An Australian blogger's recipe for a 'vegan fried egg' sends her followers into a frenzy

Many people have undertaken the Veganuary challenge this month, whereby they cut out all meat and dairy in favour of a plant-based diet for the whole of January.

For many, one of the hardest things about going vegan is giving up eggs. If this is something you're currently struggling with, however, then you're in luck.

Last month Australian dietitian and influencer Ellie Bullen, 25, who regularly posts plant-based recipes on her blog Elsa's Wholesome Life, shared a recipe for a "vegan fried egg" via her YouTube channel - and it looked so like the real thing, it sent her followers into a bit of a frenzy.

Bullen, who has 680,000 Instagram followers and is the twin of travel blogger Lauren @gypsealust, says in the video that she's been experimenting with the recipe for a few weeks, and now feels she has perfected it.

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"It tastes just like egg, it's pretty crazy," she said. "If you're someone who went vegan and you really miss eggs, I think this recipe is a real gamechanger for you."

Her secret ingredients for the colour and consistency of the yolk? Pumpkin and black salt (kala namak).

She posted the photo below of her vegan fried egg on smashed avocado sourdough toast to Instagram, and it's already been liked over 17,000 times and received hundreds of comments from thankful vegans around the world.

The Ingredients

For the yolk

• 170g pumpkin

• 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast

• 2 tbsp of cornflour

• 2 tbsp of water

• 2 tbsp of olive oil (helps ot get fatty egg yolk consistency)

• 1/4 tsp of black pepper

• Pinch of Himalayan salt

• 1/4 tsp of black salt (kala namak)

For the egg white

• 1/4 cup of rice flour

• 1/4 cup of coconut milk

• 1 tbsp of water

• Good pinch of salt

To serve

• Avocados

• Sourdough bread

• Vegemite (optional)

Method

• Boil and drain the chopped pumpkin

• In a separate bowl combine the egg white ingredients and stir, set aside

• Add the cooked pumpkin and rest of yolk ingredients to a blender and blend

• Heat a pan (on a medium to high heat) with a tsp of oil

• Spoon in two tbsp of egg white mix

• Put lid on for 10 seconds

• Add one tbsp of yolk mix onto centre

• Cook for another 30 seconds until edges start to get crispy

Bullen adds that the recipe without the egg whites could work just as well as a take on dippy eggs served with soldiers.

That's this weekend's plant-based brunch recipe sorted then.