If you miss scrambled eggs, this Tofu Scramble Recipe is for you! An easy vegan breakfast staple made with just 7 ingredients in 10 minutes.
If you’re looking for more breakfast tofu recipes, check out my Fried Vegan Eggs, Vegan Breakfast Burritos, and Tofu Cream Cheese while you’re here.
I used to love eating scrambled eggs as a kid. That is, until I actually learned what eggs were and where they came from… My relationship with eggs was officially tainted forever.
The joy I felt eating scrambled eggs is something I still miss, which is where this Easy Tofu Scramble comes in. It’s a vegan egg recipe that really hits the spot. Slightly creamy and jammy with some seriously delicious eggy flavors, it’s as close to real scrambled eggs as it gets!
And as the best tofu scramble recipe ever, it only takes 10 minutes to cook a batch in one pan. The ingredients are simple and likely already in your kitchen, too! I highly recommend doubling the recipe so you have enough for yourself, the kids, and leftovers for a few days after.
Why this is the best breakfast tofu scramble ever
- A vegan breakfast staple – A protein-packed plate of tofu scramble is always the perfect way to start the day, whether it’s a weekday or weekend morning.
- A nostalgic “eggy” flavor – The secret’s out… Black salt (kala namak) is the secret ingredient that gives the crumbled and seasoned tofu its eggy, sulfur-like flavor. If you’re like me, each bite will have you reminiscing about the plates of scrambled eggs you loved eating as a kid.
- Really quick and easy – 7 ingredients, 10 minutes, and 1 pan. That’s all this easy breakfast recipe takes!
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Olive oil or other oil/vegan butter
- Tofu – Use firm or extra-firm tofu. The amount of water in a brick of soft or medium tofu will take too long to cook off.
- Nutritional yeast – A cheesy and salty seasoning that gives the tofu scramble a delicious umami flavor. Try not to skip it if you can help it!
- Black salt – AKA kala namak. It’s a sulfur-tasting salt that gives vegan egg recipes a similar flavor to real eggs. You can substitute it with regular table salt or sea salt if you don’t have it on hand.
- Turmeric – For a golden “egg yolk” color. Feel free to omit the turmeric if you don’t have any on hand. The nutritional yeast will still give the scramble a yellow-ish color.
- Garlic powder
- Non-dairy milk – Any unsweetened and unflavored non-dairy milk will work! Better yet, stir in a little cashew cream.
How to make tofu scramble
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, mash the block of tofu in the pan with a potato masher or fork, or crumble it over the pan with your hands.
Cook the tofu, stirring often, until the excess water has evaporated.
Sprinkle the nutritional yeast, black salt, turmeric, and garlic powder over the tofu. Cook and stir the seasoned tofu for 5 minutes.
Pour the milk into the pan and stir to mix.
Serve the warm tofu scramble on plates with sliced avocado, toast, berries, and your other favorite breakfast items. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
I prefer to use firm tofu but extra-firm tofu will work just as well. No need to press the block ahead of time! The water cooks out really quickly.
You should be able to find black salt at specialty grocery stores or buy it online. It comes in handy when you need to replicate classic eggy flavors in vegan egg recipes, like this tofu scramble recipe, my Vegan Egg Salad, or a JUST Egg Omelette.
You can easily turn this basic tofu scramble into a colorful breakfast by playing around with different vegetables! There are so many you can add, like:
Vegetables you can sauté in the pan a few minutes before adding the tofu are 1/4 cup diced onion, minced garlic cloves, or a diced bell pepper.
Vegetables to add after the milk is added are fresh spinach or kale, small broccoli florets, or diced or sliced tomatoes.
Other than vegetables, you can also add crumbled vegan bacon, a sliced Italian vegan sausage, or half a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas or black beans at the end to make the scramble even heartier.
I love to serve this basic tofu scramble with sliced avocado, hot sauce, toast, and fresh fruit. It also goes well with sliced tomatoes, fruit salad, breakfast potatoes, and your other favorite vegan breakfast recipes.
