If you like scrambled eggs, you’re gonna enjoy this tofu scramble, too. The texture is surprisingly similar, but the breakfast dish is plant-based.
What’s great about tofu, especially the soft silken one in this recipe, is how easily it absorbs flavors and spices.
Quick tofu primer just in case:
- Tofu is a.k.a. bean curd or soybean curd
- It’s made from curdled soy milk, which is made from ground, cooked soybeans
- How firm tofu is depends on how much whey is extracted
- There’s regular, low-fat and nonfat tofu
- You can get soft (silken), regular or firm tofu
- Silken tofu got its name from the soft, silky-smooth texture and I used it in this recipe
- It’s sold packed/sealed in water, or vacuum-packed without water
- It’s perishable and you should use it within a few days
- You can freeze it, but the texture will change – it will be chewy!
- If you can, buy only organic tofu made from non-GMO soybeans
I love using shishito peppers for their sweetness and crunchiness.
What are shishito peppers?
Shishito peppers originated in East Asia and the name is Japanese. They’re small, bright green, and have a thin, wrinkled skin. About one out of 10 will be hot, otherwise they’re sweet.
You can cook them whole and they’re amazing pan-fried, grilled, roasted or steamed. Here’s a cool video recipe for blistered shishito peppers.
For this vegan tofu scramble, I diced them, because small pieces work better. Cut off and discard the stem, then dice the peppers. There’s no need to deseed shishito peppers—leave the seeds in.
Here are the 4 easy steps to make the tofu scramble:
The tofu scramble is a super easy recipe. Once you prep the ingredients, you just quickly stir-fry in three stages:
- first stage: shishito peppers, onion, salt, chili flakes, oregano, and black pepper
- second stage: tomatoes
- third stage: silken tofu
It takes about 20 minutes to cook the tofu scramble.
(A side note: Use a nonstick skillet if you can—it’s the best pan for cooking the delicate soft tofu.)
It tastes great on its own, with a nice crusty bread. Or serve it over steamed rice for a more substantial meal.
Other delicious breakfast dishes:
This insane Chocolate Granola With Pistachios, Almonds and Dried Currants
Or this chunky, crunchy Big-Cluster Granola
My childhood favorite toast: Cheesy Egg Nests
Your turn.
What’s your favorite breakfast dish? And how do you use tofu?
Tell me in the comments.
Print
Vegan Tofu Scramble With Shishito Peppers
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2–4 1x
- Cuisine: American
Description
Quick and flavor-packed vegan alternative to scrambled eggs. It’s your new breakfast staple.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
- 1 cup (80 g) finely diced, stemmed shishito peppers (with seeds left in) – see note 1
- ½ cup (65 g) finely chopped red, or yellow peeled onion
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed chili flakes (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup (240 g) diced fresh, or drained canned tomatoes (about 1-inch dice)
- 1 16-ounce (454 g) block soft silken tofu
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, or parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Add the shishito peppers, onion, salt, chili flakes, oregano and black pepper, and sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft, about 8–10 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes.
- Add the tofu and gently break with a spatula or wooden spoon. Cook and carefully stir the mixture, until the tofu is heated through, about 5 more minutes. Stir in the cilantro, and add more salt and/or black pepper, to taste.
- Serve hot. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Note 1 – If you can’t find shishito peppers, use another type of peppers, such as bell, paprika, or poblano peppers.
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