Servings

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

5 from 5 votes

This easy Tofu Scramble Recipe is the best vegan breakfast around. A delicious, protein-packed alternative to scrambled eggs, scrambled tofu can be eaten as is or added to a wrap or breakfast burrito.

a white plate of tofu scramble with toast, eggs, and avocado on the side

Breakfast is kind of a big deal

As a nutritionist, I'm always on the hunt for recipes that have staying power. You know, the kind of thing that will actually keep you satisfied throughout your morning? Something that's fast, easy, soul-satisfying, AND jammed full of good nutrition.

Friends, this simple Tofu Scramble is one of those recipes. It also gets bonus points for being vegan, naturally gluten free, and incredibly delicious. Made in under 20 minutes with a handful of easily found ingredients, scrambled tofu may just become one of your new favorite vegan breakfast recipes, too.

The protein content of tofu can vary from brand to brand, but if we compare a 100-gram serving of firm tofu, which contains 14.2 grams of protein, with 100 grams of whole egg, which contains 13 grams of protein, they are pretty darn close.

Tofu Scramble also makes a great vegan alternative to the scrambled eggs in these Vegetarian Breakfast Burritos - add your favourite dairy-free cheese to bring it home. It's also great in a Breakfast Bowl, alongside a batch of crispy potato wedges with a puddle of spicy black beans on the side, or together with some oat flour waffles.

Ok, is it breakfast time yet?! I'm hungry!

💬 Check out what one of my recipe testers had to say:
For someone who loves eggs, tofu scramble was something I was really unsure that I’d like but I’m always keen to try anything – it was delicious! I really liked the flavour, the spices and also the texture is very reminiscent of scrambled eggs. Great recipe.

tofu, onion, turmeric, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, oil, garlic on a marbled background

Let's make Tofu Scramble together!

There are of course instructions detailed in the recipe card at the end of this post, with the ingredients listed at each step. Here we'll walk through it step by step, with photos.

Step 1: crumble your tofu

I just use my hands and tear it apart. Get in there and crumble/mush it up until you've got bits and pieces roughly the size of scrambled eggs.

Step 2: sauté

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in heavy bottomed skillet, and sauté your chopped onion until it starts to become translucent - this should take you about 5 minutes.

onions and garlic being sauteed in a pan with a wooden spoon

Add your crumbled tofu to the pan, along with the garlic. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the tofu is heated through and has started to brown.

onions, garlic, and crumbled tofu being sauteed in a frying pan with a wooden spoon.

Step 3: season

Now you're going to add the nutritional yeast, turmeric, cumin, salt, and pepper. Give it a good stir, taste, and adjust the seasonings if needed. It should both taste and smell amazing at this point!

scrambled tofu with turmeric in a black frying pan being sauteed with a wooden spoon

Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until it’s translucent, stirring frequently.

Stir in the diced pepper and zucchini. Sauté for 3-5 minutes more, or until the vegetables are heated through. Add the corn, stir in the salt and spices, and remove the pan from the heat.

Step 4: serve!

I love to serve the scrambled tofu hot out of the pan, with hot, buttery toast (use vegan butter if you like), some diced tomato, sliced avocado, and a sprinkle of green onion. It's, so, so good. If you like a bit of heat, add your favourite hot sauce or pico de gallo!

tofu scramble in a black frying pan with a wooden spoon to the side

Tips for the Best Tofu Scramble

Although making scrambled tofu is a super simple recipe, there are a few things you can do to ensure the very best results.

Choose the right tofu

This recipe is best made with either firm or extra firm tofu that you crumble up with your hands. Avoid medium, soft, or silken tofu as the texture won't be right.

Use a large skillet

For the best results, the tofu needs space! If it's too crowded in a small pan, the tofu and onions will steam rather than browning and cooking through. I use a 12-inch non-stick skillet for this recipe.

Season well

Don't be shy with the seasonings in this tofu scramble recipe! Plain tofu has a fairly bland flavor, and we're building in lots of flavour with the nutritional yeast, turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper. The great thing about this recipe is that it's completely vegan, so it's safe to taste as you cook and adjust the seasonings to your personal preference.

Change up the seasonings

The world is your scrambled tofu oyster! Feel free to mix up the seasonings according to your personal preference. I love adding a bunch of spinach or other veggies to the pan before adding the tofu to bump up my daily greens. Or go for a southwest tofu scramble with peppers, corn, beans, and a handful of cilantro. For an extra eggy flavor, people swear by adding black salt (also known as kala namak) to their tofu scramble.

scrambled tofu on a white plate with tomatoes and avocado on the side

tofu scramble on a white plate with toast, tomatoes, and avocado slices to the slide

Print Pin

5 from 5 votes

15-Minute Tofu Scramble Recipe

This easy Tofu Scramble Recipe is the best vegan breakfast around. A perfect alternative to scrambled eggs, scrambled tofu can be eaten as is or added to a wrap or breakfast burrito.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword scrambled tofu, tofu scramble

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 171kcal

Author Katie Trant

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion diced
1 clove garlic minced
14 oz firm tofu crumbled
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Use your clean hands to crumble the tofu into a large bowl.
14 oz firm tofu
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Add the onion, and sauté until the onion has just become translucent, about 5 minutes.
1 small yellow onion
Add the garlic and the tofu, and continue to sauté for 5-10 minutes more until the tofu is heated through and beginning to brown.
1 clove garlic, 14 oz firm tofu
Add the nutritional yeast, salt, cumin, turmeric, and black pepper, and stir to combine well. Continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Remove from the heat.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Nutrition values are an estimate only

Nutrition

Other recipes you might enjoy

You'll find plenty of vegan breakfast ideas in our archive of breakfast recipes. Here's a few we thought you might like:

Vegan Banana Waffles
How to Bake Crispy Tofu
Vegetarian Breakfast Sandwich
Spelt Flour Pancakes
Vegetarian Frittata with Corn and Tomatoes
Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole with Swiss Chard and Gruyere

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