We Tested 9 Vegan Eggs and There Were 2 With Perfect Scores

Which vegan eggs are the best? We put nine leading options to the test.

It’s crazy to think that just a decade ago, there were no animal-free alternatives to chicken eggs. If you went vegan, it meant saying goodbye to eating, cooking, and baking with eggs. So, the fact that I reached out to about 20 different brands making alt protein egg products for this review is a clear sign of how far along the industry has come.

It’s not just about the perfect egg scramble or egg breakfast sandwich at brunch. Eggs are a major cooking and baking ingredient. As an avid baker, I know that the struggle is real when it comes to finding the right egg replacement for your popover or Il Flotante. Not to mention eggs over easy or a hard-boiled egg you can make deviled eggs and egg salad with. The good news? There are lots of options and new players in the space working hard to give you animal-free alternatives no matter how you like your eggs.

You can have your fried egg or your hard-boiled egg and eat it too! From frozen pourable to ready-to-eat patty and instant powder mix, with ingredients that span mung beans and lupin beans to pea and tofu, I researched it all, and by research, I mean ate, of course. Here’s my cheat sheet on how they taste, cook, and compare with one another.

1. JUST Egg – Best Taste & Best Patty

When it comes to vegan eggs, the time-space continuum can be split into ‘Before JUST Egg’ (BJE) and ‘After JUST Egg’ (AJE). BJE, if you wanted a vegan scramble, your options were a powder mix or tofu. Eat Just’s mung bean pourable egg replacement was a game-changer and the first to achieve mainstream status. It’s now widely used in both retail and food service with a star-studded roster of celeb investors, including Serena Williams and Jake Gyllenhaal.

JUST Egg set the standard for vegan eggs and is the plant-based egg to beat when it comes to mouthfeel, versatility, easiness of preparation, and even price. In addition to the original JUST Egg 12oz bottle, The JUST Egg line also includes the JUST Egg Folded and the JUST Egg Sous Vide – in Roasted Potato Red Pepper Dill and Roasted Poblano Black Beans Chili Powder varieties.

Cooking: JUST Egg needs to be refrigerated and used within 5 to 7 days once opened. It takes longer to cook than conventional eggs and I, for one, have a difficult time figuring out when to start scrambling or when it’s done. I get this cheesy consistency that makes it stick all over my nonstick frying pan and I end up wasting a lot of product. It would be really helpful if it came with some basic cooking instructions.

That said, it’s by far the one that gives you the closest mouthfeel to a chicken egg in terms of taste, fluffiness, texture, and even smell. If you’re eating it plain scrambled, it is the most egg-like and tastes as eggy as conventional eggs. So much so that if you add other ingredients, like cheese and veggies, or make a breakfast sandwich or burrito with it and serve it to your friends, they’ll never know they’re not eating real eggs.

JUST Egg’s original pourable liquid version is also super versatile. You can scramble it, make omelets and frittatas with it, or even use it as a baking replacement for eggs. Both the Folded and Sous Vide products can be kept frozen, then microwaved (no defrosting required), and ready within minutes. 

Mouthfeel: 10

Versatility: 9

Easiness of Preparation: 8

Overall: 9 out of 10

Bonus Points: I love the convenience of popping the JUST folded in the toaster or microwave when I’m having a lazy morning. The JUST Folded also stands out from its competitors because it is, as the name says, folded so you get a double patty. Their Sous Vide makes for the perfect on-the-go vegan frittata.

Protein Source: Mung bean

Price: $3.99-$5.99 for a 12oz bottle, $4.29-$4.49 for a box of four JUST Folded, $5.98-$6.99 for a box of four Sous Vide (the most expensive of the 3 options)

2. Zero Egg – Most Versatile

Even though Zero Egg is currently only available to the food service industry, you can have a sneak taste of their vegan egg in the Alpha Foods breakfast bowl sold at Costco in California and Hawaii. Zero Egg currently comes in two formats: frozen pourable form and as a ready-to-eat patty. 

