Ready to learn how to make silken tofu scramble in 10 minutes?
Not a fan of rubbery tofu? Scrambled silken tofu is the way to go, since silken tofu is much less likely to feel “rubbery” in texture than firm tofu.
This easy tofu scramble recipe is quick to make (even your first time), you can use up leftover cooked veggies AND each serving of the silken tofu egg scramble recipe has 35% of your daily protein intake and 22% of iron (more if you add spinach or greens).
If you want to impress vegan guests, then I recommend making and sharing tofu scramble. Silken tofu makes the smoothest scramble – but you can use extra firm if you prefer (more on this below).
What you’ll need to make the silken tofu scramble recipe
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Silken tofu (obviously!)
- Your favourite veggies (use whatever you’ve got in your fridge!)
- Turmeric, for colour
- Kala namak, optional, for that eggy flavour
And the equipment you’ll need:
- Nonstick skillet (more below)
- Spatula
Nonstick skillet
I recommend this naturally nonstick enamelled cast iron skillet from Le Creuset for making your silken tofu scrambled eggs.
Have you ever had the disgusting experience of finding flakes of black in your food that came off your nonstick pan?
After having this happen to me one too many times, I decided to stop eating my cookware, and invested in new pots and pans made of cast iron and stainless steel. Problem solved!
With regular cast iron, you need to use them for awhile to build up a nonstick coating, but the Le Creuset enamelled cast iron range is enamelled so it is nonstick right out of the box. Plus they come in a fun range of colours!
Kala namak (black salt)
Kala namak, or black salt (which is not black but brownish-pink in hue), is popular in South Asian cuisine, and essential tofu scramble seasoning.
If you’ve ever had the joy of eating chaat masala, a popular Indian spice blend often sprinkled on top of snacks like chana chaat, you’ll have noticed the eggy smell and flavour. That comes from kala namak, and it’s popular in plant based cuisine.
It’s got a sulphurous scent and taste, which makes it popular in vegan cooking for replacing the taste of eggs.
It’s a must-have for your tofu breakfast scramble!
You can find it in an Indian supermarket, or online if you don’t have one nearby.
The soft silken tofu scramble is also delicious (though less eggy) without.
For a super eggy tofu scramble, add extra kala namak at the end, since cooking it tends to mellow out the flavour somewhat.
The only other tofu scramble spices you’ll need is turmeric for colour, and chilli if you want to make a spicy tofu scramble.
Silken tofu
In my opinion, the best vegan tofu scramble is made with silken, rather than extra firm tofu (you can see the types of tofu here).
For years, I thought I wasn’t a very big fan of scrambled tofu. Silken tofu wasn’t something I’d ever considered using in scramble; I’d only ever tried scrambled tofu made with extra firm (non-silken) tofu.
Then, I came across a recipe for vegan menemen on Serious Eats using silken tofu and I really enjoyed their soft tofu scramble. It’s just the rubbery texture of firm tofu scramble I’m not a fan of!
If you also find yourself shying away from every vegan scrambled eggs recipe you come across because you hated the texture of a restaurant’s tofu scramble eggs you tried once, give this simple tofu scramble with silken tofu a try! You’ll be glad you did.
You can find silken tofu in most big supermarkets. It may be in the Japanese or Chinese cooking section, or it might be in the fridge with the other tofu.
You can also order it online. I recommend Thrive Market if you order lots of vegan ingredients online. It offers 25-50% off retail prices, and while you have to pay a membership fee if can save you money if you order a lot online. They also have a 30-day free trial.
Click here for more information.
Silken vs. Firm tofu
There are a number of different tofu firmness levels available but in broad strokes, most scrambled tofu recipes are made with silken tofu or firm tofu.
Firm tofu is the sort you’ll likely find in the refrigerated section of the supermarket near you.
Silken tofu is very soft and jiggly, like a Jell-o, and is sometimes sold refrigerated and sometimes in UHT (long-life) packages. It’s not always as readily available but look for it in the Asian ingredients section of a large supermarket.
A lot of vegan tofu scramble recipes call for firm tofu, and you can make this with firm or extra firm if you prefer but personally, I much prefer silken tofu in breakfast tofu scramble and suggest you try it for yourself!
Equipment you’ll need
You’ll need a good quality skillet to make this vegan tofu scramble recipe.
As mentioned before, I recommend the classic Le Creuset enamelled cast iron skillet.
If you have a nonstick skillet or frying pan in your kitchen, you can use that. I’ve also had success making it in a nonstick carbon steel wok!
Apart from the skillet, you just need a chopping board and knife.
