It’s no secret that eggs, in general, have dominated the mainstream breakfast scene for some time now. From omelets to scrambles to quiches and beyond, eggs are a mainstay in many people’s diets, whether they’re eaten alone or hidden in a baked treat — which is people who are following a plant-based diet could be excited to learn that a brand new vegan hard-boiled egg has been developed!

Four Master’s students at the University of Udine in Italy have reportedly developed an extremely realistic replica of a traditional hard-boiled egg from all-vegan ingredients, and have announced their plan to obtain a patent for their invention.

Students Francesca Zuccolo, Greta Titton, Arianna Roi, and Aurora Gobessi spent an entire year developing the formula for their cholesterol-free, ready-to-eat egg, which features both an “egg” white and realistic “egg” yolk. The gluten-free egg in its entirety is made from various legume-derived flours, vegetable oils, a sulfurous vegan salt, and a plant-based gelling agent.

Make Your Own Vegan ‘Egg’ Dishes at Home!

While you anxiously await the debut of this new vegan hard-boiled egg (although who knows how long it will take to come stateside), perhaps we can interest you in some of these plant-based “eggy” vegan recipes from our Food Monster App! At the very least, they’ll tide you over as you bide your time.

This Chickpea Flour Quiche by Chrysta Hiser is cute, versatile, and unique due to the chickpea flour!

These little gems are like a chickpea flour omelet in a snackable portable form. These are ridiculously filling, yet surprisingly light, and you will find yourself pretty content after just one.

This Low-Fat Silken Tofu Omelet by Veronica Grace looks so satisfying and flavorful.

Get your protein to power you throughout your day with this tofu omelet! Fill it with your toppings of choice and make it your own.

Wild Mushroom and Garlic Scramble by Trine Rask, anyone? 

This tofu scramble is the perfect Sunday morning brunch! In this recipe, firm tofu is scrambled with meaty portobello mushrooms and fresh, wild garlic. A pinch or turmeric adds color, as well as a mild flavor that complements, rather than overpowers the other spices. Serve this hearty scramble on toast with a side of vegan breakfast sausages and maple syrup.

Surprise! You could also just go right on ahead and make this vegan Boiled ‘Egg’ by Philipp Ertl.

These vegan hard boiled eggs are better than the real thing. The recipe uses agar agar to give the “eggs” a gelatinous consistency and black salt to give the faux eggs an eggy taste. These “eggs” go great on a salad, or spread across toast.

Check out these Tips for Making Killer Tofu Scrambles and remember, Hampton Creek is releasing a new vegan scramble mix soon!

We also highly recommend downloading our Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 8,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to ten new recipes per day. Check it out!

Lead image source: Boiled “Egg”