The leftover tofu scramble will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. Double the recipe and store the extras in individual containers for easy grab-and-reheat meals to enjoy for meal prep!
The Best Tofu Scramble
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- (1) 14.5-ounce block firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon kala namak (black salt) or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk, unsweetened and unflavored
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat (I prefer a cast iron pan, or non-stick). Mash the block of tofu right in the pan, with a potato masher or a fork. You can also crumble it into the pan with your hands. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes until the water from the tofu is mostly gone.
- Now add the nutritional yeast, salt, turmeric and garlic powder. Cook and stir constantly for about 5 minutes. Continue to cook for longer, not stirring for a few minutes at a time, until golden spots form on some of the tofu. This is a personal preference but I prefer some golden spots and a longer cook time.
- Pour the non-dairy milk into the pan, and stir to mix. Serve immediately with sliced avocado, hot sauce, parsley, steamed kale, toast or any other breakfast item.
Video
Notes
- Tofu Scramble is also good with all sorts of vegetables mixed in. Vegetables to add before the tofu: 1/4 cup diced onion or a few cloves of minced garlic. Saute in the oil for 2-3 minutes before adding and mashing the tofu. Vegetables to add towards the end: fresh spinach, kale, thin sliced red peppers, small chopped broccoli or fresh sliced/diced tomatoes. Add these after you’ve added the milk to the tofu, and cook for just a few minutes.
- Omit oil if desired to make the tofu scramble oil free.
- You can use any kind of non-dairy milk you like, such as soy, almond, cashew, oat or coconut milk. Just make sure it is unsweetened and unflavored. Cashew cream makes it extra creamy and delicious!
Nutrition
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Just made this for breakfast and it is amazing! Added some fresh spinach and red onions, I’ve never been successful with tofu until today
I’m so glad you have now had a positive tofu cooking experience! Thank you for sharing your review and wonderful feedback. I’m glad that you love the scramble! Wishing you happy cooking!
Thank you I tried and it’s amazing! Good bye to eggs forever!
Easy and delicious! I topped it off with plant-based parmesan cheese…yummy!
Thanks
Hi Deb. I’m so glad that you loved the scramble! Thank you for sharing your review and feedback!
Perfect as is without even adding anything extra. I used freshly grated turmeric. So fast and easy, thanks!
I’ve been a lil scared to try this, but I finally did. I really like it. i used black salt. I will try with veggies next time, but I wanted to try it on it’s own. My 14 yo very hesitantly tried a tiny bite, loved it, and took a big scoop! Love your recipes!
Thank you so much for using my recipes, and I’m glad you are enjoying them (as well as your 14 yo)! I appreciate you taking your time to share your wonderful review and feedback!
I thought the nooch in this was really overpowering, and I couldn’t get more than a few bites into this. 🙁 most of it went into the trash. Everyone seems to like this but I just wanted to add my view.
Hey Nora what can I replace milk with?
You can leave it out if you need to!
Super good! I made this once with silken firm tofu and once with regular firm tofu and if I could just combine the two tofus, that probs would make the best texture. Lol. Love it though! Great spice ratio and cooking instructions
I’m thrilled you are loving the scramble! Thank you for sharing your feedback and review! Happy cooking!
Every single recipe I’ve tried from this blog has been amazing, and this one was no different.
My non-vegan taste-testers loved it too!
Thanks, Kat, for your wonderful feedback! I’m glad you are loving my recipes! Happy cooking!
This was my first tofu scramble and I have to say it was very good. I would totally make this again.
I love your recipes. I just made this and it was great by itself. I added Trader Joe’s soy chorizo. As others have commented, it will go well with veggies or greens. I like the leftovers that I can warm up. Thank you so much, Nora!
You are welcome! I’m so glad you are loving the scramble! I love all the different mix-ins that go well with this recipe! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback!
Really good (and easy). Husband loved. I sauteed some onions and plant sausage in the pan then pushed to side and cooked the tofu later incorporating.
