Vegan Poached ‘Eggs’ With Perfectly Flowy Yolks Crack Open In The US
If you have an allergy to eggs or have cut them out of your diet, you can still enjoy your avocado toast with a runny yolk. Yo Egg, an Israeli food tech firm, has brought plant-based poached eggs to the US, starting with restaurants in Los Angeles.
Beginning this week, vegan brunch lovers can have a crack at that indulgent protein at Real Food Daily, Flore Vegan, Swingers Diner, Sky Cafe, Coyote Grill Laguna Beach, Junkyard Dog, and Vegan District Asian Eatery. The best part? No animals were involved in the hatching of these cruelty-free alternatives, which look and flow like the real deal.
Yo Egg’s poached option does taste like a classic poached egg, according to Fast Company. However, it’s made primarily from soy and chickpea, as well as water, sunflower and/or canola oil, potato starch, yeast, seaweed extract, and some other ingredients.
The ‘yolk’ gets its bright hue from beta carotene and paprika extract, as suggested in the ingredient list. And since it’s 100% plant-based, the alternative egg is also cholesterol-free.
The vegan egg’s US debut arrives just as real eggs are facing a shortage and price hike in the country, driven by animal-borne diseases.
Yo Egg hopes to be the “world’s largest egg manufacturer.” Back home in Israel, it is already serving up both poached and sunny-side-up alternatives in brunch establishments. They’re regular locations that don’t just serve vegan meals—a deliberate selection for the startup, which is all about making a difference and driving environmental impact.
Standing in as a direct swap for poached chicken’s eggs, the poached Yo Egg can be served just like the regular version—whether on Eggs Benedict, or even with ramen.
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Chefs need only boil the product. And while the real deal is notoriously finicky, it’s impossible to overcook the Yo Egg.
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The plant-based egg was invented by chef Yosefa Ben Cohen, who previously served up a vegan sunny-side-up egg crafted from tofu and pumpkin at a popular restaurant chain in Israel. Yo Egg’s creation process remains confidential, but the company says it has perfected the recipe for mass production.
The chicken is “a middleman that we don’t really need,” Yo Egg cofounder and CEO Eran Groner describes to the news outlet. The animal, in fact, only “adds complexity.”
Yo Egg intends to introduce its sunny-side-up to the sunny state and beyond. Currently, it’s also exploring alternatives for hard-boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, and omelets. The chicken-or-egg question has been answered: It’s just the egg now.
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[via Fast Company and Yo Egg, images via Yo Egg]
