Amazing Tofu Scramble

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On weekends, this amazing Tofu Breakfast Scramble is one of our favorite vegan breakfast options that we eat on a regular basis. It’s easy to make, filling, and delicious!

breakfast tofu scramble in cast iron pan on tabletop

We love to eat this tofu scramble recipe in so many variations. Sometimes it’s served with smoked tempeh bacon, and other times we pile it on toast and eat as an eggless scramble sandwich. There are unlimited options to choose from, because this vegan breakfast scramble rules!

This tofu scramble is so great because it’s

  • Hearty
  • Satisfying
  • Savory
  • Packed with veggies
  • Healthy
  • Easy to make
  • Simple & delicious

How to make tofu breakfast scramble

The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.

Freezing the tofu ahead of time and allowing it to thaw gives it a much firmer texture that is great for crumbling or even for skewering with kabobs. Watch the 5-minute video to see how it changes the texture and firmness.

block of tofu with three chunks in front and mint leaf, chopstick on side

Drain water from tofu and gently squeeze water out over a bowl or sink. Crumble tofu into a bowl and set aside.

Dice mushrooms, onions, and bell pepper. Any color–red, yellow, orange, green–can be used. Sometimes I even use diced cherry tomatoes instead.

diced onions on cutting board

In a frying pan, saute onion, red pepper, and mushrooms in approximately 2 Tbsp. veggie broth or water for approximately 3-4 minutes.

I am often asked about which nonstick pan I use, and my favorite is the 12″ Stone Earth Ozeri Fry Pan. There are actually two of them in my kitchen, and I use them daily.

Add the crumbled tofu to the pan with veggies.

Add turmeric, nutritional yeast, Bragg’s aminos, and tofu. Sauté for about 3 minutes. If additional liquid is needed, use another 1-3 Tbsp. of veggie broth.

If using cherry tomatoes instead of red bell pepper, add tomatoes now. They don’t require any sauteing as pepper does.

Add baby spinach, cover the pan with a lid, and allow leaves to wilt, approximately 2 minutes

Remove from heat and serve with toast, grits, or fruit. Tofu Scramble is a great breakfast to pair with my Smoked Tempeh Bacon.

tempeh bacon in non stick pan on white background

Plant-based vegan sausage makes a great addition when serving this for breakfast. It is one of the many products that I like to order from MamaSezz meal delivery service. It comes ready to heat and eat, and it can also be frozen.

How long do the leftovers last?

The leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7-10 days and reheat extremely well. We love to make breakfast scramble sandwiches with my low-fat mayo, smoked tempeh bacon, fresh spinach leaves, and mustard.

Tofu Scramble Burritos

Sometimes we even wrap this tofu breakfast scramble up in a tortilla for a healthy Breakfast Burrito. It’s a quick and easy breakfast that is so much better than the greasy fast food drive-through breakfast burritos!

breakfast burritos with tofu scramble
Breakfast Burrito are a great option with this Breakfast Scramble.

Tips & suggestions

  • Storage- Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 10 days in an airtight container
  • Reheats- This dish reheats very well in the microwave in just a few seconds.
  • Tofu type- Use the firm or extra firm tofu for best results.
  • Freezing- If you freeze the tofu before cooking makes the texture even better.

*Originally published September 07, 2016.

Freezing tofu makes it easy to press with hands

Freezing the tofu ahead of time and allowing it to thaw gives it a much firmer texture that is great for crumbling in this recipe or even for skewering for grilling Veggie Kabob.

Just bring the plastic tub of tofu home from the grocery store and place it in the freezer. Allow it to freeze for at least a week or more. When you’re ready to use it, simply defrost and squeeze the water out with your hands. No need for a tofu press! It’ll be ready to use in the breakfast scramble or other recipes.

vegan tofu scramble in black pan
Vegan tofu scramble is easy to make and loaded with phytonutrients.

Defrosting frozen tofu tips

There are a few different options for defrosting.

Transfer from freezer to refrigerator and allow it to defrost. This will take up to 48 hours.

Place frozen tofu on the countertop and let it thaw for a couple of hours.

Remove tofu from the plastic tub and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Defrost in the microwave on defrost setting.

Submerge in a large bowl of hot water. If you are in a big hurry, you’ll want to dump the water after about 15 minutes and refill with more hot water. This is the quickest method for defrosting without a microwave.

Watch the 5-minute video to see for yourself how freezing ahead of time changes the texture and firmness of tofu and makes it perfect for tofu scramble.

Other variations for this tofu scramble

  • Potato and Spinach Scramble: 1 Yukon gold potato and spinach
  • Thai Red Curry Scramble: 1 tbsp. red curry paste, the juice from 1 lime
  • Basil Tomato Scramble: 1 large chopped tomato, 8-10 diced basil leaves, freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

This breakfast scramble is the ultimate, healthy breakfast powerhouse! Your arteries will thank you!

The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.

vegan breakfast scramble

Is soy good for you?

Some people are not too sure about tofu, because it contains phytoestrogens. Turns out, phytoestrogens are very health-promoting and are not at all like our body’s natural estrogen which can cause harm and lead to disease.