TY!
You are welcome! I’m glad you love the scramble! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback!
Delicious! I served with a potato hash and peppers and it was a hit, thank you!
You are welcome! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Love this quick and easy recipe! Mashing the tofu in the pan is genius and such a time saver. This has definitely become a staple breakfast in our house.
Thanks for your wonderful feedback and review! I’m so glad you love the tips and the recipe! Happy cooking!
Can I just say lovely recipe but , depending on the consistency you like your scrambled tofu . I much rather like to use silken instead of firm , although I recommend breaking into small chunks and placing on some kitchen roll.
Thanks for the recipe.
I used to love my scrambled eggs soft and creamy. It’s there any way to get that creaminess with tofu? I
I added veggie broth and cooked it a little before I added nut milk and cooked it more. I also added vegan butter and it helped with creaminess.
Terrific! I only added half the salt and thought it was enough. But that’s up to you. Very yummy otherwise.
Hi Nora – Have just made this for the first time and it was excellent! What I did add that wasn’t in the recipe was kala namak (also called Himalayan Black Salt) you can easily get in in international shops. It’s got a really high level of sulfur and just a tiny bit gives the tofu a really ‘eggy’ taste/smell.
I don’t know if I’ve left a review before but I feel I should because I make this all the time. I owe you a big thanks! This is my favorite way to cook tofu and it sparked my love of nutritional yeast. I add a little bit of paprika and onion powder and I always cook it with mushrooms (10/10 would recommend!) and add sprouts on top when I have them. I love reading these comments and seeing how everyone puts their own spin on it– feeling very inspired!
I’m two months in to the vegan lifestyle and this was delicious! We get a bad craving for eggs and this hits the spot. I add potatoes to the scramble. It’s now a weekend staple in my household. Yum!
Hi Christine. I’m so glad you love the tofu scramble, and it’s part of your weekly meal rotation! Thank you for taking time to share your wonderful review and comments!
Made this an hour ago! I always loved tofu scramble but this one really is the best!
I absolutely LOVE this recipe and make this every week! My 4 year old grandson is highly allergic to eggs, so I am going to make it for him as your son loves it 🙂
I am so glad you love the recipe! I hope your grandson will love it as well! Thank you for sharing your fantastic review and comments! Happy cooking!
I have been a vegetarian for almost 3 years now. One thing I really missed was scrambled eggs. I’ve tried different store bought vegan eggs and it’s just not the same at all, and they just don’t taste very good. This is the closest recipe I have found and they taste amazing! Love this recipe so much! It is really delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Hi Kim. You are welcome! I am really glad you love the recipe! Thank you for taking time to share your fantastic review and comments!
My daughter and I recently found out we have a sensitivity to eggs (I’m not surprised but just dealt with it forever) so we’re trying to avoid them where possible. I have avoided tofu for most of my life so am just learning how to cook it and found this recipe after having scrambled tofu at a restaurant. These are EXCELLENT.
I used margarine instead of olive oil but will try that the next time. The nutritional yeast adds a cheese flavor and the turmeric and garlic add an undertone that helps this really taste like eggs! I wondered about the milk but it gave it that creaminess right at the end. The only downside is that apparently my daughter never really liked the taste of scrambled eggs – which I didn’t know – so we’ll use them in a breakfast burrito with beans for her so the flavors blend. This is going to be a big plus for me since the protein is high, the calories low and I won’t feel deprived of a favorite breakfast food. I’m now wondering if I can somehow form it into a patty to use on a breakfast muffin. Thank you!
Hi Sue! I’m so glad that the scramble fits the ticket for you and your daughter! I’m sure the scramble will make wonderful burritos! Thank you for taking time to share your wonderful review and comments! Happy cooking!
Made this dish this morning – OMG, soooo good!!!! Served with a slice of rye toast and a bowl of grapefruit – the perfect power breakfast!!! Thanks for sharing!
Your breakfast sounds delicious! Thank you for taking time to share your wonderful review and comments!