Vegan Fried Egg
With some CRISPY EDGES, a SOFT RUNNY YOLK, and some EGGY FLAVOR thanks to BLACK SALT, now we can enjoy a vegan fried EGG! Yes – you read that right.
Fried eggs with the runny yolks are something that we don’t see too often in the vegan universe. I’ve seen a few but one thing that I never saw was a white with the crispy, browned edges. That was my favorite part of a sunny side up egg. The yolk was tasty of course! But without those crispy edges for some textural contrast, it was just kind of a goopy mess!
This is the first time I’ve had a vegan fried egg that was truly reminiscent of what I remember! We also have an option to make an over medium egg that doesn’t require any special ingredients! For you folks who hate runny yolks!
If you do decide to go the Science route, the alginate bath will last for at least a week. So you can reuse it several times. Or you can simply make less if you don’t want to make that many eggs. The whites and yolks mixture is best the fresher it is. So I recommend using it within 2-3 days, but it will last up to a week too.
What Ingredients are Needed for a Vegan Fried Egg?
The yolk
- The yolk is created with reverse spherification! I learned it from Sauce Stache, his VIDEO is HERE! My friend Jonathan at Ticho’s Table has a cool egg recipe too, check that HERE.
- For the yolk, we’ll need a few special ingredients, namely Sodium Alginate & Calcium Lactate. These are the two ingredients necessary to form a vegan egg yolk. We’ll use the sodium alginate and some distilled water to create an alginate bath. Then we’ll mix the calcium lactate into our yolk mixture. When we submerge our yolk into the sodium alginate, the calcium lactate will react and form a “membrane” around the yolk, much like a chicken egg. It can then be cooked and punctured for a broken and runny yolk!
Black salt (kala namak)
- As far as flavoring, we are relying on Black Salt (aka Kala Namak) which is known for it’s distinct EGGY flavor. We’ll also be using our good friend nutritional yeast and some other seasonings. Feel free to add whatever you like and make it as thick or as runny as you like by adding more liquid or oil!
- Regarding the black salt, I find that it’s a lot less potent if you add it before cooking. So I like to sprinkle some on after cooking the egg along with some regular salt and black pepper!
The Egg whites
- I highly recommend using some plain unsweetened vegan yogurt. I used the one by Forager and I really dug it! We’ll also be using some aquafaba and some Glutinous Rice Flour. Make sure it’s glutinous and not regular rice flour. This will give our whites a firmer texture and will get them nice and crispy on the bottom!
over medium option
- If you don’t like runny yolks, or if you don’t want to go through the process of reverse spherification, add some tapioca starch to the yolk mixture. Spoon some of that into the center of the whites once you ladle them into the pan. Then just flip once the egg has been browned, and cook to desired doneness. Perfect for an egg sandwich!
I realize this is a lot of information for a simple egg! If you’re like me, it’s easier to learn by showing and not telling. So I even made a video for my fellow visual learners!
here’s a HANDY DANDY video!
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Vegan Fried Egg
Ingredients
For the WHITES:
- 1/2 cup vegan yogurt (plain, unsweetened)
- 1/4 cup glutinous rice flour
- 1/4 cup aquafaba
- 1/2 tsp black salt
For the YOLK:
- 1/2 can of pumpkin puree (about 7 oz.)
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup vegan yogurt
- 2 - 4 Tbsp olive or neutral oil
- 2 tsp tapioca starch
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp black salt
- 1 Tbsp aquafaba
- 1/2 Tbsp mushroom seasoning
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 Tbsp Calcium Lactate
For the Alginate Bath:
- 700 ml DISTILLED water
- 5 tsp Sodium Alginate
Instructions
- To prepare the alginate bath, add the distilled water to a blender. Set to medium speed and add in 1 tsp at a time of the sodium alginate. Once blended, add to a container or Tupperware, then refrigerate overnight. We need all the air bubbles to dissipate before using.
- To make the egg whites, combine everything in a measuring cup ideally (easier to pour).
- To make the yolk mixture, add everything to a bowl and whisk together. You can also use a blender if you wish! Add more seasonings to taste, and thicken or thin it out to your desired consistency! Start with the smaller amounts of yogurt and oil and add in more to your liking.
- To form the yolks, add about 1.5 tablespoons worth of the yolk mixture to the sodium alginate bath. Using two spoons or small spatulas, gently fold the alginate over the yolk. It should sink down and form a sphere. Let it hang out for 30 seconds, then using a slotted spoon, gently scoop it up. Let the excess alginate drip off, then wipe the bottom of the slotted spoon with a paper towel. Let the yolk rest in another container of cool water.
- To fry the egg, get a non-stick pan up to medium heat with a bit of oil or vegan butter. Pour in about 1/4 cup worth of the egg whites. You can shake the pan a bit to spread the white out more, this will help the edges get crispy! Then just add your yolk to the middle of the white. Cook until desired doneness!
- Season with salt, black pepper and more black salt for extra egginess! Hot sauce is recommended too!
OVER MEDIUM METHOD
- To make an over medium egg, simply add about 1 tsp of tapioca starch per yolk (each yolk should be about 1.5 - 2 Tbsp of the yolk mixture) and combine. Then add the yolk to the white after pouring into a heated pan. Cook until the bottom is browned, then flip and cook until desired doneness! Serve on some bread with some cheese, lettuce and tomato for a classic fried egg sandwich!
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