Recipe: Tofu Breakfast Scramble
Soy protein sources (tofu, tempeh, soymilk, edamame) are some of the few plant-derived complete proteins. Foods need to contain all 20 amino acids to be a complete protein. It used to be thought plant protein sources which weren’t complete needed to be combined in a meal, in order to fill any gaps in amino acids. Luckily, our bodies are wise and efficient, so they’re able to derive amino acids from a variety of sources in a day to meet these needs – as long as our intake is varied and rich in whole foods.
Tofu is a versatile plant-based protein that is truly a ‘blank slate’ when it comes to flavor. In truth, that can be both a good and bad thing! In this recipe, we used extra-firm tofu (for an egg-like texture), and after a quick pan sauté, we infused flavor in a few ways. Using a little bit of liquid in this scramble, we were able to dial up the creaminess that some enjoy from scrambled eggs when they are cooked with a bit of cream or simply to a soft consistency. Pair this scramble with non-starchy veggies and your favorite breakfast starch for a balanced, Plate Method meal!
Tofu Breakfast Scramble
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 14 ounces extra-firm tofu
- 1/4 C unsweetened plant-based milk
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For topping/serving: green onions, pickled red onions, chives, olives, fresh herbs, salsa, avocado, or hot sauce.
Directions
- Remove tofu from packaging and separate into 4 sections. Using clean hands, squeeze each section to remove the water (it may slightly break apart -that’s ok). Roughly crumble larger sections into 1″ sections into a bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate small bowl, combine milk, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, Dijon mustard, and turmeric. Whisk gently with a fork to combine.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet on the stove to medium and add olive oil. Allow to heat up for 1 minute.
- Add crumbled tofu to the pan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring lightly with a wooden spoon/spatula to heat through and minimize sticking.
- Once tofu is heated, reduce temperature to low and add liquid/seasoning mixture to the skillet. Toss tofu with liquid to coat evenly and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Serve tofu as is or with your favorite toppings – our ideas are listed above!
To make it a Plate Method meal:
Pair with roasted potatoes, beans, or tortillas and non-starchy veggies.