Tofu "Egg" Salad

This is one of those things I've made before that I'll forget about for a year or two and then suddenly remember. Perfect for no-cook food in the hot summer! The tofu is a really good fake-out for hard-boiled eggs - this really does taste like egg salad. I'm not vegan, and used regular mayo, but have made it before with vegan mayo. Vegan mayo isn't particularly "healthy" either, but if you're watching your cholesterol, this is certainly a good alternative if you like egg salad.

Basically, just take your favorite egg salad "recipe" (I do not measure anything for stuff like this) and substitute drained/pressed tofu, adding some turmeric for a yellow color. You'll want to make sure the dressing is well-seasoned as tofu is bland on its own - and refrigerate it for at least a little while to let the flavors soak in. I added celery, green onions and grated carrots to mine.

Most recipes you'll see online will suggest medium-firm tofu for the best "egg" texture. My store only had one package of extra-firm left (which is what I usually use for stir fries), and that's what I used - it was fine. Some recipes say to mash to the tofu, others have you dice it into small pieces. The small dice is more "eggy" I think - though I did end up mashing a little bit of it to get it to hold together better.

1. Drain a block of tofu and press between paper towels under a plate and heavy object while you prepare the other ingredients.

2. For the dressing, mix together to your taste preference: mayo or vegan mayo (start with 1/4 cup and add more if you like), dijon mustard, vinegar or pickle brine (I used apple cider vinegar and a little brine from some pickled okra), salt, pepper, turmeric (1/4-1/2 tsp), and any other spices you like (I added a shake of smoked paprika & some cayenne).

3. Dice tofu into very small pieces, and/or mash with a fork depending on the texture you want.

4. Add to the dressing along with any other additions you like: celery, green onions, grated carrots, pickles, fresh dill, etc...

5. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

6. Eat as-is, over lettuce, or make yourself a sandwich!