Name: The Best Tofu Scramble
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: vegan
Ingredients: 1/3 cup nondairy milk (83ml // or water); 2 tbsp cashew butter (32g // or tahini); 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (8g); 1 tsp miso paste (5g // or 1/2 tsp vegetable boullion); 1/4 tsp turmeric; 1/2 tsp black salt; 1 tsp garlic powder, optional; 1/2 tsp onion powder, optional; salt & pepper to taste; 1/2 block soft tofu (200g); 1/2 block firm tofu (200g)

scrambled tofu with black salt in a brown bowl

Learn the secrets to making perfect tofu scramble with this recipe that turns out eggy, soft and delicious every time! The perfect vegan alternative to scrambled eggs made in 15 minutes with just 8 ingredients.

Question question! How did (or do) you like your scrambled eggs?

My ideal scrambled eggs were soft, a little fluffy and a little runny.

So when I first went vegan like… 9 years ago, I tried this interesting concept of tofu scramble and to be really really honest, I was not impressed. I think I was expecting a little too much. I guess it was what tofu scramble sounds like: tofu that is scrambled with seasonings to give it flavour.

To be fair though, it had potential. Which is why I made these breakfast egg muffins that turned out amazing. I don’t know what took me so long to try and make a tofu scramble that ACTUALLY has the texture and flavour of scrambled eggs but I went on a mission last weekend to nail the PERFECT tofu scrambled “eggs”.

This tofu scramble recipe is going to cover what you need, how to make tofu scramble that taste like eggs and my secret tips to nailing that perfect scramble egg-like texture.

Put on your apron, grab your tofu and let’s get scrambling!

tofu scramble ingredients in a bowl on a beige marble top

What You Need

First things first, let’s cover what you’re going to need to make this recipe for tofu scramble.

Firm Tofu AND Soft Tofu: I’ll explain below why both is crucial but it’s for textural purposes– trust me on this one.
Cashew Butter: This adds creaminess and some fat to make it more satiating. You can also use tahini.
Nutritional Yeast: We don’t want it tasting cheesy but it does give it some flavour.
Miso Paste: Adding in a bit of umami thats missing from tofu.
Black Salt: The star ingredient that makes tofu scramble actually taste like eggs!

And if you want, you can throw in some garlic powder, onion powder and pepper for more flavour. I love to top it off with some green onions or chives but thats your call.

step by step how to make vegan tofu scramble

How to Scramble Tofu Eggs

Making tofu scramble is easy,and all you need is 1 pan! You can serve tofu scramble for breakfast in just about 15 minutes:

Blend or mix the “eggy” sauce ingredients together. You can make this sauce ahead of time and keep in it an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Crumble the firm tofu in and shift it to one side of the pan.
Add the soft tofu and cut through it using a wooden spoon.
Add in the eggy sauce mixture and then gently combine the soft tofu with the firm tofu. Let it cook for 3-5 minutes without stirring so that the sauce has time to absorb.
Then use a heat safe spatula or wooden spatula and push the tofu scramble side to side (like how you would for real scrambled eggs) every minute or so and let it cook until most of the sauce has evaporated.

I like to remove the pan from the heat while it’s still slightly runny because thats how I like to scramble egg tofu but you can let it cook up to your desired consistency. Note that the tofu will continue to absorb the sauce as you let it sit so serve immediately if you don’t want it too dry.

soft scramble made with soft and firm tofu in a pan side shot

Mastering Scrambled Tofu

So we covered what you need and how to make tofu scramble. Now I’m going to share Here are my top secret tips for PERFECT tofu scramble- every time:

The Tofu: The kind of tofu you use is KEY. Using two different textures of tofu mimics the texture of scrambled eggs. Soft tofu for that ‘soft’ egg-like texture and firm tofu so that it doesn’t just completely turn into mush and has some structure to it.
Adding Fat: Tofu is naturally low in fat. Simmering it in just water or milk doesn’t do anything to the tofu. By adding the cashew butter or tahini into the eggy sauce, it makes it creamier and also much more satisfying.
Black Salt: This is the special ingredient that really makes this taste like eggs. Without it, you’re kind of just left with tofu with a cheesy-ish savory flavour.
Use a Nonstick Pan: Trust me, it’s a lot easier. You want to make sure the sauce and tofu doesn’t brown and by using a non-stick pan you won’t run into any problems.
Heat Temperature: We want medium-high so that the liquid cooks off relatively quickly and so that the tofu has a chance to absorb all the sauce.
The “Scrambling” Technique: Instead of just stirring and stirring the tofu in the pan, you want to be gentle (kind of like when you scramble eggs) and push the tofu side by side so you don’t break the soft tofu too much.
Timing: When the tofu scramble is done is completely up to you. Generally, it takes about 8-10 minutes on the stove. I prefer a much more creamy-runny scramble tofu but if you like a more put-together (another word for dry-er I guess) kind of scrambled egg tofu then wait for all the liquid to evaporate. Regardless, the tofu will soak up that sauce and still yield a very soft scrambled tofu egg.

So that’s it for this recipe my friends. I hope you took away a few handy tips, try this version of scramble tofu and love it as much as I do! It’s by far my favourite recipe for tofu scramble because of its eggy flavour and texture. Think soft… light and a little runny- just like how scrambled ‘eggs’ should be!

Ways to Serve Tofu Scramble

PS. You totally could have tofu scramble on its own, but here are some of my fav ways to serve tofu scramble and make it a complete meal!

serve it with some buttery toast
add it to bowls (think buddha bowls, rice bowls, asian bowls… etc)
layer it into breakfast sandwiches or bagels with vegan cream cheese, vegan breakfast patties and avocado
stuff it to breakfast burritos
… drizzle a bit of ketchup on it

Okay, the ketchup is either a love it or hate it thing– but I love it so I had to include it 😅Do you like ketchup with your “eggs”? Let me know below!

tofu scramble in a brown bowl close up shot with cherry tomatoes and green onions on top

If you recreate this Eggy Tofu Scramble Recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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