This silken tofu scramble is easy to make, filled with flavors and using silken tofu creates a scramble that has the same egg-ish satisfying consistency. Perfect for your next Sunday brunch or a filling lunch.
Using tofu to make a vegan version of scrambled egg is one of my favorite Sunday breakfast treats. Tofu, when broken apart, can reach that crumbly eggish texture and its tasteless nature makes it a perfect base to flavor it the way you want.
Firm tofu is more commonly used when making scrambled tofu, but silken tofu makes a scramble that's actually closer in texture to cooked beaten eggs. Extra firm tofu can sometimes get too rubbery, but the softer and super moist consistency of silken tofu makes a very tender almost creamy scramble that I personally prefer.
What is silken tofu
Just like regular tofu, silken tofu (also called soft tofu) comes from coagulated soy milk. Once coagulated, soft tofu is neither drained neither pressed, thus contains a lot more water than regular firm tofu.
There are different types of silken tofu as well (extra-firm, firm, soft, etc), but in all cases, silken tofu is much more delicate and soft than the regular firm block of dense tofu. Its gentle texture makes it a great choice when preparing puddings or mousses (check out this raspberry mousse!) or creamy sauces and often is used to replace dairy products in vegan recipes.
You can find out more information about silken tofu in this article: "What is silken tofu".
Is this silken tofu scramble healthy?
Heck yes! Tofu is a good source of protein and when combined with lots of vegetables, it becomes a nutrient dense meal.
Also, I love adding turmeric to tofu scramble for color, but it also adds powerful health benefits to this breakfast, thanks to its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant curcumin.
Ingredients to make silken tofu scramble
This recipe is very easy to adapt to what you already have in your house.
It is a simple version of scrambled tofu that uses silken tofu, onion, red pepper, garlic and spices (nutritional yeast, turmeric, paprika, dried Italian spices and salt).
But, if you have other vegetables, such as mushroom, spinach, spicy peppers, tomatoes and zucchini, then add them to the scramble! Fresh herbs and a good squeeze of lemon juice also would bring a good fresh touch to this savory breakfast.
How to make silken tofu scramble
- Cook the vegetables: In a large non stick pan, start by cooking the vegetables (onion and red pepper or any other vegetables you want to add) with the spices until browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook the tofu: Transfer the block of tofu to the pan and break in large pieces. Cook on each sides of the pieces for about 5 minutes or until browned. Do not touch the chunks too much so it has time to brown after releasing some of its water.
- Combine: Once the tofu is done, transfer the veggies set aside back to the pan and cook until warmed up.
(scroll down to get the detailed recipe)
Watch how to make silken tofu scramble
Can I use regular firm tofu to make this recipe?
Yes, of course! If you do, then you might need to break the block of tofu more as it won't crumble easily by itself in the pan.
Tips for best eggy texture and flavor
- When you just start cooking the tofu, keep the chunks larger than you want them to be. As the mixture cooks, the pieces of tofu will break more and get smaller due to losing lots of water. Starting with larger chunks will prevent ending with a mushy scramble.
- Also, you will add just enough turmeric to get a nice pale yellow color close the one in scramble eggs, but not too much so it does not overpower the flavors.
- You could also add black salt (Kala Namak) instead of regular salt. It has a natural flavor similar to eggs (higher in sulphurous) which would work great in this dish. Start with ¼ tsp and work your way up.
- Silken tofu is so delicate! The secret to not reach a mushy texture is also to be gentle when stirring and flipping the pieces of tofu. Try not to touch them too much so it has enough time to brown and use a spatula to help flipping the pieces without breaking them so much (see video).
Serving suggestions
This tofu scramble is great served the same way you serve scrambled eggs! Simply with toast and roasted potatoes with a side of avocado is my favorite way to go.
Also, similar to this Meditarrenean breakfast burrito, you can roll the tofu scramble in a large tortilla to grab-and-go.
Storage
Keep leftovers in a air-tight container for up to 3 days (longer than this will create more water oozing out and the texture won't be as pleasant).
Great pairings for this silken tofu scramble
I hope you enjoy this silken tofu scramble as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!
Let's stay in touch with Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. Also, don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter to be sure not to miss anything.
Silken Tofu Scramble
Ingredients
Spices
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
- ¼-1/2 tsp salt - regular or black salt, see note
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
For the tofu
- 454 g silken tofu
- 1 small white onion - diced
- ½ red pepper - diced
- 1 clove of garlic - crushed
Instructions
- In a large non-stick pan, cook the onion and red pepper on medium-high heat until softened and browned, about 5-7 minutes (use a little oil or water to prevent the veggies from burning).
- Then, add the garlic and the spices (Italian herbs, nutritional yeast, paprika, turmeric and salt and pepper). Stir and cook for about one more minute.
- Transfer to a plate and set aside. Put the pan back on the stove (no need to wipe clean).
- Add the whole block of silken tofu to the pan and cut in large pieces using a spatula. Silken tofu is soft and delicate and will further break as it cooks, so make sure to keep the pieces big for now so you don't end up with a mushy texture at the end. Spread the cubes in the pan and cook for about 5 minutes (on medium-high heat) without touching the pieces too much so they have enough time to brown. Then, flip the pieces and let the other sides cook for 5 more minutes, or enough to brown. Flip once or more or until the tofu chunks are browned on most sides and lost most of their water. This can take a total of 10-15 minutes.
- Then, transfer the onion-pepper mixture back to the pan. Stir very gently and cook for a few more minutes to warm everything up. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Serve right away with toast, avocado and roasted potatoes, if desired. Store leftovers in a air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
- When you just start cooking the tofu, keep the chunks larger than you want them to be. As the mixture cooks, the pieces of tofu will break more and get smaller due to loosing lots of water. Starting with larger chunks will prevent ending with a mushy scramble. And be gentle when stirring and flipping (use a spatula) as the silken tofu is so delicate.
- You can use black salt (Kala Namak) instead of regular salt. It has a natural flavor that reminds of eggs (higher in sulphurous) which would work great in this dish. Start with ¼ tsp and work your way up.
Pin it for later!
Leave a Reply