Try this Scrambled Tofu recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 1.65840083333333 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.71277166739034 g
- Fiber 0.107208328564962 g
- Protein 0.3189125 g
- Saturated Fat 0.237541666766591 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (7g)
- Sodium 0.88741666668114 mg
- Sugar 1.55119250476837 g
- Trans Fat 0.0532591666862637 g
- Calories 22 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Use your hands to break the tofu into large chunks.
- Add the tofu and garlic to the hot oil.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is golden brown on all or most sides.
- As the tofu is cooking you can break up larger pieces of tofu with your wooden spoon.
- Once the tofu is golden brown, add the nutritional yeast, cumin, and salt.
- Stir and continue cooking until the tofu absorbs the nutritional yeast.
- Serve the scrambled tofu with a side of toast and some fresh fruit, or try one of the serving suggestions below.
Most cooks fail at this dish by introducing wet, jarred garlic paste alongside water-logged blocks straight from the refrigerator package. When minced fresh garlic hits heated olive oil at medium-high heat alongside wet soy curds, the excess water content creates steam rather than direct frying contact. This reaction prevents the crucial Maillard browning required to build savory depth. Pressing firm or extra-firm tofu for twenty minutes using a heavy cast-iron skillet weight draws out internal moisture before cooking begins, guaranteeing a sturdy protein structure that holds its shape under a wooden spoon.
The Role of Fresh Versus Preserved Alliums
Freshly minced cloves release cell-ruptured sulfur compounds instantly upon contact with fat, producing sharp, pungent top notes that mellow into sweetness during a four-minute sauté. Conversely, pre-minced jarred garlic preserved in citric acid or oil lacks these volatile organosulfur compounds, yielding a flat, metallic taste profile. Raw minced garlic should hit the pan simultaneously with the crumbled soybean blocks so the fat absorbs the aromatic oils without burning the delicate sugars.
Managing Moisture and Texture
Achieving a convincing mouthfeel requires distinct textural contrasts between the exterior crust and the tender interior. Cooking the broken chunks without a lid allows evaporating steam to escape freely into the kitchen atmosphere. Nutritional yeast added toward the end of the ten-minute cooking window adheres efficiently to the oil-coated porous surfaces without dissolving into a paste.
