😀
Renee says
This was SO good... like crazy good.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Amazing 🙂
Marsha says
Sam, you beautiful genius, you! Thank you so much for this recipe. This breakfast sandwich is amazing! The tofu marinade crisps up so well in the pan and the "yolk" blew my mind! It's perfect!
Sam Turnbull says
Awww shucks, thank you, Marsha!! So happy you love it 🙂
Jen E says
This is pretty amazing! I love making these but never tried it with avocado and marinated tofu. Omg! It is so good! Everyone needs to try this!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha! Love it! So thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Jen 🙂
Brenda says
You have TOTALLY read my mind!! I ***SO*** miss those hearty breakfast sandwiches I used to get at various drive-thrus!!!
As SOON as I saw this I knew I had to make it. That dipping sauce is out of this world good!! I so loved a good runny egg yolk back in the day (we're talking 20 years ago now).
A couple alterations I made are that I used sourdough bread, and after assembling the ingredients, grilled it (like you do for grilled cheese sandwiches). And, being mid February, in lieu of a tomato slice, I used some "instant ranch dressing" (mayo and ketchup mixed together).
Just finished my sandwich, and my tummy and body and whole being are crazy happy!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww wonderful!! So happy you enjoyed it so much, Brenda!! I love when I read minds without even knowing it 😀
Stacy says
Wow! I saw the picture of this sandwich and knew this was going to be “breakfast for dinner!”’ Marinated the tofu overnight and cooked it in a cast iron skillet. The dipping sauce was super easy to make and the flavor was so creamy and smooth. I used coconut oil! This is a recipe that will be on my list of regulars. Thanks for sharing!
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo! Thrilled you loved it so much, Stacy! 😀
Laura says
Hi Sam, Am really excited about your book. I ordered it and should get it Thursday. Can't wait.
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! I hope you love it 🙂
Hazel says
Oh my goodness gracious! I can't even with this recipe! By far my favorite breakfast of all time. The tofu marinade is on point and that sauce is a perfect compliment! Thank you so much for sharing and planning my weekday breakfasts til the end of time 😀
Sam Turnbull says
Hahahaha! Love it! You're most welcome, Hazel. So happy you loved it so much 🙂
Bev says
Oh Mommy! (as you say, Sam.) I was going to make vegan tofu Benedict sandwiches this morning, then saw this post and switched gears. WOW! These breakfast sandwiches are quickly going to become our favorite breakfast! My husband keeps saying, "Man, that was good!" Since I had the spinach and it needed to be used, I put it in the hot tofu pan, softened it up, and put it on top of the avocado. I also made your potato pancakes topped with vegan sour cream... Oh Mommy!
Thanks for sharing your brilliance with the world!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha! Love it. So very happy you and your husband enjoyed the sandwiches so very much, Bev 🙂
Kathy says
YUM!!! Now I wish I didn't just make and eat a ton of waffles ... going to marinate some tofu right now!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! I hope you love it, Kathy 🙂
Maureen Cram says
You might want to edit this sentence:
The breakfast angles are singing! Pretty sure you meant angels :). Then feel free to delete this comment xxx.
Sam Turnbull says
Hahahaha! Whoops! Thanks, Maureen 🙂