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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
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
- 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
- Crumble the tofu into a large saute pan over medium high heat.
- Season with turmeric and nutritional yeast, then mix well.
- Once sizzling, add the water and cashew cream and simmer.
- Stir occasionally until the water evaporates and the scramble thickens to your liking.
- Fold the black salt into the scramble, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 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!
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
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.
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!
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
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
Do you think I could use cashew cream cheese instead of making my own cashew cream? Looking to break this down into individual portions for a preschool cooking class. We don’t have the time in class to to make the homemade cream.
Hi Carolyn! We haven’t tried using cashew cream cheese with this yet. A commenter previously said mayo worked for them. Dairy-free yogurt is also one suggestion.
I am very anxious to try this. Found out I am allergic to eggs among other things and as some one who has eaten eggs twice a day sometimes I have really missed my eggs. I will be trying it here either tonight or tomorrow. Thank you.
This is the best tofu vegan egg scramble I’ve ever tried. Made it 5 times now and never disappoints. Thank you!!
You’re so welcome, Marion!
Can you use tahini instead of cashew cream? 🙂
Haven’t tried that particular substitution but I think it could work if your tahini is on the thicker side!
Great thank you! How much do you think this would effect the overall flavour of the dish though?☺️
It should be comparable. Cashew cream may be a little less flavor forward than tahini in this application, but since its 3 tbsp it should be negligible, maybe only lending a hint of its flavor if at all.
Great thanks so much! Can’t wait to make this!
Thanks for your prompt reply !!. I will try I did not know thee are vegan yogurts, will look for them.
No problem! There are quite a few brands and different types; almond based, oat based, coconut based.
I’ve been looking for a tofu scramble for a while and tried few but was feeling they were missing something. Based on all the comments seems like this is the one and there will be no need to look for another one. I can not tolerate cashew and was and I’m not eating dairy product so cannot use yogurt, but still want to get the benefit of the texture and fat. Can I use almond instead ?
Almonds won’t get as creamy as cashews can. What about a dairy free yogurt? There’s quite a few vegan yogurts available!
Made this morning the Tofu scramble and it was a hit. Thank you Caitlin.
You’re so welcome!
This tofu scramble is truly the *best* tofu scramble if you’re craving something eggy. I haven’t had eggs in 8 years and suddenly I’ve been craving them so much! I’ve made this dish every week for the past month and it just hits the spot every time. I usually and garlic powder and also sautee the tofu in some vegan butter for a little extra creaminess. Thank you, Caitlin!
So happy to hear it’s getting so much use! Thanks for making it!
This was awesome! Used mayo instead and it worked perfectly. I recommend starting with less water and adding more if you need. I ended up having to strain some water out. This was so so good though. My tofu scramble was always so dry and I used waaaay too much turmeric apparently too. I also added garlic powder, cayenne, and onion powder. Ate this was spinach, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and roasted sweet potatoes. Thansk!!
That’s an awesome combo! Thank you!
Amazing! This was so easy and quick to make and tastes like the real deal. We kept it simple with no toppings and a side of greens. Will definitely make again – and I agree with the other commenters, it’s the cashew cream that gives this scramble the perfect texture.
Thank you!
YUM! I have struggled with Tofu, the taste and texture really do not appeal. Crumbling by hand and the addition of cashew cream made this so much more palatable. Somehow it made the Tofu taste work.
Glad that the scramble method worked for you!
This is the best scrambled tofu recipe I’ve made by far,
Would highly recommend people to try this one.
That’s so kind – thank you so much!
For those who are iffy about the cashew creme – you can also thin out some cashew butter (i like artisana) with some water in a bowl instead. just be sure to think a little at a time to make sure you don’t accidentally go too thin. I find it’s much silkier as my blender isn’t as high power, so my cashew cremes are always a smidge grainy if I try to blend it myself. Mine came out ah-mazing.
I’m desperate to try this, but don’t have time to soak cashews.
I also have no yoghurt as I read someone else used.
What is the cashew cream for, and is there something I can substitute it for or can I leave it out. Thankyou so much!
The cashew cream is for added fat, protein, and just a general feeling of silkiness. If you don’t have the time to soak the cashews you can briefly boil them to soften them up and then make the cream. It speeds up the process to just a few minutes!
Yeeeeeeees!!!! Kaitlyn you’re a god send every recipe I try is absolutely incredible! And exceeds my expectations. I’ve been looking for a good savory breakfast with lots of protein since I became plant based. I tried tofu scrambles in the past, a couple different recipes, and hated the tofu taste and dryness and always ended up dumping over half of what was on my plate. But I devoured these!!!! I added paprika and vegan chicken broth seasoning and these tofu eggs are unreal. Xo keep being you, you’re so talented, thank you for this recipe!!
Appreciate the kind words so much! Glad this scramble was the one for you!
Really good! I want to add more soy to my diet for health reasons and this recipe was perfect! When I added sharp cheddar cheese I could not tell the difference from real eggs! Now I can eat “eggs” more often. And by the way, I am not a huge fan of eggs, so I really love these.
It’s that black salt! Glad you found a good alternative (and that it was this recipe, haha)!
This egg lover says WOW! and THANK YOU!!!
I’ve only been vegan for a month and have missed my daily 2 eggs for breakfast. I also dislike many traditional breakfast options in the vegan diet because of their high calorie and carb content.
This recipe is a godsend! It is amazing!
I made the mistake of adding a little salt in the beginning, so mine were too salty. I also went to 7 stores looking for black salt and ended up just ordering it online. It was incredible the way the tofu scramble smelled like eggs as soon as I added that ingredient. As others have said – you are a genius!!
These were creamy, light, and delicious (minus me over-salting before adding,the black salt). I plan on making a big batch so that I can eat them throughout the week!
Glad you got the black salt (it has a few specific uses but it does it extremely well). So happy to hear it hit the spot!
I’m now making the cashew cream half raw cashews and half oats. I need to add about 3/4 cup water to the scramble but it comes out beautiful. My husband loves his scrambles simple. onion, garlic, greens and finished with pepper, no-salt seasoning, and faux parm.
So glad you guys have it to your personal taste! Nothing wrong with simplicity!
I don’t have cashew cream. Would coconut cream work?
Don’t use coconut cream, you would regret that! Cashew cream is something you would make yourself: blend equal parts soaked Cashews, Filtered Water, and a pinch of Salt together in a blender until smooth and creamy.
Just made this and it’s a game changer! What else can I use the cashew cream for because I made a lot ???????? thanks!
You can use it to make dips, spreads, or dressings! Check out this other blog post!
Hello!
Really want to give this a go 🙂 does the tofu need pressed beforehand or do you want to keep that moisture? Thanks 🙂
Hey! No need to press, just drain the water out of the package.