Mediterranean Tofu Scramble- a hearty, savory vegan breakfast loaded with marinated artichokes, red bell peppers, and mixed olives. A healthy and protein-packed way to start your day!
This is a great breakfast recipe for those times when you want something with no eggs or meat, but also still want something hot. I find a lot of breakfast recipes that are both egg-less and meat-less are primarily breads and sweets. That’s not my style. I don’t really mess with sugar and simple carbs in the morning. I like my breakfasts hot and savory!
As a corollary to that, I wanted to reiterate one of the things I brought up in my black bean burger recipe (LINK). No, this recipe doesn’t taste like eggs and it’s not going to fool you into thinking it’s eggs either. In fact, I reject the entire notion of eating something designed to trick you. With some occasional (and highly processed) exceptions, most egg and meat substitutes are just that- things you may eat in the same manner but aren’t exactly the same. Once you can relax and enjoy these types of foods for what they are – instead of focusing on how much they are or aren’t like “the real thing” – the more you will enjoy them. As I said in that post, it’s a substitute – not a decoy.
Although I myself am not a vegan, I do try to limit my consumption of animal products and this Mediterranean Tofu Scramble is a healthy and hearty way to achieve that. I admit to being guilty of eating a ton of eggs in the morning, so this is an excellent change-up.
For the most part, all of these ingredients are pantry staples with the possible exception of one – nutritional yeast. If you are unfamiliar with this ingredient, it is a yellow powder/ flake sold in most natural grocery stores (often in the bulk section); but increasingly in regular grocery stores as well – often with the spices. It has a unique flavor that is sometimes described as cheesy. Regular/ baking yeast is NOT an acceptable substitution. In fact, there really is no substitution for nutritional yeast in this recipe. You can find more information about nutritional yeast here.
It took me a while to find the right combination of spices to make this great. One thing I’ve learned about myself is that I tend to prefer less nutritional yeast than many recipes use. Often used to emulate “cheesy” flavors, perhaps my palate is unused to “nooch” (as it’s called) because I still eat regular cheese and dairy products. Who knows.
The only thing I can say for sure is moderation is key for me.
I will be the first to fully admit that, other than when I’m writing recipes for Stovetop Diplomat, I’m definitely one of those “wing it and eyeball the amounts” type of cooks. This Mediterranean Tofu Scramble recipe is one of the rare exceptions. For me, the spices have to be just right for me to enjoy tofu scramble, and unfortunately for my general sloppiness, this requires measuring. I encourage you to do the same!
While this recipe is written to serve 2, it can be easily doubled by using the whole block of tofu and doubling everything else. I have also tried saving it in the fridge for a few days and reheating. It works! In fact, I would argue that it works significantly better than reheating actual eggs. Therefore, this is a great option for the ever elusive breakfast meal prep. It’s also delicious tucked into corn tortillas(as shown below), with slices of avocado and perhaps a little hot sauce.
Looking for other awesome breakfast recipes? Try my Creamed Eggs on Toast, Breakfast Polenta Casserole and Caramelized Banana Orange Chai Granola recipes!
Mediterranean Tofu Scramble
Ingredients
- 1/2 14-oz block extra firm tofu
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 12 mixed olives
- 4 marinated artichoke quarters
- 2 tsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Drain excess water from tofu: place tofu on a plate and then cover with another plate. Use a book or other heavy object to weigh down the top plate. Let sit while preparing other ingredients.
- Slice bell pepper into strips. Cut olives and artichoke quarters in half, if desired.
- In a small bowl, create the flavoring sauce. Combine nutritional yeast, turmeric, onion powder, garlic, salt and water. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add bell pepper and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Crumble tofu into the pan and stir. Crumble into small pieces, with the result looking similar to scrambled eggs.
- Pour sauce over all of the tofu and toss until evenly coated.
- Add olives and artichokes and stir to combine. Cook for another minute or so. Divide into two portions and serve.
Currently Listening: Soul Coughing – El Oso
