That guilty pleasure that everyone is secretly excited about when ordering takeout. This should not…
Vegan “Sausage, Egg & Cheese” Breakfast Sandwich
Vegan breakfast sandwiches may be better than you think! In fact, these may be the best breakfast sandwiches…just keep an open mind!
The greatest morning comfort food is by far a breakfast sandwich. Something about soft bread, melted cheese, hearty eggs and salty meat just conquer all. But imagine if you were plant based and/or vegan…can you not enjoy these classics?
The best breakfast sandwich I have ever had was in the LAX airport during a rough transition between delayed and altered flights. On top of the time zone adjustments…and a little bit of a hangover…I was at the tail end of my Hawaiian vacation and I just wanted something that was healthy but hearty. Then I found it…a vegan quick service restaurant! I had the best vegan, if not best breakfast sandwich, EVER! I’m aware that it was probably my physical state but it hit differently and did everything I needed it to do, beyond expectations.
I recreated this sandwich for the first Ohio State football game of 2020. I try to impress my vegan friends from time to time… but I am fascinated with the culture in which we can make hangover needs out of healthy ingredients. It’s truly incredible! This was definitely an accomplishment for the books. And I may have had more than one…each day…
If you’re a breakfast fan and curious about what vegans really eat…TRY IT! Forget the ingredient names and just close your eyes and see. I promise that you will be amazed!!!
Vegan “Sausage, Egg & Cheese” Breakfast Sandwich
Vegan Breakfast sandwiches may be better than you think! In fact, these may be the best breakfast sandwiches…just keep an open mind!
Ingredients
"Egg"
- 1 (14 oz.) package tofu extra firm, pressed
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon tumeric
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ – 2 cups vegan cheddar cheese shredded or sliced
"Sausage"
- 1 (12 oz.) package plant based ground meat substitute raw
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon basil
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- non stick cooking spray
Toppings (optional)
- 8 whole grain buns or sandwhich breads vegan
- avocado sliced
- tomatoes sliced
- spinach or arugula
- jalapeños sauteed or pickled
- onions sauteed or grilled
- vegan mayo
Instructions
"Egg"
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Cut tofu into 16 even slices. Lay on a clean kitchen towel or a quadruple layer bed of paper towels, top with a kitchen towel or more paper towels and press some of the moisture from the tofu. Let sit for 30 minutes.
- For tofu “egg”, use a shallow baking dish and mix nutritional yeast, garlic powder, paprika, turmeric, salt and pepper. Coat each tofu slice with the mixture by pressing the tofu in the seasoning blend and then set aside on a clean plate.
- For tofu, turn the oven to broil. Use the same cooking method and pan that was used for “sausage”. Coat the pan with olive oil or cooking spray. Have the pan on medium-high heat and add 4-6 slices of tofu at a time. Cook for 2 minutes on each side and place onto a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with vegan cheddar (2 tbsp per slice) and broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese attempts to melt. Remove from heat and assemble sandwiches.
"Sausage"
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix plant-based ground meat, nutritional yeast, fennel, oregano, garlic powder, thyme, basil, smoked paprika, onion powder and cumin. Tip: If you have a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle, USE! The spices are best fully ground and blended for an even, consistent flavor). Gently mix until all spices are combined with the “ground meat”. Chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Using a medium sized ice cream scooper (or divide the mixture into 8 even sized balls), use 2 pieces of wax paper to sandwich the "meat" ball then use the bottom of a flat glass and smash down the meat mixture into 2 1/2” patties and leave on the wax paper.
- Heat a flat frying pan with olive oil on medium-high heat. When the pan becomes hot after 45 seconds, add 4 patties at a time and sear for 2-3 minutes on either side. Remove from heat and place on a paper towel. repeat with the other 4.
Sandwich
- Assemble sandwich with preferred toppings. Best if bread it toasted first.
Notes
Ingredients & Technique:
Tofu – not the most popular girl at school but treat her right and you’ll be amazed. There’s no need to fear this product. Once I learned to eat and cook it correctly, I learned it is the best substitute for regular eggs. Try a extra firm tofu for this recipe for the closest variation to a cooked egg. Firm will work too, just cook it for a little longer.
Press your tofu. If you’re not a tofu user, kudos to you for trying it out. Your saving grace will be pressing out all the moisture and water. This will help the sear that you are trying to accomplish in this recipe. Line a base of paper towels or a kitchen towel and then set the tofu on top. Add another layer of towels and then add some sort of pressure point on top like a heavier pan. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes to over an hour. Easy!
For the vegan meat…I prefer to use a substitution that disguises itself as raw ground meat. This way you can flavor it however you want. You can always use a packaged pre-made vegan breakfast sausage if you choose. This recipe, however, helps you make it for any and all recipes if you needed that vegan adjustment.
How long does it last and where?
I did not assemble all the sandwiches right away so I was able to store the tofu and “meat” for 5-7 days after cooking.
Can you freeze it?
I believe you probably can the same way people make “make ahead” breakfast sandwiches and store them for a quick microwave fix. In this scenario, I have not tried freezing them. Also, with the “meat” coming from the freezer and going back into the freezer after it was cooked could be weird.
Worth a shot, just make sure that no fresh ingredients are used before wrapping and freezing. I suggest everything is precooked before freezing as well. ***Let me know in the comments what you did!!!****
Substitutions?
Not too much I would substitute here. The ingredient list is pretty much made of substitutions anyway. The bread is the one thing that you can really choose for yourself. If you prefer something different, use what you can find or prefer. I tried this on different bread variations that had no dairy in them but my favorite was sourdough. To make it close to what I remember from California, I would use a grainy choice of bread.
What to serve with it?
Serve with a fresh salad, a cup of fruit or a side of simple oven fries!
Calories are based on “Sausage, Egg & Cheese” plus a 100-120 calorie serving of bread, 2-3 slices of avocado and a few vegetables. ***Brand of “meat” and type of bread used could alter the calorie and nutrition count significantly.
Calories are based on “Sausage, Egg & Cheese” plus a 100-120 calorie serving of bread, 2-3 slices of avocado and a few vegetables. ***Brand of “meat” and type of bread used could alter the calorie and nutrition count significantly.
Nutrition
Serving: 8sandwiches | Sodium: 835mg | Sugar: 2g | Fiber: 6g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Calories: 415kcal | Saturated Fat: 6.6g | Fat: 16g | Protein: 21g | Carbohydrates: 34g
Servings: 8
Calories: 415kcal
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