Ingredients you’ll need
Of course, you’ll need silken tofu for this quick tofu scramble. As mentioned above, you’ll need kala namak to achieve an eggy flavour (find it in your nearest Indian supermarket or online).
If you want to give this basic tofu scramble a yellow colour like scrambled eggs, you’ll also need a little bit of turmeric.
I always use onions and garlic (you can use garlic powder instead) but apart from those, I vary the veggies based on whatever I have in the kitchen.
Use whatever vegetables you want for this tofu vegetable scramble! Tomatoes, carrots, zucchini/courgette and red pepper go especially well, in my opinion.
If I have any parsley growing in my herb garden, I also like to sprinkle that on top, but it’s optional.
How to make tofu scramble with silken tofu
Making veggie tofu scramble is super easy and quick – especially if you use leftover veggies.
You start by sauteeing onion and garlic in oil, then add in any veggies you’re using and cook them through (if you’re using leftover, pre-cooked veggies, skip this step). Then add in the spices, leftover veggies (if using) and silken tofu and break it into pieces while stirring.
Cook until the silken tofu and any leftover veggies are heated through.
That’s it!
A quick and healthy tofu scramble.
Super simple, right?
FAQ
Can silken tofu be scrambled?
Yes! In fact, as far as things go with scrambled tofu, silken makes the best scramble in my opinion (compared to extra-firm tofu).
So for my tofu scramble breakfast, I always use silken!
Whats the difference between regular tofu and silken tofu?
Tofupedia says it has to do with the water content and the texture. For an overview of the types of tofu, see Tofupedia here.
What is the best way to make tofu taste like scrambled eggs?
The secret to the ultimate tofu scramble recipes is kala namak! This salt has a sulphurous taste, so it’s great for a vegan scrambled egg recipe where you want to mimic the taste of eggs.
If you look at a few recipes for tofu scramble, you might see nutritional yeast added. I love nutritional yeast; this star vegan ingredient is perfect for making vegan cheesy sauces and cashew cheese or just sprinkling on popcorn.
However it’s not eggy (to me) so I’m not sure why it features in so many a scrambled tofu eggs recipe. I’d only use it in my tofu scramble if I wanted a cheesy version.
On the other hand, when it comes to tofu scramble, black salt is indispensable to the eggy taste, so don’t skip it if you want an eggy flavour!
And if you want an extra eggy flavour, add some more kala namak at the end after cooking.
Where to buy kala namak/black salt for tofu scramble?
Unless your local supermarket has an extremely well-stocked Asian ingredients section (lucky you) you might not find it in your local shops.
Instead, try an Indian supermarket, health food shop, specialist spice store or order online.
Now, onto my recipe for the easiest and the best tofu scramble recipe! (In my humble opinion.)
The Best Vegan Silken Scrambled Tofu Recipe
Silken Tofu Scramble
Equipment
- Nonstick skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil approximately, optional
- 1 onion chopped
- Handful carrot peeled and chopped, optional
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tomato chopped, optional
- 1/4 tsp kala namak
- 1 tsp turmeric
- Pinch chilli powder, optional (if you want it spicy)
- 1 package silken tofu approximately 350g
- Other veggies, optional (including leftovers)
Instructions
- Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of your skillet (or you can leave out oil if using nonstick). Saute onion, carrot and other veggies (if using) in the olive oil in a frying pan until the vegetables start to soften and onion begins to turn translucent.
- Add the garlic and saute until it begins to brown slightly.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, kala namak/black salt, chilli (if using) and turmeric and cook until the tomatoes have softened and released their juices.
- Open the tofu and drain off any water. Then, crumble it into the frying pan and stir to mix with the other ingredients.
- If using leftover (pre-cooked) veggies, add those now and mix everything together. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook another minute or two, until the veggies and tofu are hot. Add more black salt if you want a stronger eggy flavour.
Notes
# Your Food
If you make this dish, please share — use #theveganword or tag me on @theveganword on Instagram or send me your pics and tell me how it turned out!
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Looking for more cooking inspiration? Check out all my vegan breakfast recipes here. You’ll find all my vegan recipes here.
Looking for more tofu ideas? I also use silken tofu for my vegan menemen scramble.
Or are you searching for vegan egg recipes? I use a vegan egg substitute in a different way in these pasteis de nata (Portugese egg custard tarts). I also put vegan egg to use in this homemade vegan egg pasta.
1 thought on “Quick 10-Minute Silken Tofu Scramble”
ahhh I think I need to try this with the silken tofu! Great idea… And I have the Blue Dragon brand at my closest supermarket, lucky me :) Thanks for sharing!!