Simple Tofu Scramble

Over the past couple of years I’ve made friends with tofu. It used to seem like a strange and exotic ingredient to me, but it’s now something that appears in my refrigerator quite often and is usually easy to find in my local grocery stores too. I’ve also learned that one of the quickest ways to use tofu for a meal is to make a simple tofu scramble. At the time of this writing when the price of eggs is quite high, a tofu scramble recipe can be a way to save a few pennies too and still have a homemade scramble for a breakfast or brunch meal.

A skillet with a homemade tofu scramble

Ingredients For A Tofu Scramble

One thing to know about tofu is that it’s basically a blank slate with no real flavor of its own. So when used in a scramble like this, I simply use a variety of my pantry spices to add that flavor in. I’ve also learned that my tofu scramble, although it looks like scrambled eggs, won’t really taste like scrambled eggs. It will have the same consistency however, and so I would encourage you to embrace the new flavors of a tofu scramble instead of trying too hard to duplicate an egg taste.

Ingredients for a tofu scramble

I use either firm or extra firm tofu in my scramble. Then for my tofu scramble seasoning, I add in some Dijon mustard, garlic salt, onion powder, and dried dill. I also add in some Nutritional Yeast, an ingredient that’s a non-dairy way to add a cheese-like flavor. This ingredient has also become easier to find in local stores, and as you can see in the photo above, I often buy mine at Trader Joe’s. Finally (although not in the photo), I usually add in some turmeric and black pepper. The turmeric helps add color to the scramble as well.

Fresh ingredients for a tofu scramble

Then I see what bits of veggies I might have to add in to the tofu scramble. My favorites to add are mushrooms, green onion, and green pepper. I usually add in some sun dried tomatoes too (the type not packed in oil) and I like that they add some darker flecks to the mixture. I do about 1/4 cup or so of each type of veggie and it can be a nice way to use up odds and ends of fresh vegetables.

How To Make A Tofu Scramble

Now that your ingredients are gathered together, you can start making your scramble, and that begins by crumbling the tofu into a skillet.

Crumbling tofu into a skillet to make a scramble

Here’s another thing to like about this scramble – tofu is packed in water and it usually needs to be pressed to eliminate most of that moisture. But for our scramble, we want the tofu to be a bit moist, so no pressing is needed! Just drain off the excess water from the package of tofu, and then use your hands to crumble it into your skillet.

And then add all the other stuff. Yup, just start dumping the rest of the ingredients (the spices and veggies) into the skillet too, stirring things around a bit as you go.

Cooking tofu scramble on the stovetop

Once everything is mixed together, heat the mixture on the stovetop over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until heated through. It doesn’t take very long because you aren’t really “cooking” the ingredients, you’re simply getting everything heated up to a nice temperature.

And that’s it! This scramble is indeed simple and comes together faster than you think it might. Scoop some out for yourself and enjoy. Any leftovers can be easily reheated.

A plate of tofu scramble and berries

A Healthy Plant-Based Option Too!

In addition to being a quick and simple meal to stir together, a tofu scramble can be a handy idea if you’re looking to add more plant-based options to your diet or if you need to whip up something for someone else trying to stay plant-based compliant. I’ve been checking out plant-based cookbooks from my library and a tofu scramble is a common strategy I see in these books. My recipe here is what I came up with after being inspired by some of these cookbooks and wanting to make my own version of a tofu scramble with ingredients I usually had on hand.

Perhaps you’ll find this an inspiring option to try too!

A skillet of tofu scramble

Simple Tofu Scramble

If you've never used tofu before, this quick scramble is an easy way to give it a try. Simply crumble tofu into your skillet, season it with pantry ingredients and a few fresh veggies, and heat it through on the stove. It's a handy plant-based meal option that works any time of the day too!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Whole Food Plant Based
Keyword: Plant-Based, Scramble, Tofu
Yield: 4 servings
Author: Beverly

Ingredients:

  • 1 Block Firm or Extra Firm Tofu 14 to 16 oz size
  • 1 Tbl Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 Tbl Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tsp Garlic Salt
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • ½ tsp Dried Dill
  • ¼ tsp Turmeric
  • Sprinkle of Black Pepper

Optional Add-Ins

  • 1/4 cup each diced mushrooms, green pepper, green onion, and/or sun dried tomatoes

Instructions:

  • Drain the water from the package of tofu. Using your hands, crumble the tofu into a medium size skillet.
  • Add all the flavorings to the tofu in the skillet, as well as any fresh veggies that you are adding in, and mix everything together.
  • Heat on the stovetop over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until completely heated through. Serve immediately. Any leftovers will heat up well in the microwave.

Notes:

There is no need to press the tofu before making this scramble, and a little bit of extra moisture in the tofu can help keep this scramble from drying out.

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