Cooking: I defrosted the Zero Egg Liquid in the refrigerator overnight. Like JUST Egg, it needs to be used within 5 to 7 days once defrosted. The first thing I noticed is that it has a pancake batter consistency and it’s thicker than JUST Egg or Simply Eggless. Because of that, it cooks way faster than both. The taste is not 100% quite there when you eat it plain scrambled, but it was delicious when I made an omelet and added my favorite vegan cheese. You can make a few ahead of time, refrigerate, then just heat them up and add fillings when you’re ready to eat. Perfect for a brunch party!

Mouthfeel: 8

Versatility: 10

Ease of Preparation: 10

Overall: 8 out of 10

Bonus Points: The peanut butter cookie recipe their ambassador chef shared with me in our cooking demo is a show stopper and I’m officially hooked!

Protein Source: A proprietary blend of plant proteins that include pea, chickpea, potato, and soy

Price: You can purchase a four-pack of Alpha Breakfast Bowls at Costco for $12.49

3. Simply Eggless – Contains Prebiotics

JUST Egg, Zero Egg, and Simply Eggless all offer liquid and ready-to-eat patty options. Simply Eggless has the same liquidy consistency as JUST Egg and also needs to be used within 5 to 7 days once opened.

Cooking: Even though it has the same consistency, it bubbles up and cooks faster than JUST Egg. It’s also easier to scramble and tell when it’s done. I liked the taste and the texture of the scrambled, but out of the 3, the Simply Eggless patty was my least favorite. Even though I followed the heating instructions on the box, the patty never got warm or firm enough. The texture was quite creamy, and the mouthfeel just wasn’t really there. 

Mouthfeel: 8

Versatility: 10

Easiness of Preparation: 8

Overall: 7 out of 10

Bonus Points: Simply Eggless has 3 grams of prebiotics per serving, unlike its competitors or even actual eggs.

Protein Source: Lupin beans 

Price: $6.49 for a 16oz bottle or one box of four frozen patties

4. Acremade Plant-Based Egg Scrambler  – Best Value & Ease-of-Use

I was blown away by Acremade Plant-Based Egg Scrambler. I wasn’t expecting much from a powder-based vegan egg, but boy oh boy, was I pleasantly surprised! I mean who knew a powder mixed with water could give you such spot-on eggy flavor and fluffiness? This is the new hot product to watch for and it’s going to give JUST Egg a serious run for its money once it hits the retail shelves.

Cooking: All you have to do is add ¼ cup to a cup of water and whisk it. I like that it requires whisking the same way real eggs do. It has the thickest consistency by far, think cake batter, which makes it a bit harder to scramble but still easier than JUST Egg! Once it started cooking in the frying pan, my entire kitchen smelled just like bird-based scrambled eggs. The taste, the texture, and the fluffiness are all there. NOTE: Their other product, the Acremade Egg Replacer is being discontinued because you can do it all with the Plant-Based Egg Scrambler. They’ll be rebranding and renaming the Scrambler soon. 

Mouthfeel: 10

Versatility: 10

Easiness of Preparation: 9

Overall: 10 out of 10

Bonus Points: It’s shelf-stable so you don’t have to worry about using it up within a week. It’s also the best value for your buck since $5.99 gets you a 12 oz bag and ¼ cup gives you the equivalent of 2-3 eggs!

Protein Source: Pea protein and lupin bean flour

Price: $5.99

5. Hodo Foods All-Day Egg Scramble – For Tofu Lovers

Hodo Foods All-Day Egg Scramble is more of an egg alternative than an egg replacement. It’s yellow, but it doesn’t have the same taste or texture of a real egg and I think calling it ‘All-Day Egg Scramble’ is a bit misleading. It’s made with tofu and if tofu scramble is your jam, this is the product for you. It’s not versatile because it comes already seasoned and ready to eat, but you can eat it in a jiffy since it only needs to be heated up on a frying pan or in the microwave.

Mouthfeel: 5

Versatility: 5

Easiness of Preparation: 10

Overall: 5 out 10

Bonus Points: It is by far the easiest one to prepare as it doesn’t require defrosting or cooking.

Protein Source: Soybean

Price: $8.79 online

6. Be Leaf Fried Eggs – Best Ready-to-Eat

I was really impressed with the Be Leaf fried egg. It delivered the same taste, texture, and mouthfeel you get from eating a fried chicken egg. The yolk’s consistency and taste were surprisingly identical to the real deal. It’s also super easy to make. All you have to do is defrost it in the refrigerator overnight, heat it up in a frying pan or microwave, and voila! While it’s the perfect fried egg replacement, it’s not as versatile as a pourable egg alternative. 

