Vegan Breakfast Recipes: Best Tofu Scramble Recipe

For folks that are new to or experimenting with plant-based eating, cooking without animal products like eggs and dairy can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Finding delicious veggie alternatives to non-vegan counterparts will leave you feeling satisfied and fulfilled when you’re eating, of course, but also throughout the whole cooking process as well. Tofu scramble is one great example of a way to replace a breakfast classic—scrambled eggs—by replacing the eggs with tofu. We have to think of tofu as a blank canvas when we’re cooking with it. In any situation, tofu will soak up any flavorings that you add to it. So, if we’re going to make a tofu scramble, we must find ingredients that mimic the texture, mouthfeel, and taste of eggs if we want to achieve similarity. My particular technique is pretty simple, and I’m convinced that anyone can do it: I like to add in flavor to my scramble before cooking it. I used to flavor my scrambles in the pan as they cooked, but I’ve since switched my method. Everyone has their own recipe, but I swear by mine. Select an extra-firm tofu at the grocery store for the best results. Some packages will say “super firm.” Just get the firmest tofu you possibly can, and make sure it’s not silken! Grocery stores will sell extra-firm silken tofu, and that is NOT what you want. Plain old extra firm is where it’s at.

Vegan Breakfast Recipes: Best Tofu Scramble Ever

Vegan Breakfast Recipes: Best Tofu Scramble Recipe

Recipe Type: Breakfast

YIELDS 2 servings

PREP TIME 05 min

COOK TIME 10 min

TOTAL TIME 15 min

1 block extra firm tofu
1/4 cup vegan mayo (I like Vegenaise brand)
1 tbsp miso paste (white is nice and mellow, use red for more robust flavor)
6 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp black pepper
2 tsp black salt
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil (for the pan)

1 block extra firm tofu
1/4 cup vegan mayo (I like Vegenaise brand)
1 tbsp miso paste (white is nice and mellow, use red for more robust flavor)
6 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp black pepper
2 tsp black salt
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil (for the pan)

Directions

1. Start by pressing your tofu. You want to get as much water out as possible. You can use some paper towels or a clean dish towel. After it has been pressed, crumble the entire pack of tofu into a mixing bowl.
2. Then add the rest of the ingredients into the bowl and mix well. I’m sure you’re thinking, “why the hell would I ever want to put mayo and miso into my scramble?!” Trust me, by the time you’ve eaten this, you’ll be thanking me that you did. The vegan mayo adds an extra layer of creaminess to the scramble because of its fat content, which adds flavor while also mimicking the texture of eggs. The miso adds yet again more flavor, but this time with savoriness (that umami that I mentioned earlier.) This will give your scramble that extra layer of depth that you’re looking for. Same with the black salt, whose sulfur content adds an eggy taste. Add black pepper for more flavor, turmeric for color, and lemon juice for tartness. Mash all of these ingredients together.
3. Transfer to a preheated pan with a thin layer of olive oil. Cook until lightly browned, and voila, the best darn tofu scramble you’ve ever had.

*Feel free to sauté up some veggies in the pan before you throw in your scramble, or maybe even some veggie bacon or soy sausage to go with it. Instant brunch classic!

*If you’re a vegan who is maybe a little too soy-ed out and looking for alternatives, try chickpeas instead of tofu. I’ve recently been replacing a block of tofu with a can of chickpeas and making chickpea scramble breakfast for two. Just drain the water out of the can, rinse the chickpeas, and mash like you would the tofu. Add in the rest of the ingredients above. Delicious results will ensue. You really can’t go wrong either way. Try both out and see what you prefer. Oh, and definitely serve your scramble with home fries. No way around it.

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Photo: Maddy Strassler