Scrambled tofu is probably one of the most mundane vegan recipes there is. Go ahead and roll your eyes when you open a cookbook and see the obligatory entry, I know I do, even at my own. But for a new vegan it’s one of the most important dishes to learn. And for me, even though my inaugural tofu was scrambled 20 years ago, it’s still a staple.
It’s one of those things that changes with you, kind of like a culinary mood ring. My scramble used to feel incomplete without mushrooms, but lately I prefer a simpler texture, even onions aren’t a necessity anymore. I went through a broccoli era, and used to take a hardline anti-red pepper stance, but lately the cruciferous is out and nightshades are in.
But you don’t have to stop at breakfast, or limit yourself to a plate of scramble and hashbrowns. Look at scrambled tofu with fresh eyes! Here’s a few ways to spruce up your scramble, or use up your leftovers.
Serve in a squash bowl: Serve in half a baked squash (acorn or carnival would work perfectly.) Caramelized onions would be nice, too.
Breakfast burritos: Wrap up with potatoes, fresh salsa and guacamole.
Add to mac and cheese: Use up leftover scramble (or make some scramble just for the occasion!) by adding it to your favorite vegan mac and cheese recipe.
Lettuce wraps: Tuck scramble into lettuce, serve with fresh tomatoes and drizzle with vinaigrette
Make a sandwich: Not the most ingenious idea, but one of my favorites! A scramble sandwich with avocado, red onion and sprouts.
Make a knish: Make potato knishes and add a layer of scramble
Stuff peppers: Mix with a can of black beans and some salsa. Stuff into red peppers, bake and top with a little vegan cheese at the end.
Crepe filling: Serve in a crepe, with a vegan hollandaise sauce.
And in case you don’t have enough scrambled tofu recipes in your repertoire, here’s another for good measure (from Vegan Brunch.)
Basic Scrambled Tofu
Serves 4
For me, a basic scramble should have nice big pieces in it. It’s crumbled, yes, but not completely in crumbles. Just kind of torn apart and then broken up a bit when cooking in the pan. The flavor should be lip smacking and just a bit salty, but not overly so. Garlic, some cumin, a little thyme – that is the base. From there you can do countless variations using whatever is in your fridge that morning.
So this is my basic recipe. When you want a trustworthy and easy to modify standard scramble, this makes a great go-to.
Spice blend:
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed with your fingers
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (or more, to taste)
1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Fresh black pepper to taste
First stir the spice blend together in a small cup. Add water and mix. Set aside.
Preheat a large, heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat. Saute the garlic in olive oil for about a minute. Break the tofu apart into bite sized pieces and saute for about 10 minutes, using a spatula to stir often. Get under the tofu when you are stirring, scrape the bottom and don’t let it stick to the pan, that is where the good, crispy stuff is. Use a thin metal spatula to get the job done, a wooden or plastic one won’t really cut it. The tofu should get browned on at least one side, but you don’t need to be too precise about it. The water should cook out of it and not collect too much at the bottom of the ban. If that is happening, turn the heat up and let the water evaporate.
Add the spice blend and mix to incorporate. Add the nutritional yeast and fresh black pepper. Cook for about 5 more minutes. Serve warm.
You can include these additions to your scramble by themselves or in combination with one another.
Broccoli – Cut about one cup into small florettes, thinly slice the stems. Add along with the tofu.
Onion – Finely chop one small onion. Add along with the garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Proceed with recipe.
Red Peppers – Remove stem and seed, finely chop one red pepper. Add along with the garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Proceed with recipe.
Mushrooms – Thinly slice about a cup of mushrooms. Add along with the tofu.
Olives – Chop about 1/3 a cup of sliced olives. Add towards the end of cooking, after mixing in the nutritional yeast.
Spinach – Add about 1 cup of chopped spinach towards the end of cooking, after mixing in the nutritional yeast. Cook until completely wilted.
Carrots – Grate half of an average sized carrot into the scramble towards the end of cooking. This is a great way to add color to the scramble.
Avocado – I almost always have avocado with my scramble. Just peel and slice it and serve on top.
Is there a way to reheat this well? Just made it for dinner but there is waaaay to much here for one guy to eat. Any tips on reheating tofu?
I have to admit I was very skeptical (I’m a new vegan and still learning after some unpleasant results with many things!)
My 1st attempt at scrambled tofu and I LOVED this! I was a little shy with the seasonings and spices but Thanks so much! Really enjoyed it!
Thank you 🙂
Great, welcome to the vegan world!
Being allergic to eggs since my teens, and missing having eating scrambled eggs when I was a kid, this receipt sounded like a great substitute. Made it, tried it and OMG…I am hooked. Yummm…thanks for giving a great alternative to eggs!
Thank God (or whoever) for scrambled tofu. Yes, I am one of those who just found out about it and I’m loving it! Discovering your cook book (the new one) in Bangkok taking it home to Berlin, I try out recipes every day now – and had to look up your website. With scrambled tofu on it. GREAT !
–> All of you guys, what do you think of soy sauce instead of all of Isa’s herbs as a cut off once in a while?
–> And: Do you know by any chance, how many calories this dish has? 🙂
THIS is RIDICULOUS. I made this as part of a NOT Huevos Rancheros…and the tofu scramble is SO FREAKING GOOD I am eating it by the spoonful without the other things I made to combine as a dish. It is SO GOOD. It is SOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOD. I love how the random combination of things can become so different and delicious. WOW. WOW!
I made this yesterday for a crepe roll up with mushrooms, potatoes, vegan sausage and a yummy vegan hollandaise sauce. It was SO GOOD! Thanks for the perfect recipe!
yup, that was super basic and super satisfying. Embarrassing that i’m just getting round to it now having been a vegan for 4 yrs
Coming from a former scrambled-egg-fiend: this recipe knocked my socks off. I ate half the pan myself. Thanks for sharing yet another perfect recipe, Isa!
Those are “SOY” GOOD! SInce ive been vegan i have stayed away from Soy for the most part. However, after many years I am starting to eat just a little, and these scrambles were PERFECT in a Hard Shell corn tortilla, greens from the garden, avocado, and homemade salsa.. THANKS for sharing!
With the Carribbean flavors coming from the cumin and turmeric, I’d suggest frying it in Coconut oil instead of Olive Oil
you can skip the oil and it comes out fine and a lot les calories, healthier too!
Just made your tofu scramble revisited, along with your Italian sausage with potatoes and asparagus. Absolutely delicious!!! Thank you for putting these recipes together for us.
Sounds like a great breakfast!
Perfection!! Thank you! Tonight I made it with chopped spinach and mushrooms, put it in a whole wheat torilla with salsa and black olives :o9.
Really great recipe! I made a sandwich on whole wheat toast with veganaise and sliced tomato. It was delicious! 🙂
came out a little strong. i would recommend cutting back on the salt and yeast by a third.
I made my first scramble from this recipe on Sunday. It’s excellent. ANd I love it cold. It really does evoke something eggy, which I’ve been missing desperately. Thanks for the lifeline!
Next I’ll try it with tabasco and fried potatoes to see how it holds up.
1 TBS vegetable oil (such as canola)
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp yellow mustard powder
1/16 tsp yellow food coloring (1 pinch)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper (2 pinches)
1/16 tsp red chilli powder (optional – 1 pinch)
400g firm tofu (drained)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 TBS soya cream
mix all ingredients except oil and cream in a bowl. heat oil. cook on a medium heat for 12-15 minutes, string completely every 2-3 minutes. Lower heat to low. Add cream. Cook for 1 minute. Serve.
I do not use cumin or turmeric as it makes “scramble eggs” taste like curried eggs.
I never tried tofu scramble because I thought I tried someone’s at a potluck and it was just bland. BUT, this recipe is awesome (I used black salt to give it a more ‘eggy’ taste)! I’ve eaten more than I should have in the past week. Wow. Thank you!
We reference this recipe guideline ALL the time. It is now our definite way of making a tofu scramble. This morning, I made a tofu scramble based off of this with roasted garlic (4-5 cloves) + onion, kale, spinach, bell peppers and mushrooms. It was OUT OF THIS WORLD delicious. Totally amazing. I ADORE this recipe and probably won’t ever bother to make a tofu scramble any other way. Ever.
Just made my first tofu scramble. Wow this is awesome can’t wait for my next morning off to have it again!
Yum, quite good.
This was the best scramble I’ve ever made. Thank you!!
Thank you once again for a fantastic recipe! This is going to be a new staple in my diet. It was my first time making a tofu scramble and I have no idea why I waited so long. Easy, quick, hearty, versatile, overall amazing!
This scramble looked at me naked…and called it’s friends..
I don’t know if I’ve commented on this scramble before, but I am absolutely obsessed with it.
I make it with onion, tomatos, black beans, red bell pepper, zucchini, and double the spice mix. Every time I make it, I can’t get over how delicious it is.
Today I went to my favorite vegan place (Green/Nami in Phoenix) and ordered their scramble. Isa, yours is so much more flavorful and tastey. Thank you for contributing to my culinary well-being!
I hadn’t thought of adding avocado to my tofu scrambles before. Sounds delish!
I’m usually weird about tofu and have a hard time with the texture but we tried this tonight and it was delicious! My 2 year old son loved it as well! Thank you for a yummy dinner! : )
It’s also good with little pieces of fried corn tortillas ( quarter size) jalapeño ( seeded) tomato and onion. It is like a vegan “Migas con huevos”