Mouthfeel: 10

Versatility: 5

Easiness of Preparation: 10

Overall: 9 out of 10

Bonus Points: Unlike most of the other brands reviewed here, Be Leaf’s vegan range also includes meatless products like shrimp, chicken, bacon, and steak as well as jerky, seasoning, and dried soy.

Protein Source: Non-GMO soy

Price: $13.99 – $15.89 online

7. Wunder Eggs – Best Hard-Boiled Egg

I was really looking forward to trying Crafty Counter’s Wunder Eggs and it didn’t disappoint. It has the same texture and appearance of a hard-boiled egg. You also get the same exact sensory experience of holding a chilled hard-boiled egg in your hand. The egg white mouthfeel was spot on while the egg yolk was a bit creamier than a real egg yolk. I very much enjoyed eating it plain with just a dash of salt and also chopped up in an egg salad.

Mouthfeel: 9

Versatility: 5

Easiness of Preparation: 10

Overall: 8 out of 10

Bonus Points: Clean label and requires no peeling, which was always the most annoying part of eating hard-boiled eggs!

Protein Source: Cashews and almonds  

Price: Not available yet

8. Nummy Nibbles Plant-Based Omelette/Scramble Mix – Cleanest Label

The Nummy Nibbles Plant-Based Omelette/Scramble Mix comes in packs of three and you can mix and match the flavors, Original (with Mushrooms, Tomatoes & Black pepper), Southwestern (with Bell Peppers, Jalapenos, Onion, Garlic, and Cayenne), and Chipotle (with Bell Peppers, Jalapenos and a hint of Smoky Chipotle). It’s a bit hard to compare it to other plain vegan scrambled eggs since all 3 mixes come with added veggies. The eggy flavor was not quite there, and the texture was slightly pastier than I’d want my scramble or omelets to be. It is easy to make because all you have to do is whisk it with water and cook, but not as versatile as other mixes since the veggies limit you to savory dishes. 

Mouthfeel: 5

Versatility: 7

Easiness of Preparation: 9

Overall: 6 out of 10

Bonus Points: It’s shelf-stable and probably the one in this review with the cleanest label – no additives, artificial flavorings, or fillers at all.

Protein Source: Chickpea 

Price: $10.99 for a pack of 3 

9. Special Entry: EVERY EggWhite Macaron

The Every Co. uses precision fermentation to create its animal-free egg white replacer that mimics the functionality and versatility of egg white proteins. EVERY EggWhite is designed to be used as an ingredient in anything from delicate desserts, like the French macarons I tried made in partnership with Chantal Guillon, to dry mixes and protein shakes. I fancy myself quite the connoisseur when it comes to macarons, having sampled every single one I’ve ever come across back when I was a vegetarian. The perfect macaron should be light and airy with a smooth filling sandwiched between the two crisp, yet slightly soft, meringue shells. These were just that and sure to satisfy even the toughest macaron critic like me. It’s no surprise they sold out!

Mouthfeel: 10

Versatility: 10

Easiness of Preparation: 10

Overall: 10 out of 10

Bonus Points: Eye-catching and hip package design!

Protein Source: Real egg proteins made without chickens (the proteins are produced in fermentation tanks by genetically engineered microbes)

Price: The box of 6-piece macarons at the Chantal Guillon website sells for $28.00

After writing this review, there are at least three vegan eggs I’ll make sure to have at home at all times. Being a household of one, I’m very partial to anything that I can keep frozen and/or is shelf-stable so I don’t have to worry about using it all up within a week. JUST Egg Folded is a must for the perfect vegan breakfast sandwich, Acremade Plant-Based Egg Scrambler for basically anything you want to make with eggs, and Be Leaf Fried Egg for anyone who loves a good old-fashioned fried egg sandwich like me.

A few brands I reached out to and wish I could have tried for this review are: Follow Your Heart, Nabati Foods, Yo Egg, Evo Foods, and Pepita Egg. Oh well, maybe next time!

Lead image courtesy of Canva.