We’re brunch people.
That’s one of the things we missed most about Portland – it’s somewhat of a breakfast and brunch mecca. Come taste, and you will see.
One of the first things we did when we got back was go to Bijou Cafe – our favorite breakfast spot. It was there that I discovered the tofu scramble that t0pped all other tofu scrambles – a masala-spiced, veggie-loaded, savory scramble that haunted me for days after we left.
Fear not, I was immediately on the case and am thrilled to report that I have NAILED this thing down to the very spices. Let’s get to brunching!
The star of this recipe is the tandoori masala spice blend*. If you’re not a spicy-food person, fear not! This is a complex spice blend that isn’t spicy in a hot way, just flavorful.
I did a little research about masala spice blends and it can get a little complicated so I picked one up at Whole Foods to see if it came close. Secret time? I’m convinced it’s what the folks at Bijou use.
*Note: you can learn about this incredible Indian spice blend here.
But, if you don’t have access to the Tandoori Masala spice blend at Whole Foods, I’ve included a blend below that should get you pretty darn close.
One of the things I love most about this scramble is the exceptional use of cauliflower.
Let’s be real, nobody likes cauliflower. But in this scramble, it’s my favorite part! It adds so much heartiness and texture and blends perfectly with the red onions and kale.
Kalamata olives add a salty touch that brings the whole thing together.
My favorite part – it’s simple!
30 minutes
9 ingredients
No fancy methods required
If you can roast veggies and shake on spices, you can make this dish!
And make it you should. It’s:
Hearty
Flavorful
Savory
Perfectly spiced
Loaded with veggies
Protein-packed
Complex but simple to make
Quick
& Satisfying
Here’s the thing, I think I’ve made this recipe so close to the original at the restaurant that I like mine a little more! I know, it’s serious. Plus, I get to eat it with my Best Damn Vegan Breakfast Potatoes that cannot be trumped.
If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, share it on social media, or our favorite – take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see! We love seeing what you guys cook up.
Cheers!
Masala-Spiced Tofu Scramble
Ingredients
- 3-4 Tbsp grape seed oil (or sub olive oil or melted coconut oil)
- 1 medium head cauliflower (de-stemmed and roughly chopped)
- 1/2 medium red onion (thick sliced)
- ~1/3 cup tandoori masala spice blend (divided*)
- 1 healthy pinch each salt + pepper
- 3 large handfuls lacinato kale (chopped)
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives (pitted and halved)
- 8 ounces extra-firm tofu (pressed dry)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped // optional)
- Serve with: Best Damn Vegan Breakfast Potatoes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and wrap tofu in a clean, absorbent towel and set something heavy on top (like a cast iron skillet or tea pot) to begin drying.
- Add chopped onion and cauliflower to a large mixing bowl with 2 Tbsp oil, 3 Tbsp masala spice blend and a healthy pinch each salt and pepper (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and toss to combine. You want it very heavily seasoned – almost all visibly coated (see photo) – so add more spice if necessary.
- Add to a lightly greased or foil lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, add kale to the mixing bowl you used before and toss with another dash of oil and a shake of masala spice, salt, and pepper. Massage to coat.
- At the 20 minute mark, stir cauliflower and onion to cook evenly and add the kale to one end of the baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes more.
- Move onto the tofu while veggies are baking: Preheat large skillet to medium, medium-high heat.
- While heating, to the same mixing bowl you used before, add the tofu and use a fork to piece it apart. Add chopped olives, 1 Tbsp oil and another healthy shake (~ 1 heaping Tbsp) masala blend (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), salt, and pepper. Optional: I also added a dash of hot sauce for color. If using parsley, add half at this time for color and reserve the rest for garnish/serving.
- Once the pan is hot, add a bit more oil and then the tofu mixture. Continue cooking and stirring (adding more masala if desired) for about 5 minutes, or until it looks visibly browned and dry.
- To serve, place the cauliflower/kale/onion mixture on the serving plates and top with tofu scramble. Garnish with a bit more fresh parsley and serve with hot sauce and breakfast potatoes, if desired. Although, I think it’s perfect on its own.
- Store leftovers in the fridge, covered for up to 2 days, though best when fresh.
Notes
*I bought my Tandoori Masala blend at Whole Foods and it was spot on and delicious!
*Inspired by the Masala Tofu Scramble at Bijou Cafe in Portland, OR
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the lesser amount of oil.
Jessica says
I’ve never made anything with masala before – this was great. However, it’s a bit too spicy for the kiddos. Any substitute you can recommend? Thanks in advance!
