It took the plant-based industry a while to debut a product that cooked and baked up like a bird-based egg, but today, there’s an ever-growing handful of them.
In the case of vegan products, the chicken certainly came before the (vegan) egg. It took the plant-based industry a while to debut a product (other than tofu) that cooked and baked up like a bird-based egg, but today, we not only have one stellar egg alternative but an ever-growing handful of them.
The innovation began with powdered products that could be scrambled and baked when reconstituted with water. In 2018, JUST entered the space with its pourable, mung bean-based egg and continued on to dominate the vegan egg market. While JUST may still be the frontrunner, it doesn’t mean there isn’t room for other brands to try their hand at a plant-based egg alternative.
VegNews, fresh from discovering all the products at Expo West – a food industry trade show – have tasted plenty of upcoming vegan egg products that delighted their tastebuds. From pourable options with clean ingredient labels to an old-school, tofu-based innovation, here are five vegan eggs to get excited for.
Note: not all of these products are available in stores. This is a preview of the hot new vegan egg products to come. VegNews are giving you the industry secrets!
1. Acremade
VegNews could not believe the incredibly fluffy, eggy scramble we sampled came from a reconstituted powder. Sure, it certainly helped that the plant-based eggs were cooked with a generous pat of non-dairy butter, but the pronounced flavour and spot-on texture really made us swoon. The emerging brand makes two products – Egg Scrambler and Egg Replacer – both of which rely on pea protein for the base. The latter is used for replacing chicken eggs in baked goods while the former – the item they tried – is ideal for omelettes, quiches, and scrambling, of course. Follow the company on Instagram to get your hands on the next limited sales launch.
2. Crafty Counter
While less versatile than powdered or liquid eggs, the new WunderEgg does something VegNews had never seen on the mass market before: replicate a hard-boiled egg. No peeling required, this product aims to look, taste, and feel just like a hard-boiled egg. Unlike many vegan alternatives, the ingredient list is shockingly wholesome. The main components include water, cashews, almonds, and coconut milk; the additional trace ingredients include black salt, agar, turmeric extract, and nutritional yeast. There are no natural flavours, gums, or starches. They were as impressed by this label as the eggy product. WunderEgg is not available yet, but customers can pre-order online to receive one of the first shipments when they launch.
3. Hodo Foods
Tofu has always been the original vegan egg replacer. Firm tofu can be sautéed into an acceptable scramble and silken tofu blends up into an impressive alternative for baked goods, quiches, and omelets. However, Hodo isn’t using this as a cop-out. The longstanding, tofu-driven brand debuted a new product at Expo West that is specifically designed to replicate chicken eggs. The turmeric and black salt seasoned soy Tofu Egg can be served hot or cold. VegNews tried it in a chilled egg salad and went back for seconds. Keep an eye on the company’s Instagram page for the official launch announcement later this year.
4. Spero
This soft vegan cheese company is switching from sunflower seeds to pepitas to produce its own version of a pourable, versatile vegan egg. The upcoming product differentiates itself from others on the market with its minimalist and clean ingredient label. Spero’s Pepita Egg contains just seven ingredients: water, pepita seeds, salt, garlic powder, mushroom extract, beta carotene, and nisin (a preservative). The brand claims this egg can transform into suitable scrambles, fluffy omelets, and tender pancakes and waffles. VegNews found the texture to be not quite like a chicken-based omelet but still satisfying. If you’re looking for a cleaner vegan egg option, sign up on the company’s website to be the first to know when this item hits the shelves.
5 Crackd
It may take some time for this pourable vegan egg to wash up on America’s shores, but we’re hoping retailers pick this up soon. The pea protein-based product is already available in select stores in the UK, but the team traveled out to Anaheim, CA to showcase their innovation to US buyers. VegNews sampled this vegan egg in both savoury and sweet iterations – a coin-sized omelet, a bite-sized brownie, and a tiny pancake. We’re excited to see if this plant-based egg truly can be swapped one-for-one for chicken eggs in the mouthwatering recipes we come across on The Food Network.
Original source: https://vegnews.com
