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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Wow. That was so good. I went plant-based in January and I have not had eggs in almost four months now I guess – I followed your recipe to the letter and it was so amazing. Thank you
Kal
You’re welcome!
What if I don’t have powdered milk?
The recipe doesn’t call for powdered milk. But you can leave out the unsweetened milk if needed.
can i freeze this?
I’ve never tried freezing it, but I do think it would work. Thanks!
Can I use silken tofu instead of firm tofu?
Yes you can. It will have a little bit different texture but it will work.
The funny thing is I hate eggs but I loved this recipe! I subbed the turmeric for ground mustard and it gave it a wonderful flavor.
So glad you liked it!
Thank you for this! I’ve been craving eggs this week, so this was the perfect antidote. I did cook onions with it and then water sautéed some baby spinach to stir in, because I didn’t add the almond milk. Black salt added some eggy flavor. Wonderful!
I’m so glad you liked it!
Ive tried many tofu scramble recipes, and this is the most delicious and easy one. THANK YOU!!
You’re welcome!
Great flavors….i added Himalayan Black Salt for an extra “eggy” flavor, as well as finely chopped onions and bell peppers. Took it up a notch!!
Sounds great!
Really loved this scrambled tofu was missing scrambled eggs and I won’t miss them from now on . Great easy recipe ?
So glad you like it!
I just started eating plant-based this month. Made this today and loved them!! Thank you for sharing it!!!
You’re welcome!
WOW!!! I just had this for breakfast and was absolutely delighted! I’ve been eating vegan style for a couple of months now and really missed eating eggs. This dish tastes so much better than the scrambled eggs I used to make that there’s no comparison. I was blown away and I would go so far as to say that it was the best tofu dish I’ve made to date! THANK YOU! Moving forward I expect I will be having this tofu scramble frequently for breakfast, lunch and dinner!!!
You’re welcome! Thanks so much for the great comment!
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. This is the BEST recipe I’ve tried. I’ve made it several times and it now is my “go-to” recipe. I love it on avocado toast and my carnivore wife loves it also (very high praise for her).
I’ve been plant based for most of 15 years and cannot believe I have missed out on this until recently.
My only change is I use Himalayan Black Salt in place of the regular salt.
That’s wonderful to hear, Richard! Wow, 15 years plant based, that’s great!
Can this recipe be made without adding any milk?
Yes it can. If it seems too dry at the end of cooking, you can also add just a tiny bit of water. Thanks.
NEw to the tofu game but been a professional chef all my adult life. This recipe was a great jump off for me the only modification I made was letting the tofu pieces marinate fifteen minutes in the plant based milk, nooch, turmeric and black salt … your recipes have really helped transitioning to vegan cooking and eating a lot easier ….
Thank you, that is great to hear! I’m so glad you enjoyed the tofu scramble.
Another AMAZING recipe! I make it without the oil, and I don’t feel like it’s missed in the slightest. This has made its way into our weekly rotation in the form of breakfast burritos. I always know something’s a winner when even my picky eater will gobble it down. Thank you so much!!
You’re so welcome! I’m so glad you like it.
Yum!!! I added some black salt and the onions and garlic as you suggested. I love the way it felt and tasted. I’m a few years away from real eggs, but my guys thought it was very similar to real eggs.
I’m so glad it was delicious!
Amazing for breakfast burrito.
That sounds delicious!
An instant favourite, and a new addtion to my regular meal planning.
I like that the recipe can be changed up with different vegetables.
Easy, simple, fast and delicious!
Thanks so much! I’m so glad you like it.
Thank you thank you thank you! I have had a hard time breaking away from eggs….I’ve tried “Just eggs” and other tofu scrambles….didn’t love it. THIS recipe is awesome and will be a staple in my home! (I added cayenne because we love a little kick, but that’s the only change)
You’re so welcome! I’m glad you loved the recipe!
I made this on Christmas Eve morning for my husband. He didn’t even know it was tofu. I cook with cast iron pans, how can I cook this without oil and not have it stick to the pan?
Wow, I’m so happy to hear it went over well! It’s pretty hard in a cast iron pan to have it NOT stick without oil. It might be possible if you keep adding a little water here and there, and cooking at a lower heat. Or get a non-stick pan for easier oil free cooking. Thanks!
Thank you. I made it. Tasted pretty good. Will add more ingredients next time.
You’re welcome!
Never made this before. Do I drain the tofu before cooking it?
Yes, when you cut the package of tofu open, simply remove the block and get rid of the water. You don’t need to press the tofu or even pat it dry. The excess water will cook off.
Can you make this ahead for the week and refrigerate?
Yes, leftover tofu scramble keeps quite well for 2,3 maybe even 4 days.
Awesome recipe! Simple and tastes like real eggs! 5 stars
Thanks so much! Glad you loved it!
This is the best tofu scramble I’ve ever made or had! I modify it by using 1 Tablespoon of almond milk and 1 Tablespoon of soy sauce and omit the salt. It is so delicious! Sometimes I like to add a teaspoon of cumin. Yummy!
Also I add onion powder and pepper.?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!