The tofu in these vegan spicy scrambled tofu breakfast tacos is simmered in a flavorful base of smoky spices, peppers, and tomatoes. The savory filling is scooped into warm corn tortillas and topped with creamy avocado mash and tangy hot sauce. This simple breakfast dish comes together in a speedy 30 minutes, which makes it a perfect leisurely weekday spread or quick weekend brunch.
If you've been following along here for any period of time or if you've read through the pantry roots chapter in my cookbook, then you probably know my feelings about tofu.
I'm not its biggest fan.
Yes, it's packed with protein, but tofu can be flavorless and lackluster without a bit of fussing about with spices and techniques (hellooo, tofu press). Not to mention that tofu is essentially the epitome of the vegan stereotype, and I'm not one to conform to expectations.
Random stranger: Oh, you're vegan? You must eat a LOT of tofu.
Me: *crosses arms and grimaces* Tofu? What's that? Never heard of the stuff.
But flavor risks and stereotypes aside, every now and again, IÂ crave a good tofu scramble. One that's properly seasoned, simmered to steamy perfection, and served up as the centerpiece in a vegan brunch spread.
Case in point: there's just one recipe in my cookbook that calls for tofu, and it's for a Southwest Tofu Scramble.
I don't tofu every day but when I do, it's almost always scrambled (and occasionally pan-fried).
In this case, it's scrambled.
As a general rule of thumb, the key to a good tofu scramble is to start by pressing the excess water from the tofu using a tofu press (or a hefty cast iron skillet). BUT I wanted to see if it was possible to bypass the pressing and cut straight to the cooking.
As it turns out, this particular scramble accommodates un-pressed tofu incredibly well thanks to its tomato base. Roma tomatoes are pulsed in a blender until chopped and slightly puréed and then added to a mix of spiced and sautéed poblano pepper, roasted red bell pepper, and red onion. Then, firm or extra-firm tofu is crumbled into the pan and simmered in the peppery tomato base until the liquid is reduced (about 10 minutes).
Because the broth-y tomato base is cooked long enough to be reduced, the excess liquid released from the tofu is predominantly cooked off as well. A win-win.
But to be absolutely certain, I tested the recipe both ways—twice using pressed tofu and twice using unpressed tofu. Not only was the difference negligible, but I actually had a subtle preference for the un-pressed version.
Well, hot damn.
This dish reminds me of a vegan version of the huevos rancheros my mom prepared for brunch throughout the years. The recipe she relied on strayed from the traditional preparation (i.e., fried eggs served on warm tortillas and smothered in salsa) in that it boasted a base of scrambled eggs that had been simmered in salsa. The hot scramble was then scooped into tortillas and topped. There was something so hearty and comforting about that dish, and it was one of the few brunches both my brother and I would scarf down on repeat without complaints.
This scrambled tofu recipe has a lot in common with that childhood brunch favorite. The spicy, simmered filling is tucked into warm corn tortillas and topped with a dollop of creamy avocado mash, a sprinkle of cilantro, and a few dashes of hot sauce.
There's something immensely satisfying about this dish. It's filling, flavorful, and comes together in 30 minutes flat.
And if my love for it makes me a stereotypical, tofu-loving vegan, then so be it...
📖 Recipe
Vegan Spicy Scrambled Tofu Breakfast Tacos
Ingredients
Spicy Scrambled Tofu
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 poblano pepper, cored and diced
- ½ medium red onion, diced
- 3 Roma tomatoes
- 1 large jarred roasted red bell pepper, chopped (about ½ cup)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 (16-ounce) block sprouted firm or extra-firm tofu, drained and rinsed
- Juice of 1 lime, more or less to taste
Base + Toppings
- 8–10 small corn tortillas, warmed
- 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and mashed with sea salt + lime juice to taste
- Cilantro leaves (optional)
- Hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
For the Spicy Scrambled Tofu
- In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the poblano pepper and red onion, and sauté for 4–6 minutes, or until beginning to soften, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, add the Roma tomatoes to a blender and pulse several times to chop and purée. You want them to be thoroughly chopped yet maintain a bit of texture. Set aside.
- Add the roasted red pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, and sea salt to the pepper and onion mixture. Continue to sauté for 1 minute, or until the spices begin to bloom and become fragrant.
- Stir in the Roma tomatoes, and crumble in the tofu. Simmer for 10–12 minutes, or until the liquid reduces, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the lime juice and continue to simmer for just 1 more minute. Then, turn off the heat.
- Taste and season with more sea salt if desired. (I usually add another ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon. Proper seasoning is essential to a flavorful tofu scramble and while you certainly don't want to over-season, don't be too shy with the sea salt.)
To Serve
- Scoop a bit of the tofu filling into each warm tortilla. Top with a dollop of mashed avocado, a bit of cilantro (if using), and a few dashes of hot sauce (if using).
- Serve immediately.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in separate containers for up to 2 days.
Celeste Jackson says
I know what you mean about Tofu; even though I'm not a vegan I have tried it here and there and must admit I was not overly excited about it. But I know you have made something similar to this for us at home and I was very impressed and satisfied. It's a great replacement for my huevos rancheros. You've inspired me to make it myself now!
Connie says
I actually like tofu, but rarely cook with it because I don't have a tofu press and am, frankly, to lazy to press it myself! So I'm really excited to try the recipe this weekend, and really appreciate that there is no need to press; I can see this becoming a regular in the rotation at our house - thank you! P.S. Still so enjoying your cookbook, and I love your smoothies - lately the Strawberry Cardamom has been my favorite; great combination of flavors!
Maria says
I LOVE tofu! (provided it's prepared correctly - and I always buy organic non-GMO). I always find it so hard to believe when other plant-based eaters say they don't eat tofu. I would get so tired of eating legumes all the time! Have you ever tried using Indian black salt (sometimes called Himalayan black salt) in your tofu scrambles, instead of regular sea salt? You should google it - it's a total game changer.
Ashley says
Hi, Maria! Yes, kala namak is a total game changer with tofu scrambles! This one doesn't need it because it's so flavorful otherwise, but I almost always use it in other scramble recipes.
Shirleen says
I love tofu scrambles! Easy fast and nutritious and this one I'll have to try.. What brand of corn tortillas do you use? Thanks.
Ashley says
I use El Milagro corn tortillas (they're native to the Chicago area and are amazing—just three ingredients: corn, water, lime). Hope you enjoy, Shirleen!
Jen says
I don't love tofu, but I do love this recipe. I use it to make a big batch of breakfast burritos. I cook some diced potatoes, seasoned with a bit of sazon, then combine with the scramble. I use about 1/4 to 1/3 cup serving to a flour tortilla, throw in a few sprigs of cilantro and wrap up. I make these in a big batch, each wrapped in foil, then freeze for future meals (not just breakfast either!). I'm writing my grocery list now since I ate my last one this AM!
myriam coleman says
nutrition facts?
Ashley says
Hi, Myriam! I don't calculate nutrition facts for my recipes (see my FAQ page for more info), but there are lots of wonderful online calculator that you can simply drop the blog post link into and they will automatically populate the nutrition facts for you. Hope this helps!
Tina N says
I was skeptical at first since it took a while to reduce but I loved this concept of simmering the tofu scramble in a flavorful sauce - makes it so much better than your normal tofu scramble and definitely reminds me of huevos rancheros. Will add this to the rotation!
Ashley says
Happy to hear you enjoyed it, Tina! It was a pleasant surprise to me as well. Amazing how much flavor gets infused into the tofu during that simmer, isn't it? Thanks for taking time out of the busy holiday season to come back and share your thoughts and rating. Means a lot. :)