The Best Vegan Tofu Scramble

GFGluten FreeGRGrain FreeOFOil FreeVVegan
4.97 from 32 votes
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This Vegan Tofu Scramble is made with 5 healthy ingredients and 5 minutes of prep work. Be ready to serve this classic breakfast staple up in just minutes. Gluten-free, Oil-Free, Grain-Free.

Vegan Tofu Scramble is a vegetarian staple for a reason. It’s quick to make, uses staple plant-based ingredients and is easy to make for the whole family. Once you give it a try, I think you’ll be ready to forego the chicken eggs, too. Don’t just believe me, read the 25+ rave reviews!

Table of Contents
  1. The Secret to Making the Perfect Tofu Scramble
  2. What You Need for Vegan Tofu Scramble
  3. How to Make Vegan Tofu Scramble
  4. Serving Suggestions
  5. How to Store Tofu Scramble
  6. The Best Vegan Tofu Scramble Recipe
tofu scramble served on a plate with a slice of bread on the side, topped with chives and more seasoning

The Secret to Making the Perfect Tofu Scramble

If you’ve only ever experienced a dry tofu scramble that didn’t taste anything like eggs, I urge you to give it another chance. I’ve been experimenting with the perfect scramble since 2015 and trust me when I say this is the BEST vegan tofu scramble. 

It’s puffy, saucy, and full of flavor thanks to the key cooking process. Whatever you do here, don’t skip simmering the crumbled tofu with a splash of filter water. This is the secret to the tastiest, most-realistic vegan egg scramble.

What You Need for Vegan Tofu Scramble

ingredients for tofu scramble laid out on a marble kitchen counter
  • Firm or Extra-Firm Tofu: I find that Silken or Medium-Firm Tofu turns to absolute mush when you scramble it, which is not what we are going for!
  • Turmeric: this is purely for color, not flavor – you only need a teeeeeeny tiny bit. I see a lot of people overdo the Turmeric in their scrambles…which makes the whole thing taste oddly of pickles.
  • Cashew Cream: one of the reasons why Eggs are so filling is that they contain both protein and fat. Tofu has the protein, but still needs something to get that silky mouth-feel. I like to use Cashew Cream – not only is it pretty neutral in flavor, but it’s very easy to make! Simply blend equal parts soaked Cashews, Filtered Water, and a pinch of Salt together in a blender until smooth and creamy.
  • Nutritional Yeast: this fortified yeast gives a “cheesy” flavor to a lot of dairy-free dishes, but it also has a great umami flavor that’s missing from plain Tofu. You only need a little, but it makes a huge difference!
  • Black Salt: also known as Kala Namak, this Indian Salt has a sulfuric component to it…which, oddly, makes it taste like Eggs! It loses flavor with heat though, so only add it to your Scramble at the end of cooking.

How to Make Vegan Tofu Scramble

side-by-side images of the tofu scramble cooking process with new ingredients added on each photo
  1. Crumble the tofu into a large saute pan over medium high heat.
  2. Season with turmeric and nutritional yeast, then mix well.
  3. Once sizzling, add the water and cashew cream and simmer.
  4. Stir occasionally until the water evaporates and the scramble thickens to your liking.
  5. Fold the black salt into the scramble, then season with salt and pepper to taste. 
  6. Serve warm as desired.

Caitlin’s Cooking Tips

  • Season with salt at the end. Kala namak is very salty on its own and additional salt may not be needed. For this reason, I’d recommend seasoning with additional salt only after you’ve tasted the scramble after adding the kala namak. 
  • Feel free to customize! Use this base tofu scramble recipe as a guide and adjust to your personal taste. Add your favorite spices, vegetables, or use it to help clean out the fridge and make a hearty breakfast scramble. 
  • Double or triple the recipe. If you’re cooking for a crowd or simply want to meal prep a nutritious breakfast for yourself for the week, double or triple this recipe to suit your needs. 
  • Do not use frozen then thawed tofu. Freezing tofu is a popular technique for making it more chewy and chicken-like and help the water drain out more easily. Although this is great for recipes like Rosemary Garlic Tofu and Vegan Cashew Chicken, it is not ideal in tofu scramble. You want to use tofu that has not been pressed here!
a serving spoon scooping up vegan tofu scramble from the pan

Serving Suggestions

This vegan tofu scramble is the perfect base for any breakfast. Add your favorite vegetables, breakfast potatoes, vegan breakfast sausage, vegan cheese, and more. You can also enjoy it alongside vegan Biscuits and Gravy or wrapped in vegan breakfast burritos. The options are endless!

