Mexican-ish Tofu Scramble

This super simple Mexican-ish tofu scramble is a hearty, high-protein vegan breakfast. Serve with sourdough toast or tortillas.

The first time I tasted a tofu scramble, I could not believe how similar it was to eggs. Bright yellow (thanks to a sprinkle of turmeric), and light and fluffy in texture, scrambled tofu is the plant-based answer to scrambled eggs.

The idea is simple: first, you press a block of extra-firm tofu to get rid of excess moisture. Then, you crumble it into small bits that resemble egg curdles and sauté the tofu with whatever seasonings and add-ins strike your fancy.

On its own, tofu is pretty bland, so I tend to use a heavy hand when seasoning it. For this Mexican-inspired tofu scramble, I start by sautéing onions and peppers, which provide the base flavor. Then I add spices and cook them briefly so they can “bloom” (i.e. release their aromas into the hot oil) before adding the tofu. I finish the whole thing with a squeeze of lime, which brings all the flavors together.

Scrambled tofu is a great vessel for getting some vegetables into your breakfast. Feel free to add fresh tomatoes, chopped greens, or even mushrooms to this.

One way scrambled tofu has a leg up on scrambled eggs is that keeps its texture really well, so it can be cooked in advance, stored, and reheated. (Unlike scrambled eggs, which get gummy pretty quickly). Leftover scrambled tofu can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.

I like to eat this Mexican tofu scramble with roasted potatoes, alongside avocado toast, or wrapped in warm corn tortillas. You can also turn it into a breakfast burrito, bulked up with brown rice, refried beans, and salsa.

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