Vegan “Eggs” Benedict
Vegan “Eggs” Benedict is my take on a classic brunch recipe. Find out how to make it plant based below.
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What is Eggs Benedict?
Eggs Benedict was one of my favourite dishes to order at brunch before I became vegan. It’s made up of a toasted English muffin that has topped with sliced ham or bacon, poached eggs and then covered with hollandaise sauce.
It’s very similar to Eggs Florentine which swaps the ham/bacon for spinach.
There are a number of different origin stories. I don’t know which is true. All I know is that it’s a decadent way to start the day! Not only is the egg yolk and the hollandaise sauce a rich combination, the toasted English muffin and the bacon make this one filling dish.
How to make Vegan “Eggs” Benedict
There are 3 key components in Eggs Benedict that aren’t vegan:
- Poached eggs
- Bacon
- Hollandaise sauce
Depending on where you buy your English Muffins you may also have to check that they haven’t been made with milk or butter.
Plant based alternatives for ham and bacon
The first thing you will stack on to your muffin are slices of plant based ham or bacon.
Their are lots of different vegan ham and bacon products on the market and for this recipe I like to use either Quorn ham or This Isn’t Bacon Rashers. I fry them lightly before laying them on top of my toasted muffin. I do’t want them too crispy, just hot! The reason I prefer to use processed fake meats for this recipe is because it’s a breakfast/brunch recipe and there is only so much cooking I want to do right after I’ve woken up.
You could, of course, make your own plant based bacon. My carrot bacon would be perfect for this recipe!
Plant based alternatives to eggs
I have written about vegan egg substitutes at length in my big guide to vegan baking. But, for this recipe we want a substitute that will work as savoury not sweet.
The texture of a poached egg is very difficult to mimic. So, for my vegan version I’ve focused more on using an ingredient that brings lots of flavour! It’s also a great way to make this dish full of protein and really filling. That ingredient is smoked tofu!
I cut the smoked semi-firm tofu into a round shape so that it stacks perfectly on top of the muffin and bacon. I then fry it until it’s crispy on the outside but still soft in the middle.
I’ve also made this dish by using Crack’d which is a very realistic vegan egg replacer. When you whisk it up and fry it its very similar to scrambled eggs. Why not give that a try and see which you prefer?
Plant based hollandaise sauce
So you’ve toasted your muffin, stacked on your plant based bacon and your smoked tofu. Next, you need to drizzle it with hollandaise sauce!
Hollandaise sauce is one of the French “mother sauces” and made from butter and egg yolks. The good news is you can either make your own using this simple vegan hollandaise recipe, or buying ready made from a brand like Inspired Vegan.
Whether you choose to make your own or use a store bought version, drizzle it over the top of your muffins and enjoy!
The recipe
Vegan “Eggs” Benedict
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 400 grams smoked tofu
- 8 rashers vegan bacon
- 2 English Muffins
- 2 tbsp non-dairy butter
- 4 tbsp vegan hollandaise
- 1 tbsp chives finely chopped
Instructions
- Begin by adding the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium high heat.
- Cut the tofu into four round slices and place into the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes on either side until crispy then place in an oven on low to keep warm.
- In the meantime, add the bacon rashers to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on either side until crispy.
- While the bacon cooks, cut each English muffin in half and toast until golden brown.
- Spread with the non-dairy butter and then begin to assemble by adding 2 rashers to each muffin half, a slice of smoked tofu, the vegan hollandaise and then finally the chives.
- Serve while still hot.
Nutrition
More breakfast and brunch recipes
For the full range of recipes check out the breakfast recipe archive.
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