If you’re looking for more vegan egg recipes, you’ll also love these Southwestern “Egg” Cups, Overnight Vegan Breakfast Strata, Mung Bean Scramble and this Vegan Asparagus & Mushroom Quiche!

How to Store Tofu Scramble

This tofu scramble will keep for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Freezing is not recommended – doing so will change the texture of the tofu and cause it to release excess moisture and lose its fluffiness. Reheat leftover scramble in the microwave or in a nonstick skillet.

I like to enjoy my Tofu Scramble with a piece of Toast for an easy morning meal. You can also stuff it in some Breakfast Burritos, serve with some Biscuits & Gravy, or go the full savory breakfast route with some Smoky Tempeh and Breakfast Potatoes. The possibilities are practically endless!

Substitutions and Variations

  • Cashew cream substitute: Use equal parts vegan cream cheese instead. 
  • Oil-free option: Simply omit the oil from the recipe. The added water should be enough to keep the tofu scramble from sticking to the pan. 
  • Spice variations: I typically like to add garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Feel free to use whatever spices you’d like. Note that the nutritional yeast and black salt can be omitted, but this tofu scramble will not taste very “eggy” without them. 
  • Add in veggies: Mushrooms, chopped kale or spinach, cooked diced potatoes, cherry tomatoes, or zucchini would all be delicious here! Whatever you’re using, add it in during recipe step 2.

Recipe FAQs

Is tofu scramble healthy?

Absolutely! This tofu scramble is made using whole-food minimally processed ingredients. It’s naturally cholesterol free, is lower in fat, and is a great source of fiber. Tofu is a healthy staple in many vegan diets.

What does tofu taste like?

Tofu is fairly neutral in flavor, making it the perfect blank canvas for adding seasonings of all kinds. Think of tofu like a sponge – it will absorb the flavor of whatever you pair it with!

Can I eat raw tofu?

Raw tofu is perfectly safe to consume. No need to worry about cooking it to a certain temperature like non-vegan foods.

Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊

The Best Vegan Tofu Scramble

4.97 from 32 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 3 people
This Vegan Tofu Scramble is made with 5 healthy ingredients and 5 minutes of prep work. Be ready to serve this classic breakfast staple up in just minutes. Gluten-free, Oil-Free, Grain-Free.

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 14 oz block Firm or Extra Tofu drained but not pressed
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Nutritional Yeast
  • 3 tbsp Cashew Cream*
  • 2/3 cup Filtered Water
  • 1/2 tsp Black Salt Kala Namak
  • Additional Salt and Black Pepper to taste
  • Seasonings of Choice* Optional

Instructions

  • Crumble the Tofu: Warm the oil in a large sauté pan over mediumhigh heat. Use your hands to break up the block of tofu over the pan; I like to go for medium bite-sized pieces as they will break down during the cooking process. If they are too large, you can always break them up with a spoon later!
  • Add the Seasonings: Add the turmeric and nutritional yeast, then mix well. If you are adding any extra seasonings or veggies to your scramble, add them here. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until all of the turmeric has dissolved and the tofu is a bright yellow color.
  • Simmer Away: Add the water and cashew cream to the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Allow the tofu to cook down for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. The water will begin to evaporate from the pan as it cooks; once the tofu scramble has thickened to your liking, you’re all finished!
  • Finish with Black Salt: Turn off the heat, then fold the black salt into the mixture. Taste the scramble, then add any extra salt & pepper to taste. Serve as desired; leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Recipe Notes

  • Homemade Cashew Cream: add 1 cup of soaked cashews, 1 cup of water, and a pinch of salt to a high-speed blender and process until smooth and creamy. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to one week. You can also replace the vegan cashew cream with equal parts dairy-free cream cheese
  • Both the nutritional yeast and black salt may be omitted from this recipe, but it will not taste as realistic.
  • Optional Seasonings: I usually add garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of cayenne pepper to my scramble to start out, but feel free to add whatever you’d like!
  • Oil-Free: omit the oil from the recipe; the extra water in the tofu should be enough to keep the mixture from sticking

Nutrition

Calories: 136kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 13gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 481mgPotassium: 302mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 2mg
Keyword: breakfast recipes with tofu, how to make tofu scramble, Tofu Egg, Vegan Egg
Course: Breakfast
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

About the Author

Hey there, I’m Caitlin! I make easy-to-follow, wholesome, and budget-friendly vegan recipes that are mostly gluten-free and refined sugar-free. I’m also an avid yogi, love the great outdoors, am chocolate-obsessed, and enjoy eating almond butter straight off of the spoon.

