10 Healthy Tofu Breakfasts You’ll Love

Tofu is often associated with stir-fries and curries, but this plant-based food made from condensed soy milk is a wonderful addition to breakfasts, too.

Eating tofu for breakfast may even have a few health benefits.

Tofu breakfast recipes are great if you’re following a vegan, vegetarian, or plant-based diet, but they’re also helpful for incorporating a nutritious source of lean protein into omnivorous diets.

Here are 10 healthy tofu breakfast ideas, plus recipe links.

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1. Tofu breakfast scramble

A tofu breakfast scramble is a play on scrambled eggs that uses tofu in place of eggs. The texture of warm, scrambled tofu turns out to be quite similar to cooked eggs. In fact, tofu is a fantastic egg substitute for several breakfast dishes.

Check out the following recipe links:

• quiche
• frittata
• breakfast hash
• omelets

As with eggs, adding extra ingredients can spice up tofu scrambles. Veggies like bell peppers, tomatoes, and spinach add extra vitamins and minerals while mushrooms and beans provide protein.

Tofu is also very nutritious on its own. Just 1/4 block — or 2.8 ounces (81 grams) — packs 14 grams of protein and plenty of calcium, manganese, and iron (1).

Cooking tips

Once you’ve mastered a basic tofu scramble, it’s very simple to create unique dishes using your favorite ingredients.

In short, all you need to do to make a tofu scramble is warm a bit of oil, butter, or another fat in a pan over medium heat, crumble up your tofu, add it to the pan, season it as you wish, and cook it until it’s warm.

Here is a quick but detailed tutorial on making a tofu scramble. What I love about this recipe is that it also includes a couple of suggestions for adding extra flavor.

2. Tofu breakfast burrito

Since scrambled tofu mimic eggs so well, it’s naturally perfect for breakfast burritos as well.

All you need to do to is prepare your favorite tofu scramble and wrap it in your tortilla of choice — or skip the tortilla altogether and make a tofu breakfast burrito bowl.

To get the most nutrition out of a tofu breakfast burrito:

• incorporate nutrient-rich veggies
• choose a whole grain tortilla
• use portion control with condiments like sour cream that add extra calories

Check out this tofu scramble breakfast burrito recipe and video tutorial.

3. Tofu egg muffin cups

If you love to start your day with an egg but are looking to eat more plant-based meals, consider tofu muffin cups instead of similar egg-based versions.

They may be just as filling as meat dishes. Plus, they work well in meal prep routines (2).

This tofu muffin cup recipe is heavy on the veggies and was developed by a registered dietitian (RD).

4. Tofu breakfast bake

Tofu makes a good meat substitute for people looking for a comforting vegan, vegetarian, or plant-based casserole.

Tofu breakfast casserole recipes are easily adaptable to your favorite flavor profiles.

For some ideas, check out this vegan Mexican egg casserole or this classic recipe that loads up on veggies.

5. Tofu toast

An easy tofu breakfast idea is as simple as putting tofu on toast.

For example, tofu is a tasty addition to avocado toast. It’s a wonderful way to pair lean protein with the healthy fats in avocados and goes especially well with a slice of fiber-rich whole grain bread.

Adding extra protein to your morning toast with tofu might even keep you full for longer and help you lose weight (3, 4, 5).

You can also skip the avocado and opt for tofu on hummus toast or with another veggie spread.

Try this classic recipe for tofu avocado toast.

6. Tofu bacon strips

If you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet but sometimes find yourself craving meat, this tofu breakfast idea may be right for you.

Tofu bacon strips do a great job mimicking the flavor and can easily be used in all of the same ways as real bacon.

Here’s a really simply tofu bacon recipe to help get you started.

If you’re looking to experiment with a few more flavors, try this one.

Many tofu bacon recipes call for liquid smoke, but if you don’t have it on hand, use another umami-rich ingredient like soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce.

7. Tofu breakfast sandwiches

Because tofu is often used in place of classic breakfast proteins like meat and eggs, it’s perfect for vegan and plant-based breakfast sandwiches.

To make a tofu breakfast sandwich, follow these simple steps:

1. Prepare the tofu. Open the tofu and drain any excess water. Season the tofu with herbs and spices of your choice. Then thoroughly warm the tofu in the oven or on the stovetop.
2. Choose your bread. Consider opting for a whole grain variety.
3. Gather your toppings. You can load up on nutrients with extra veggies. Just remember that some condiments are high in sugar, salt, and calories.
4. Place the tofu and toppings on the bread.
5. Slice and enjoy!

If you’ve got a little more time to dedicate to your meal, this tofu breakfast sandwich gives step-by-step instructions on making mock egg patties with tofu.

8. Tofu morning smoothie

Tofu’s mild flavor lends itself to breakfasts since it tends not to overwhelm an entire dish, instead absorbing the flavors of the other ingredients. This makes tofu a fabulous addition to smoothies.

Tofu adds extra protein to smoothies and works well in place of milk, yogurt, and other dairy products commonly used in smoothies. This is especially helpful if you want to make a vegan smoothie.

What’s more, tofu is rich in isoflavones, or plant compounds that may help prevent chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease (6, 7, 8, 9).

The best type for smoothies is silken tofu. As opposed to firm tofu which holds its shape, silken tofu is soft, making for better blending.

Plus, this plant-based protein is safe to eat raw as long as it has been stored and handled properly, so you don’t have to worry about warming it up before you adding it to the blender.

You can easily use tofu in any smoothie recipes, but I’m particularly fond of this classic strawberry-banana tofu smoothie.

9. Tofu pancakes

One way to use tofu in a sweet breakfast is to stir it into pancake batter.

For starters, you can use tofu to add extra protein while still achieving the light, fluffy texture pancakes are known for with this tofu pancake recipe.

10. Tofu overnight oats

Overnight oats are filling, nutritious, and only take a few minutes to prepare the night before.

It’s also easy to add variety to your diet with overnight oats since you can use so many ingredients — tofu being one.

Here’s a recipe for peanut butter banana protein oats with tofu.

You can enjoy tofu during any meal, including breakfast.

Its mild flavor, variety of textures, and capacity to mimic eggs and breakfast meats makes tofu particularly suitable for vegetarian and vegan takes on classic breakfast recipes.

Plus, tofu is a filling source of protein that’s rich in many nutrients and healthy plant compounds.