Easiest Instant Pot Tofu Scramble

This easiest instant pot tofu scramble is ready in about 20 minutes flat and involves little more than chopping an onion; a few stirs, crumbles, and measures; and a touch of a button or two. It's packed with flavor and versatile, too. Feel free to add the veggies you have on hand and get creative with the spices. This recipe is merely a blueprint for making a successful tofu scramble  using the Instant Pot.

This post is sponsored by Nasoya. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Blissful Basil!

A few months ago, I asked the lovely people of Instagram what vegan recipes they'd like to see made easy using the Instant Pot.

There were lots of wonderful ideas, but there were repeat requests made for an Instant Pot Tofu Scramble.

So this is where we're beginning: Instant Pot-izing a vegan classic. Which, surprisingly, doesn't appear to have been done before.

Why Use the Instant Pot?

The wonderful part about the Instant Pot is that its 'pressure cook' function drastically cuts down on cooking time.

A typical tofu scramble requires about 20 to 25 minutes of pan cooking (plus preparation time), but we can shave that down to a speedy 10ish with the Instant Pot.

Love it.

The Trick

Admittedly, using the IP to make a tofu scramble turned out to be more challenging than anticipated, but a winner was revealed through persistence.

The Instant Pot gets hot, so even a quick 3-minute pressure cook can lead to scorching and burning without enough liquid.

And while I respect the Instant Pot's need for more liquid than stove top cooking methods, I didn't want to simply pressure boil the tofu in water. No, no. What flavor would that add?

A few attempts in, and I was reminded of this tofu scramble which leans on a base of puréed tomatoes to create a flavorful broth for the tofu to simmer within.

Since we're all relying a bit more heavily on easy, pantry friendly recipes these days, I swapped out the fresh Roma tomatoes in favor of canned crushed tomatoes. Please feel free to use whichever you have on hand or prefer.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Tofu Scramble

Here's what you'll need to make this simple, flavorful, and FAST Instant Pot tofu scramble:

Nasoya's Super Firm High Protein Tofu. Using Nasoya's super firm tofu eliminates the need to press the tofu before cooking, which saves you a solid 20 to 30 minutes of preparation time. Plus, the texture is unparalleled and perfect for tofu scrambles.

Red or white onion. In a pinch, scallions, leeks, shallots, etc. will work instead.

Kale or spinach. Fresh or frozen work great here. Also, don't be afraid to get creative. If you have other veggies on hand—mushrooms, summer squash, peppers, broccoli, etc.—you can use those instead of or in addition to the greens. This recipe merely provides a solid jumping off point for you to create an easy, fuss-free tofu scramble in the IP.

Crushed tomatoes. I've also included an option to use fresh Roma tomatoes.

Nutritional yeast. You can omit in a pinch but add it if you have it—adds a lovely savoriness and depth of flavor.

Olive oil.

Smoked paprika. 

Garlic powder.

How to Make Tofu Scramble Using an Instant Pot

Once you've gathered your ingredients, it's time to get cooking.

You'll start by setting the Instant Pot to the sauté setting.

Add the olive oil. Once it's warm, add the the onion and the kale.

You'll sauté the veggies for just three minutes or so. You want them to just barely start softening—the 'pressure cook' setting will take care of the rest.

Once the veggies are firm-tender, stir in the crushed tomatoes and continue to cook for another minute or so.

Then, crumble the tofu into the Instant Pot and add the spices.

Alternatively, you can pre-crumble the tofu and measure out the spices before you start cooking or while the veggies are sautéing.

Once you've crumbled in the tofu, secure the lid of the Instant Pot and close the pressure valve.

Set the Instant Pot to the 'pressure cook' setting and set the timer to three minutes.

Once the IP has come to pressure and pressure cooked for three minutes, use the quick release valve to release the steam.

Once all the steam has been released, open the Instant Pot. Taste and season with more salt and pepper.

How to Serve Instant Pot Tofu Scramble

You'll notice that this particular tofu scramble has a bit of broth surrounding it after cooking.

As mentioned above, the additional liquid is needed to prevent scorching and burning in the Instant Pot.

I quite like the brothy nature of this scramble and so prefer to serve it just as is.

If you prefer a drier scramble, you can either use a slotted spoon to strain off the excess liquid or turn the Instant Pot back to the Sauté setting and continue to cook until the liquid cooks off.

Your choice.

Serve your tofu scramble alongside avocado toast, parfaits, muffins, or all on its own.

Its slight Italian vibe makes it versatile beyond the hours of breakfast/brunch, so keep this one in mind for your lunch and dinner needs, too.

It's protein-packed, full of flavor, and truly the easiest tofu scramble I've ever made.

I hope you love this Instant Pot Tofu Scramble! 💗 If you make it, let me know! Leave a comment, rate the recipe, and don’t forget to tag a photo #blissfulbasil on Instagram.

📖 Recipe