Learn More

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Comments

  1. Excellent!
    Makes the best, perfect scrambled and so easy.
    Husband has nut allergies so I use Eden Soy unsweetened soy milk instead of cashew cream.
    Leftovers (when there are any!) make excellent sandwich filling.
    Thank you!

  2. Recipe says you can replace cashew cream with equal parts vegan cream cheese? Now just the cream cheese or do you mix it with the water and salt?

    1. When using vegan cream cheese, you don’t need to mix it with water and salt separately as you would for cashew cream. Vegan cream cheese typically has a creamy consistency, so you can directly add it to the pan without diluting it. However, keep in mind that the flavor and texture may vary slightly compared to using cashew cream, but it should still work well in the recipe.

      So, in summary, just add 3 tablespoons of vegan cream cheese directly to the pan when the recipe calls for cashew cream, and proceed with the rest of the instructions.

  3. 5 stars
    Fantastic recipe so simple but so good , the texture is perfect ! I purchased the salt to get the true flavor of eggs , the day before I had some mushrooms that needed cooked right away so I sautéed mushrooms and one onion and kept it in the refrigerator for a day . When I was ready to cook the tofu , I followed the recipe when it was almost done I added the cooked mushrooms and onions to it tossed really good topped with a tad of cheese and popped it in the oven to melt . The best vegetable tofu scrambled I ever had ! I didn’t even missed the eggs it was even better . I served it with vegetables potatoes ash , I will save this for sure when I have a brunch , It is so close to recreate scrambled eggs . Thank you 😊

  4. 5 stars
    Made this today for brunch. The mister said it was excellent (I thought so too!). Used soy milk instead of the water/cashew cream due to allergies.
    Highly recommend!

  5. Hello there,
    We wanted to try this recipe (tofu scramble) and wondering if cashew cream and cashew butter are one in the same? The recipe calls for cashew cream but we only have cashew butter. Can we use cashew butter as a substitute?
    FYI, we’ve tried a few other of your tofu recipes that were amazing!
    Thank you for sharing and for your time!

    1. Cashew cream is essentially blended soaked cashews with water to create a creamy texture. Cashew butter, on the other hand, is made from blending cashews until they turn into a smooth butter. Using cashew butter instead of cashew cream will still provide the creamy texture and add a nutty flavor to the tofu scramble. The recipe should turn out just as delicious and flavorful with this substitution.

  6. 5 stars
    I tried this way of cooking tofu and the second time I managed to prepare it properly. It is really delicious and I highly recommend the recipe.

  7. 5 stars
    If I’m being honest, I thought this recipe was going to be blah, but I said “no, I have to try it. In ✨Caitlin✨we trust”… And boy oh boy was I glad I did! It truly is the best tofu scramble I’ve ever had! The texture is perfect! Even the flavor was great, despite me thinking it wouldn’t be! Lesson learned- never doubt your recipe wisdom!! 🤤😁

      1. 5 stars
        I made this using some chive-flavouree cashew cream cheese because i wanted to finish the tub. tasted amazing. will def make this recipe again. thanks so much

    1. This recipe will make approximately 4 servings. Keep in mind serving sizes can vary based on personal preference.

  8. 5 stars
    Love this! I’ve been making this tofu scramble without the added cashew cream or water which makes the scramble on the hard side. Can you freeze the cashew cream as well or will the consistency be too watery once unfrozen?

    1. Glad you like it, Sheila! It is not recommended to freeze cashew cream as it can change the consistency and become too watery once unfrozen. The high fat content in cashew cream can cause the sauce to separate and become grainy once thawed. If you want to prepare cashew cream in advance for a tofu scramble recipe, it is best to make it fresh just before using it.

    2. I didn’t want to make a full batch either, so I just soaked 1.5 tbsp of cashews in hot water. After soaking, I added 1.5-2tbsp of water and blended it up! It was perfect!