For tofu fans and vegans, the breakfast and brunch repertoire wouldn’t be complete without a great basic vegetable tofu scramble. It’s perfect for a last-minute dinner as well! Here you’ll find not just the basic recipe but lots of vegetable-rich variations.
One or more of these veggie-filled scrambles might become your favorites, and all are great for any meal of the day — breakfast, lunch, dinner, or leisurely weekend brunches.
Pair with hash browns. For a delightful weekend brunch or weeknight dinner, serve with Easy Hash Brown Potatoes. To speed things up, make sure you have potatoes ready ahead of time. Otherwise, serve with a crusty whole-grain bread.
Add a simple salad and/or fresh fruit. I’ve always enjoyed this scramble and hash browns pairing with a Middle Eastern-style salad of finely diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers dressed with a little olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh dill.
Variations for a vegetable tofu scramble
Add from one to three of the following to your scramble, in whatever combinations you wish. Vary the veggie combinations every time you make this, and it will be a quick dish that you’ll never tire of.
The quantities given here are guidelines. You can add more or less than what’s suggested, as long as you don’t over- or underwhelm the amount of tofu!
- Broccoli: Before starting the scramble, combine 1 to 1 1/2 cups finely chopped broccoli and a small amount of water (just enough to keep the pan moist) in the skillet you intend to use for the scramble, and sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently, until bright green. Drain off any excess liquid. Transfer to a plate or bowl, then add to the scramble in step 5.
- Tender greens scramble: No prep is needed unless you like to rinse your triple-washed baby greens. Baby spinach, baby arugula, or watercress can be added to the skillet once the scramble is done, in step 5. Cover and allow to just wilt, then stir in with the tofu.
- Mixed Mushrooms: Before starting the scramble, clean and slice 6 to 8 ounces baby bella, cremini, or white mushrooms. Or you can use a couple of varieties, adding more unusual types like shiitake or oyster mushrooms to the mix. Before starting the scramble, wilt the mushrooms down in the skillet you intend to use for the scramble, about 4 to 5 minutes, then drain off any excess liquid.Then proceed with the recipe as directed.
- Hearty Greens: Before starting the scramble, stem and thinly slice 6 to 8 ounces of kale, collard greens, or chard. Steam the greens with a small amount of water in the skillet you intend to use for the scramble, just until bright green. Drain off any excess liquid, and transfer to a plate or bowl. Add to the scramble in step 5.
- Tomatoes: 2 medium diced ripe tomatoes or a cupful of cherry or grape tomatoes (halved) work well here. Add to the scramble in step 5.
- Scallions: A great standby for scrambles, simply slice scallions thinly (white and green parts). Add to the scramble in step 5.
- Onions: In the skillet you intend to use for the scramble, sauté a medium or large chopped onion (as you prefer) in a little olive oil or vegan butter. Then proceed with the recipe as directed.
- Bell pepper: In the skillet you intend to use for the scramble, sauté a chopped medium red or green bell pepper or two, or one of each in a little olive oil or water. Then proceed with the recipe as directed.
- Fresh herbs: Use about 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, or basil; or about 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill. Fresh oregano or thyme are nice when available, in smaller quantities. Just remove the tiny leaves from the Chives are fantastic in the spring, simply snip them into small bits. Add to the scramble in step 5.
- Zucchini and/or yellow summer squash: Use 1 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash, or 1 small squash of each variety. Cut into quarters lengthwise, then slice 1/4 inch thick. Add some strips of sun-dried tomato to add zip to this otherwise mild veggie. Since these squashes cook quickly, simply add to the skillet at the same time as the tofu in step 2.
- Fresh chili pepper: Use a minced and seeded fresh hot chili pepper, or two such as jalapeño or serrano, in place of sriracha for a spicy scramble. Add to the scramble in step 5.
Recipe adapted from Plant Power by Nava Atlas; photos above by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.
You may also like: Spinach or Arugula Scrambled Tofu and Spicy Vegan Chorizo Tofu Scramble. Do you love tofu? Explore 50+ Easy Tofu Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.
Vegetable Tofu Scramble With Lots of Variations

For tofu fans and vegans, the daily repertoire wouldn’t be complete without a basic vegetable tofu scramble.
Ingredients
- Vegetable variation of your choice (see suggestions above the recipe box)
- 14-ounce tub firm tofu or 12.3-ounce carton firm or extra-firm silken tofu
- 2 teaspoons olive oil or vegan butter
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, or more, to taste
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Optional:
- 1 to 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional (see note)
- Sriracha or other hot sauce for passing around
Instructions
- Prepare and set aside the vegetable variation of your choice (see following recipe box).
- Crumble the tofu in a small mixing bowl, then place in a colander; gently press out some of the liquid, while being careful not to squeeze out the tofu itself (you might like to line the colander with cheesecloth or paper towel if the holes are large).
- Heat the olive oil or vegan butter in a skillet. When it begins to bubble, add the tofu and sprinkle in the curry powder.
- Cook over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes or so, stirring frequently, allowing any liquid cook away (soft tofu tends to be watery) and the mixture has a scrambled egg-like consistency.
- Stir in the vegetable of choice as described below the recipe box (unless it's already in the skillet, as in the case of onions and/or peppers). Season with salt and pepper.
- If you’d like, stir in some nutritional yeast. Serve at once, passing around hot sauce if you’d like.
Notes
- Adding nutritional yeast lends flavor and a nice dose of B vitamins, including B-12.
- The nutrition data below doesn’t include any of the variations below.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 208Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 240mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 17g
Nutrition data is an estimate which may vary according to program used for the calculation.
If you like this tofu scramble, you might also enjoy …
Southwestern Tofu Scramble (Migas)
See lots more tofu recipes and breakfasts & brunches.
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