This makes so much sense, because the countries that consume the most soy, such as Japan and China, have the lowest rates of cancer and chronic disease. This short video explains the benefits of soy.

Recipe adapted from Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Other great vegan breakfast recipes

For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.

If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!

tofu scramble
4.75 from 20 votes

Amazing Tofu Scramble

This is the ultimate, healthy breakfast powerhouse! Your arteries will thank you! Watch our 5-minute cooking demo of this recipe above.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients 

  • 1 package extra firm tofu
  • veggie broth for sauteing
  • 1/2 cup onion diced
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper diced
  • 1 cup mushrooms diced (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
  • 1 tablespoon liquid aminos or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1 handful spinach leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt optional

Instructions

  • NOTE: Freezing the tofu ahead of time and allowing it to thaw gives it a much firmer texture that is great for crumbling or even for skewering with kabobs. Watch the 5-minute video to see how it changes the texture and firmness.
  • Drain water from tofu and press for at least 30 minutes to remove the water. Crumble the tofuinto a bowl and set aside.
  • Dice the mushrooms, onions, and bell pepper. Any color--red, yellow, orange, green--can be used. Sometimes I even use diced cherry tomatoes instead.
  • In a non-stick frying pan, sauté onion, red pepper, and mushrooms in approximately 2 tablespoons of veggie broth or water for approximately 3-4 minutes. Add more veggie broth 1 tablespoon at a time if needed to prevent sticking.
  • Add the crumbed tofu to pan with veggies.
  • Add turmeric, nutritional yeast, aminos, and tofu. Sauté for about 3 minutes. If additional liquid is needed, use another 1-3 tablespoons of veggie broth.
  • Toss in the baby spinach, cover pan with lid, and allow leaves to wilt, approximately 2 minutes
  • Remove from heat and serve with toast, grits, fruit, or in a wrap.

Video

Notes

Tips & suggestions
  • Storage- Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 10 days in an airtight container
  • Reheats- This dish reheats very well in the microwave in just a few seconds.
  • Tofu type- Use the firm or extra firm tofu for best results.
  • Freezing- If you freeze the tofu before cooking makes the texture even better.

Nutrition

Calories: 87kcal | Protein: 7g | Fat: 2g | Fiber: 3g

Disclaimer

To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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About Terri Edwards

Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy.  I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…

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22 Comments

    1. Thank you! There were some major issues that cropped up while I was filming this particular video–camera fell from the stand 4 times during filming and camera’s battery gave out and I didn’t know it during one section. It was very challenging to say the least! You may have noticed that the part where you add spinach leaves is completely left out and has a still picture with instructions instead. That’s when the battery gave out and I didn’t know it, so kept on talking and cooking completely unaware. LOL! All in all, I made it work. And I purchased some new equipment to help with the next videos too. 😀

    1. Denise, absolutely, please feel free to post this recipe. I will work on getting you some more recipes. Are you looking for any particular category for Plant-Based Nutrition Support Group?

    1. Holly, the mushrooms can be left out completely, or you could just add any other favorite veggies like bell pepper, broccoli, really anything.

  1. Love this with cherry tomatoes sautéed with the veggies & a tsp of steak seasoning tossed in!!! We eat it for supper in our regular menu rotation it’s such a favorite!!! ?

  2. Very easy, delicious recipe! This has become my new favorite breakfast for dinner! I change up the veggies based on what I have on hand and add salsa and usually sriracha to it!

    1. LOVE hearing this! We like to have breakfast for dinner some nights too. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!

  3. I froze my tofu and it actually made it more crumbly not firmer. Perhaps it’s the brand? I went to squeeze it and crumbled all over my sink in a big mess! I had it frozen for at least a week.

    1. I’m not sure about that. Perhaps next time, try freezing it longer, at least a couple of weeks.

  4. I’ve been WFPB for over 2 yrs. but I’m still afraid of tofu because I’ve never eaten it. I’ve got 2 blocks in my freezer just waiting to be used, so I was especially glad to see this recipe and video showing what to do with it. And since it keeps in the fridge I might just make this right now to be ready for breakfast in the morning. Perfect timing too, because I’m tired of my usual oatmeal and was wondering what to have instead. Thanks for the video and recipe.

  5. I love your no-nonsense recipes, and tried the tofu scramble this morning. It is very good but has a bitter after-taste….is that the tofu, the turmeric…?

    1. Hi Lauri- I’m not sure why it would have a bitter taste…it shouldn’t. Were you able to season it with the suggested spices? Which vegetables did you use? Any substitutions of veggies or spices? Perhaps try reducing the amount of turmeric to see if that helps.

  6. Made according to recipe (except for using 1 tsp of turmeric instead of two) and really loved it! I had no idea tofu could be frozen and used this way, so I learned something as well. Very easy to make, healthy, delicious! Video was also helpful. Thanks for another great recipe!

  7. So delicious! Thanks for posting this and your other yummy recipes here!

    I’ve made this several times, and it’s a staple for me as well!

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