My slow transition to a plant-based life began when I gave up red meat upon seeing the movie Babe. Next came dairy. I nixed it after coming to the sad realization that ice cream gave me a stomachache. Yet, the one thing I swore I'd never give up was eggs. That is, until I tried JUST Egg, a new egg substitute from the people behind the vegan condiment JUST Mayo.
Sure, it's easy enough to find egg replacements for baking, but I've never had a faux egg that stood up on its own. I've tried some that tasted vaguely of algae and others that had a strange Jello-like texture. Of course, tofu makes for a delicious scramble of its own kind, but it's not particularly egg-like. Naturally, I was skeptical to try another substitution. But, I'm here to say that JUST egg looks and tastes like real scrambled eggs.
I first tried the vegan eggs using a tried and true low-and-slow scrambled egg technique. (The JUST website provides a scramble recipe, but I wanted to see how the product would hold up to my favorite conventional egg method.) I was immediately impressed by how much JUST Eggs looked and acted like scrambled eggs in my nonstick skillet. As I softly pulled the mixture around the pan with my spatula, it fluffed up and formed curds just like chicken eggs. I served it with some salt, pepper, and a few splashes of hot sauce and it looked, felt, and tasted just like the beloved soft scramble I'm used to.
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JUST egg's secret ingredient is mung bean— specifically, an isolated mung bean protein—which has a similar texture to scrambled eggs when cooked. Other than that, the mixture is mostly made of unassuming ingredients like canola oil, water, and a combo of carrot extract and turmeric for that signature yellow color.
JUST egg is even nutritionally similar to a chicken egg. One serving has five grams of protein, a comparable amount to conventional eggs, which have about six grams. Aside from scrambles and omelets, I've found that it works well for stir-fries, French toast, and crepes. However, there are a few caveats: It was designed to replicate the texture of cooked eggs, but it won't mimic the properties of an egg in baking. When it comes to cookies and cakes, you'll want to stick to flaxseed or aquafaba. Nor will it emulsify when it's raw, meaning it's no good for something like a carbonara or a salad dressing.
Still, JUST egg makes it possible to have perfect, vegetable-packed omelets and scrambles. Breakfast sandwiches. Breakfast tacos! Mini quiches, anyone? So many vegan breakfast ideas that seemed inconceivable without eggs are suddenly back on the table for plant-based eaters and people with allergies. If you're none of these, consider trying JUST egg for it's most valuable purpose: stumping your friends. Invite your most smug, carnivorous acquaintances over for brunch and make a giant faux scramble. After breakfast, tell them what it's made of and enjoy the stunned looks. Or keep the info for your private satisfaction. One thing's for sure: JUST eggs will fool even the greatest egg addict.
BUY IT: Just Egg Vegan Egg Substitute, $9 from Jet.com
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