Vegetable Tofu Scramble

A few weeks ago someone asked me to make a homemade version of Amy’s Tofu Scramble. I had never had it before, so I went out and purchased one right away so I could give it a try. Well, it totally exceeded my expectations and I knew I needed to make something similar at home. This vegetable tofu scramble was flavorful, filling, and had an incredibly simple ingredient list. Those are all things I love, so I immediately set to work recreating it!

It wasn’t hard to create a similar vegetable tofu scramble at home, but I did have to make a few substitutions. I used different vegetables than in the store-bought version because there were too many for me to fit into one recipe. I also leaned heavily on frozen vegetables to make this easy, but you can totally use fresh if you prefer (check suggestions below).

And lastly, I only made the tofu scramble part of the recipe here, whereas the store-bought version comes with hash brown potatoes as a side. I did end up making some of my Smoky Roasted Breakfast Potatoes to serve on the side, but during the recipe testing phase I ate the scramble on its own and it was delicious alone as well. For that reason, I’m keeping the roasted potatoes as a separate recipe, even though they come with the store-bought frozen meal.

Choose Your Own Vegetables, Fresh or Frozen

This recipe is super flexible, so it’s great for using up odds and ends of vegetables that you might have in your refrigerator or freezer. For the recipe below I used some mushrooms, frozen peppers and onions, and frozen spinach. You could also try adding some shredded carrot, finely chopped broccoli, tomatoes, shredded cabbage, green onions, corn, or peas.

I used frozen spinach, despite it not being very “pretty” because I had some in my freezer that was on the edge of being dried out. To use fresh spinach instead, just give it a rough chop so it’s in slightly smaller pieces, then just sauté it in the skillet with the tofu and other vegetables until wilted.

Don’t Skip These Ingredients:

While this recipe is very flexible, there are two ingredients that I wouldn’t skip: the nutritional yeast and the salsa. The nutritional yeast really adds a big dose of umami that just makes this recipe so much more satisfying. It’s a shelf stable ingredient, so if this is the first time you purchase it, don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of chances to use it again. Here are a couple more recipes that use nutritional yeast.

The second ingredient you don’t want to skip is salsa. I find that the fresh, acidic flavor of the salsa really balances the whole dish and makes the flavors so much more complete. Sure, if you can’t stand salsa, go ahead and skip it, but to me, it really makes the entire dish.

Freeze Your Tofu for Better Texture

I highly suggest freezing your tofu beforehand because it changes the texture of the tofu. It’s hard to describe the change in the texture, but I dare say it’s a bit more sturdy after freezing and thawing, instead of being soft and crumbly. I usually just pop it in the freezer (in the original packaging) when I get home from the store, then transfer it to the refrigerator to thaw the day before I plan to cook.

How to Store Tofu Scramble

This vegetable tofu scramble will stay good in the refrigerator for 4-5 days and can be reheated quickly using the microwave. Or, once it has fully cooled in the refrigerator you can transfer it to the freezer and freeze for a couple of months. I reheated my frozen tofu scramble using the microwave.

How to Make Vegetable Tofu Scramble – Step by Step Photos

You’ll need a 14oz. package of firm or extra firm tofu for this recipe. You’ll get the best texture if you fully freeze and then thaw the tofu beforehand. I usually pop it in the freezer, in the original packaging, when I get home from the store, then transfer it to the refrigerator to thaw the day before I plan to use it.

When you’re ready to cook, press the excess moisture out of the tofu. I find that when I freeze and thaw the tofu it’s a bit spongey, so I can just gently squeeze it with my hands. Otherwise, you’ll want to use a tofu press or place it on a plate, top it with a cutting board, then place something heavy on top and wait about 15 minutes. Wash and slice 8oz. mushrooms while the tofu presses. Thaw and squeeze 8oz. frozen spinach.

Heat 2 Tbsp cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet and oil are hot, tilt the skillet to coat the surface. Crumble the pressed tofu into the skillet, then season with ½ tsp garlic powder and about ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper. Sauté the tofu for 2-3 minutes. Don’t worry if it sticks to the skillet a little, as it will loosen once you begin to add some of the vegetables.

Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet and continue to sauté until the mushrooms have softened.

Add about 1 cup frozen onions and bell peppers (or fresh) and continue to sauté until the peppers and onions are heated through.

Add the thawed and squeezed frozen spinach to the skillet and continue to sauté until the spinach is heated through.

Now it’s time to give the tofu scramble its final seasoning. Sprinkle in about 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast and ½ tsp salt. Stir until everything is coated in nutritional yeast, then give it a taste and adjust the salt if needed.

Serve topped with a couple spoonfuls of salsa, or pack it up into meal prep containers (I added some Smoky Roasted Breakfast Potatoes to my containers), and refrigerate or freeze for later!