Tofu scramble

Velvety, crumbled tofu seasoned with smoked paprika, nutritional yeast and a touch of cayenne pepper for a full flavoured, irresistible vegan scramble. This tofu scramble is perfect on buttered sourdough along with meaty mushrooms and griddled tomatoes for a healthy and filling breakfast or brunch. Once you’ve tried this recipe I promise you wont look at tofu the same way. 

Tofu – the new comfort food?

Scrambled eggs is a classic breakfast that I have been looking forward to veganising (I’m pretty sure the verb is now part of our modern vernacular). I’ll be honest, scrambled eggs was one of my favourite breakfasts and it was hard giving up, what was for me, a comfort food. No tears but it was touch and go for a while. 

Tofu scramble is a tad more adventurous, and dare I say, more exciting than the usual eggy breakfasts. Although veganism seems to be a lot more trendy, (the word trendy can’t help but make me shudder), there are still great swathes of the population that are unfamiliar with the spongy white food that is tofu. My dad being one such person, so I’m taking that as a representative sample. The trick is to treat tofu like chicken, in that it is quite bland on its own, and so greatly benefits from being marinaded, seasoned or added to a sauce.

The ingredients

So on mentioning the necessity of seasoning, I will be begin with the herbs and spices. Smoked paprika elevates many a recipe; it has a strong flavour without being overpowering. The paprika infused oil soaks into the tofu creating a pungent, awakening aroma. I’ve added turmeric as much for its colour, as well as its earthy flavour. Finally, I’ve rounded off with nutritional yeast and garlic to add an eggy, cheesy aftertaste. Nutritional yeast is high in vitamin B12, which is a nutrient vegans can easily become deficient in, so make sure to add a hefty shake to your savoury meals. 

The method 

It can be very daunting when entering the wonderful and at times, strange world of veganism. The process of preparing tofu can seem a bit arduous and even unnecessary, but I’m here to assure you that it isn’t as fussy as it looks. In no time you’ll be multitasking pressing your tofu while finishing the washing up and feeding the cat. I am by no means a domestic goddess but we can all dream right? 

Begin by draining the firm tofu in a colander. Turn out onto a clean towel, fold in half and gently press. Now some people have fancy pants tofu pressing apparatus, but I just go old school. Pop the cloth covered tofu under a couple of heavy books/ pots/ chopping boards. Whatever does the trick. Leave for 15 minutes and then uncover the tofu and chop into cubes. 

Heat the oil over a moderate heat. Fry the onions, aromatics and spices in stages until softened and fragrant. Pour in the tomatoes and water. Add the tofu to the pan by using your hands to crumble the cubes into smaller pieces. Stir the ingredients over a medium heat whilst allowing the sauce to gently bubble and thicken.

To finish 

This high protein tofu scramble in a thick, spice infused tomato sauce definitely rates highly on the nutrition scale, but more importantly it is also deeply satisfying and filling. I like to stuff my tofu scramble in a rustic wholemeal pitta until it is spilling over the top, before adding an extra dash of extra cheesy sprinkles (more commonly known as nutritional yeast). Finally, I finish with great heaping spoonfuls of baked beans and a tankard of builder’s tea. And there you have an updated, veganised version of the classic breakfast scramble.  

Alternatives 

You can use silken tofu in place of firm although this will result in a softer scramble. No need to press, just drain in a sieve and pat dry with kitchen towel.  

More breakfast recipes:

Baked banana porridge

Banana and walnut loaf

Apricot and cashew granola bars

Let me know how you get on making this recipe by leaving a comment. I’d love to see your creations over on instagram!

Print Recipe

Tofu scramble

Crumbled tofu in a smoky, thick tomato sauce finished with wilted spinach and cheesy nutritional yeast.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Keyword: gluten free, vegan

Servings: 2

Author: aveggiefeast

Ingredients

• 200 g firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
• 1 small yellow onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Good pinch of cayenne pepper *see notes
• 200 g tinned plum tomatoes roughly chopped with scissors
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper to season
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 25 g spinach

Instructions

• Drain the tofu in a colander. Transfer onto a clean tea towel, fold in half and gently press. Use a tofu press or place a couple of heavy books/ pots on top of the cloth covered tofu. Leave for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile dice the onions and garlic. Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. After a minute add the spices and dried herbs and lightly fry until fragrant. This should only take a minute.
• Next pour in the tomatoes and water. Return to the tofu, uncover and cut into small cubes. With your hands, crumble the tofu cubes into smaller pieces over the pan.
• Increase to a moderate heat. Add the salt, pepper and nutritional yeast.
• Cook for 5 minutes, crumbling any larger pieces of tofu with the back of a spoon.
• Stir in the spinach and heat through until it has wilted.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. Portion onto plates and serve with your preferred choice of bread.

Notes

The cayenne pepper can be omitted if you prefer a milder tofu scramble.