This super "eggy" silken tofu scramble is easy-to-make, filled with flavors and using silken tofu instead of firm creates a scramble that has such an amazing texture. Perfect for a healthy and fully plant-based breakfast, brunch or lunch that will keep you full for a while.
I love to use silken tofu when making a tofu scramble!
Firm tofu is more commonly used when making scrambled tofu, but soft 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.
But, you might be wondering "Can I really pan-fry silken tofu".
Yes! It breaks up more easily in the pan as it is more gentle, but I'll share all my secrets on how to reach a great texture without having it falling apart too much. Soft tofu roasts and browns so nicely while remaining soft and delicate in texture, just like regular scrambled eggs.
This recipe also includes some vegetables for more texture and lots of spices to boost its flavor. Great served with toasts and roasted potatoes for brunch, but my favorite way to serve it is over avocado toasts to make them higher-in-protein.
Hope you like this recipe!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick and easy
- Healthy and high in plant-based protein
- Very flavorful
- Versatile
- Great egg-ish texture
- Can be made ahead
- Makes for a delicious breakfast or brunch
- Use leftovers in sandwich wraps!
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?
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.
Feel free to add mixed vegetables to boost the nutrient content as well.
Ingredients to make silken tofu scramble
This recipe is very easy to adapt to what you already have in your house. Here is what you'll need:
- Silken tofu: I used the silken tofu from the brand 365, but simply use a silken tofu you can find in the fridge section at the grocery store (not the one in carton boxes in the Asian aisle as they can be softer). You need a soft tofu that still holds into a block.
- Produce: Onion, red pepper and garlic. They add flavor, but also more texture. You can easily use other veggies such as mushrooms, zucchini, corn, tomatoes and red onion. I also often add spinach.
- Spices: turmeric (turn the scramble bright yellow), paprika, dried Italian mix, ground black pepper and salt. There is a lot of room for substitution, try: chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, curry powder, etc.
- Nutritional yeast: I LOVE adding nutritional yeast to scrambled tofu silken, it adds a subtle flavor that balances everything. If you don't have it, then simply omit.
Fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice would also work great in this recipe. Try fresh parsley, basil or cilantro.
How to make silken tofu scramble
Cook the vegetables
Warm up a large non-stick pan on medium-high heat and add a little oil (optional, I use a spray). Then, add the onion and red pepper and cook for 3-5 minutes or until browned and softer. Then, add the garlic and all the dried herbs and spices and cook for one more minute while stirring.
Once done, transfer to a plate and set aside.
Cook the silken tofu
Transfer the pan back on the heat, add more oil if desired and turn down the heat to medium.
Then, transfer the whole block of soft and wiggly tofu to the pan. Use a spatula to roughly break it in large cubes and spread them all over the pan. Let the pieces cook on one side until they turn browned before flipping them very gently. I'll usually look under the pieces to make sure it is nicely roasted before I flip, about 7-9 minutes or so. You will have to use your spatula to gently scrape the pan to unlock all the smaller pieces (see the short video).
The tofu will lose a lot of water while cooking and the volume of tofu will go down a lot, this is expected.
Combine and serve
Once the tofu is done and nicely browned, then transfer the vegetables back to the pan and combine with the tofu gently. Let everything cook until warmed up and adjust salt to taste.
Watch how to make it
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 as 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 and you can always readjust the size of the pieces towards the end of cooking.
- You will add just enough turmeric to get a nice pale yellow color close to regular scramble eggs, but not too much so it does not overpower the overall flavor.
- You could also add black salt (Kala Namak) instead of regular salt. It has a natural flavor similar to eggs (higher in sulfur) which would work great in this dish. I use this salt also when making a vegan eggless salad or vegan egg bites for and it's amazing. Start with ¼ tsp and work your way up. I used the black salt from the brand Spicy World that I get online.
- Silken tofu is so delicate! The secret to not reach a mushy texture is 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 recipe is high-in-protein and super filling, which makes it a great recipe if you are typically super hungry in the morning or want to stay full longer.
You can serve it the same way you serve scrambled eggs! Great alongside toasts and roasted potatoes with sliced avocado. Sprinkle some vegan bacon bits if you want to add a smoky bacon-ish flavor and this scramble is amazing with vegan hash browns. We also love this recipe served over avocado toasts with hot sauce.
Also, you can roll the tofu scramble in a large tortilla with lettuce, avocado, hot sauce and bring it to work for a filling lunch. Or use it to make tofu scramble breakfast sandwiches!
Storage
Keep leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan or even in the microwave. I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
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!
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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.
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