10 minutes, 1 skillet, and bursting with flavour! This quick and easy tofu breakfast scramble is:
Soft
Warm
“Cheesy”
Easily Customizable
And Just So Satisfying With Crunchy Buttery Toast
Would you have thought it possible to make a scramble that satisfies the scramble desire while being even thriftier than your classic egg version? Nuh uh. Well! Take a look at this:
- At least comparable but often thriftier than your standard egg scramble
- No sticky, burny, eggy mess on your nice pans
- AND…
- Super tasty, packed with protein, with no time added!
Why Tofu
Wait, wait! Yuck right? Bland, boring, weird block of coagulated soy?
Yes, all are true! But, tofu requires a little learning curve to discover its power! The first time I used tofu, I bought the wrong kind, it crumbled into nothingness, and added no flavour.
Just like chicken being pretty bland without any seasoning, tofu just needs a bit of seasoning love and it absorbs all that flavour and colour!
The Egg Flavour
Well, I’m not going to tell you it tastes exactly like egg BUT, when spiced, it’s full of tasty flavour and close enough in look and texture to satisfy the scramble desire!
Ground Turmeric is the secret to the yellow colour.
And Indian black salt or kala namak gives an unmistakable “egginess”.
I made this tofu scramble for a couple of years without adding black salt and with just sea salt, some black pepper, maybe some chilli powder or cayenne for kick, this scramble did it for me!
Black salt is an Indian volcanic rock salt also known as Himalayan black salt or Kala Namak. It has a potent sulphurous smell which is responsible for it being reminiscent of eggs.
Some people swear by black salt, saying it tastes like eggs and it’s a game changer. For me, it smells like eggs. Oh yes, does it ever! But, I really don’t find that the “egginess” transfers to the taste.
Bryan agrees and we haven’t sampled beyond our little twosome. Perhaps it’s like cilantro, where to some, it tastes herby and wonderful and to others, it tastes like soap. Thankfully I’m on the herby and wonderful side of the cilantro argument!
Black salt certainly won’t taste bad, at least I haven’t heard any reports of the like, but I don’t find it changes the flavour enough to make it an absolute must in your pantry.
Considering its low cost (the 350g tub we have cost us CAD $1.99 and the ½ teaspoon in this recipe adds $0.02) for the drama of the smell, I say go for it! It will likely be pricey online though, so I suggest trying to find it at an Asian grocer or specialty store.
What Tofu Is Best
Tofu is soy milk, made from soy beans, that has been coagulated and pressed into a block (similar to how cheese is made). It’s available with varying amounts of water which changes how soft the tofu is.
- Firm or Extra Firm: Very little water. Great for when you want the tofu to keep its shape. Think stir fry’s, pad thai, tofu steaks.
- Medium Firm: A little more water. Often requires pressing out some of the water to help it hold together. Works nicely in this recipe for crumbling.
- Soft or Silken: Lots of water. Very soft, silky texture. Perfect for blending and making sauces, dips or a quiche substitute like our savoury breakfast pie.
For some more info about tofu, this healthline article, “What Is Tofu, And Is It Good For You” has great information.
Pressing Tofu
The simplest way, requiring no additional tools, is to wrap your tofu in a clean dishtowel, lay it on a flat surface, and place something heavy on top. A heavy casserole dish or a full kettle work well, just make sure it won’t topple!
If tofu is going to be a staple in your fridge I would suggest purchasing a tofu press. I had about a year and a half of relatively frequent tofu pressing under my belt before I took the plunge and it’s certainly easier, less messy, and yields better results.
Recipe Cost
This recipe costs us approximately $6.00 CAD. As it serves 4, that’s $1.50/serving. When we make a scramble for just the two of us, we cut the block of tofu in half and reserve the other half for another recipe.
This same recipe made with 6 eggs and subtracting all the ingredients that make our version “eggy” would cost approximately $6.57 CAD. Typically, scrambled eggs are made with 2 eggs/person which would bring this recipe to $7.55 CAD.
So test out this quick and easy tofu breakfast scramble and let us know in the comments below what you think!
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Your 10 Minute Tofu Breakfast Scramble
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A scramble that’s tasty, timely, and even thriftier than eggs! This quick, easy tofu breakfast scramble is ready in 10 and oh so tasty.
Ingredients
- 350g extra firm, firm, or medium tofu (drained, crumbled)
- 1 red pepper, diced (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup spinach (fresh or frozen)
- ½ tsp vegan butter or oil
- ½ tsp black salt for “egg like” smell (or sea salt to taste)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (for cheesiness and depth of flavour)
*All the ingredients for this recipe are from our pantry and freezer tips!
Instructions
- If your tofu is very wet, you can drain some of the liquid before you start. Use a tofu press or wrap the tofu in a dish towel and set something heavy on top for 5-10 minutes. I find this step is not needed if you are using extra firm tofu. Even medium firm tofu would likely be fine as a bit of moisture makes a tastier scramble than very dry tofu.
- Heat a medium non-stick skillet with butter. When your butter is melted add red pepper and cook for 1 – 2 minutes.
- Mix the salt, turmeric, and garlic powder in a small bowl with a dash of water.
- Crumble your tofu into the skillet with the red pepper using your hands to break the block apart. Alternatively, crumble in a separate bowl using a fork and then add the crumble to your skillet.
- Pour your spice mixture over the tofu and stir to coat. I add another dash of water to the bowl with spices, give it a swirl, and pour that in to get the last bits of spice.
- Sprinkle in the nutritional yeast if using, and stir to combine.
- Next, add the spinach. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach is just wilted and all the flavours have had a chance to combine. If the scramble looks dry, add a dash of water or non-dairy milk.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings as you’d like. Try adding ⅛-1/4 teaspoon of chilli powder, smoked paprika or a pinch of cayenne for some kick.
- Serve with toast, breakfast potatoes, refried beans, and fresh fruit! Or… pile it all together and make a Scramble And Spuds Bowl!
Notes
*Approximate cost: $6.00 CAD ($1.50/serving).
*As an egg substitute: 350 g of tofu = $2.33, nutritional yeast = $0.40, turmeric = $0.03 and black salt = $0.02 for a total of $2.79 CAD. Vs. about $2.95 for 6 eggs (which would be less than 2 eggs per serving).
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
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