Vegan Fried Egg or sunny side up is a game-changing plant-based recipe that looks, feels, and tastes just like the real thing. All without a single crack of an egg shell. Isn’t it cool? Completely plant-based and totally satisfying. It’s fairly simple to prepare, and it’s perfect for toast, rice bowls, or a hearty sandwich.

Egg is not something I ever really miss since I went vegan. However I can’t deny, that some foods just look cooler with a little (vegan) egg on top. Luckily, we don’t have to miss out: this vegan version brings all the vibes, without the eggs. It’s perfect for vegans and anyone who’s tired of paying wild prices for a carton of eggs these days.

This Vegan Fried Egg is…

Having crispy edges and a runny yolk
Plant-based and gluten-free
Cholesterol-free
Protein-packed
Very delicious
Easy to make
Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or lunch

How to make Vegan Fried Egg?

This recipe is very simple, though it does involve a little more work, than just cracking up an egg. But it totally worth the extra step.

The ‘egg white’ is a creamy silken tofu mixture, spread over a piece of rice paper for that crispy, chewy texture. The yolk is a velvety, golden sauce thickened with cornstarch, then flavored with black salt for that classic eggy taste. Once both the egg white and the yolk are ready, you just fry them together in a pan until the edges crisp up.

The recipe below makes about 10–15 vegan eggs using one standard block of silken tofu, depending on how big you make them. Both the egg white and yolk mixture keep well in the fridge for a few days, so it’s perfect for prepping ahead and frying up fresh eggs each morning. But of course, you can easily halve or quarter the recipe, if you prefer just making a few.

Can I make this oil-free?

Unfortunately you really need some oil here to get that rich, velvety egg yolk consistency. However you can reduce the oil a little, and you can also fry these without any extra oil – just make sure you use a non-stick skillet.

Can I use regular tofu instead of silken?

No, regular tofu won’t have the same consistency. If you can’t find any silken tofu, you could try using vegan yogurt instead. Depending on the consistency of the yogurt, you might need to add more rice flour.

Can I omit the rice paper?

In theory yes, you can. But I wouldn’t do so. Rice paper not only helps to hold everything together, it also gives an amazing, crispy, almost chewy texture, very similar to real fried eggs.

How long does it keep?

This Vegan Fried Egg is best served fresh (though my husband doesn’t mind eating the leftovers the next days either). If you want to meal prep, you can prepare the egg white and egg yolk mixture, and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Then when ready to eat, cut the rice paper, and assemble the eggs. This way it only takes 5 minutes to get a fresh egg.

How to eat Vegan Fried Egg?

Well, just like you’d do with the non-vegan version. Put it on your avocado toast, fried rice, shakshouka, buddha bowl, or veggie stew. Or simply enjoy for breakfast with some toast and chili crisp oil.

More EGG-FREE VEGAN recipes to try:

Vegan Fried Egg

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Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 12 eggs 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Egg yolk

1 cup water
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp black salt (kala namak)

Egg white

10.5 oz/300 g silken tofu
1/3 cup rice flour
1/4 cup unsweetened plant milk
1/2 tsp black salt (kala namak)
4 rice papers
oil for frying

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Instructions

For the egg yolk, whisk together water, starch, oil, nutritional yeast, and turmeric in a pot.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly as it starts to thicken, for about 5 minutes, or until thickens. Remove from heat, and season with black salt to taste.
For the egg white add silken tofu, rice flour, milk, and black salt to a small blender, and blend until completely smooth.
Cut the rice paper into 3-4 wedges. I like to also trim the edges, to resemble fried eggs.
Heat up a large non-stick pan with a bit of oil over medium-high heat. Place your egg white and egg yolk mixture nearby, you have to work quickly.
Place a piece of rice paper onto the pan, and spread about 3-4 tablespoons of the egg white mixture on top. If you worry, that you can’t spread it fast enough, before the rice paper starts to curl up, you can also spread a tablespoon of the egg white mixture over the rice paper on a plate first, then add the rest once in the pan.
Place a tablespoon of the egg yolk mixture in the middle of your fried egg. Repeat with as many eggs, as you can fit in your pan, without touching.
Cook eggs until the edges are crispy, for about 2-3 minutes, then serve immediately. Enjoy!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes