The Best Tofu Scramble (Revisited)

This vegan scrambled tofu is the recipe I’ve been making longer than any other. Cumin, thyme, turmeric, garlic, nutritional yeast, and a block of extra-firm tofu torn into big pieces and cooked in a hot pan until the edges get crispy and golden. It’s the kind of recipe you memorize after making it twice and then never look up again.

I first scrambled tofu about 35 years ago and I still make it at least once a week. It changes with me. I went through a mushroom era, a broccoli era, a hardline anti-red-pepper stance that eventually softened. Lately I keep it simple. Garlic, spices, nutritional yeast, maybe some avocado on top. That’s it. The base recipe here is designed to be exactly that: a base. Learn it, then throw in whatever is in your fridge.

The key to a good scramble is not treating the tofu gently. You want big, torn pieces, not tiny crumbles. Break it apart with your hands, get it into a hot pan with oil, and then leave it alone long enough to actually brown. Use a thin metal spatula and scrape the bottom of the pan. That’s where the crispy stuff lives. Let the water cook out. If liquid is pooling at the bottom, turn the heat up and let it evaporate. You want the tofu dry and golden on at least one side before you add the spices.

The spice blend goes in as a slurry (mixed with a little water) so it coats everything evenly instead of clumping. Then the nutritional yeast goes in at the end for that savory, slightly cheesy quality that makes the whole thing come together.

Use it in breakfast burritos, on English muffins with hollandaise, in a little brunch bowl with kale and roasted veggies. I put a whole bunch of add-ins on the recipe, so go wild. 

A little backstory: This recipe is from my cookbook Vegan Brunch. It’s the basic scramble I always come back to, and it’s endlessly customizable. I’ve updated the recipe here for the site with a few small tweaks, but the spirit is the same — big pieces, good seasoning, don’t overthink it.

VEGAN TOFU SCRAMBLE FAQ

What kind of tofu should I use? Extra-firm, drained. You don’t need to press it, a lot of the moisture cooks out in the pan. Just drain the water from the package and you’re good.

Do I need to press the tofu? Nope. The 10 minutes of sautéing takes care of it. If water collects in the pan, just turn the heat up and let it evaporate.

How should I break up the tofu? I like nice big pieces torn apart by hand, not crumbled into tiny bits. You’ll break it up more as you stir, but you want some texture, not mush. This isn’t hummus.

What does turmeric do? It gives the scramble that golden yellow color. It doesn’t add a ton of flavor at this amount, but the color makes it look like eggs and that matters more than you’d think.

Can I skip the nutritional yeast? You can, but the scramble will taste a little flat. Nutritional yeast gives it that savory, slightly cheesy depth. If you’ve never used it, this is a great recipe to start with.

What’s the best pan to use? A large heavy-bottomed pan — cast iron is ideal. You want good heat distribution so the tofu actually browns instead of steaming. Use a thin metal spatula to scrape the bottom; that’s where the crispy, golden stuff lives.

Can I make this ahead of time? Yes! It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the fridge and reheats well in a pan. It’s actually one of the best meal prep breakfasts out there. Leftovers are great in burritos, sandwiches, or stuffed into peppers.

Can I add cheese? Sure, toss some shredded vegan cheese in during the last minute of cooking and let it melt. It’s not necessary though, the nooch does a lot of work.

What should I serve this with? Hash browns, toast, avocado slices, hot sauce — the classics. Breakfast burritos with salsa and guacamole are hard to beat.

Is tofu scramble good for meal prep? It’s one of the best. Make a big batch on Sunday, store it in the fridge, and reheat portions throughout the week. Wrap it in tortillas, pile it on toast, or just eat it straight from the container. 

The Best Tofu Scramble

Isa Chandra

A simple, customizable vegan tofu scramble with cumin, thyme, turmeric, garlic, and nutritional yeast. Ready in 15 minutes and endlessly adaptable.

5 from 8 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

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 lb extra-firm tofu drained
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• Fresh black pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• 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 pan. 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.

Keyword Scramble

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