We’re glad you enjoyed it, Jessica! Were you using a store-bought masala blend or homemade? If you used store-bought, we’d suggest using the recipe in the notes and using less garlic powder. Hope that helps!
Dasha says
The dish came out a little bit dry so I added salsa that I got in my fridge and it was delicious! What sauce from your website would you recommend to accompany this recipe?
Great idea! We think it would also be nice with this green chutney or zesty yogurt sauce. Hope that helps!
Dasha says
Thank you for suggestion! Yesterday’s I made zesty you hurt sauce to accompany the dish. It was delicious 😋
=)
Jerseygirl11 says
Holy moly this was amazing!! The flavors just pop, love the Masala spice and perfect complement to the textures of olives, kale and onions. I was never a big tofu fan but boy have I tried to be. This is by far my new favorite way to eat tofu! So excited. Dana you are a culinary genius. I am amazed at the volume of Delicious recipes you create. I can’t keep up…but that is such a good thing.
:):):):)
Aw, thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes! xo
Laura says
I made it this morning, I had to adjust a few things because I had run out of some spices but it was delicious. I searched it on some hash brown and with some cashew/salsa/chilli sauce on top. Delicious! and my kids and husband loved it too.
Cristina says
Made this today, I had all the spices recommended to make the spice mix myself so I did that instead of getting a specific mix, I prefer to be able to add each spice individually. The dish itself was good, I made the potatoes as a side and mixed it all together at the end. I would have added more spice mix to the tofu but the dish overall was tasty and the potatoes go great with the dish. The only less than positive comment I have is that this took me over an hour to make from start to finish with cutting all the ingredients, mixing and cooking. I don’t think I am a particularly slow cook but who knows. I had to let my veggie mix bake for 40 min, maybe the electric oven? I had it set to the temp in the recipe. I don’t mind the extra time so much to cook but I just thought 30 min seemed a bit inaccurate.
Neha says
Help! Going to make this for dinner tonight ? not a huge olive fan.. what can I substitute in lieu of olives?
Yukirei says
I love cauliflower too and have done so all my life. I will even happily eat steamed cauliflower tossed with just lemon juice, salt and fresh ground pepper. Which makes me super excited to come across this recipe!
John-Mark says
I love cauliflower (I really do).
Does that make me a nobody?
Cristina says
I live cauliflower too!!! One of my favorite vegetables!
Lyrica says
This is really good! I added salsa and it made it a lot better I think!
Brennan says
This dish was super delicious! I went to Whole Foods and got the Tandoori spice mix- and was glad I did! The breakfast potatoes on the side were a great addition as well. Next time I will add a few more olives because I really liked the briny factor they contributed.
Katrina Ellis says
I needed to use a head of cauliflower I had forgotten about, and found I had the other ingredients on hand already to be able to make this easy and delicious breakfast (okay, at 2pm) on New Year’s Day. I usually make variations on the same old tofu scramble, so my fiance was pleasantly surprised and thought this dish was incredibly delicious! I added a zucchini to the roasted veggies since I wanted to use that up as well, and sliced an avocado on top. Will definitely be making again!
Tara says
This recipe has been on my wish list for awhile. I finally had a chance to make it last night. YUM!! Definitely adding it to the repeat list.
Annie says
I think I’m late to the party, but I just found this site, and just made this recipe. Delicious! I actually doubled the cauliflower and onions, because I wanted to use them up. Cut down the oil a bit (trying to lose baby weight). It was really great. Can’t wait to try some more recipes. The sweet potato Buddha bowl is on deck!
Annie
Lydia says
I also think roasted nuts would be terrific would this, just for some crunch. I was looking at the picture again and it almost looks like there are walnuts mixed in :)
Lydia says
This was my first tofu scramble and I loved the unique masala seasoning blend! I had some leftover masala spice so there will be more tofu scrambles in the future. I ended up using white onions since that’s what I had on hand and they were great. When roasted together (I doubled the roasting time), the onions became really sweet and was a nice balance to the rest of the spices and flavors going on. I also used curly kale instead of lacinato and green olives instead of kalamata olives for convenience.
Thanks for another great recipe Dana! I discovered your blog while doing a vegan challenge but continue to come back over omnivorous recipes since these are so easy, tasty, and healthy! This one is no exception.
Sierra says
Just made this for the first time. EXCELLENT! I have to admit, I was a tad skeptical about the olives. I guess I think of them as more a part of a Mediterranean flavor profile rather than Indian, but they ended up being my favourite part! Thank you for sharing!
Dana Hanson says
I accidentally read ‘cinnamon’ for ‘cardamom’ in my spice cupboard. I didn’t realize it was cinnamon until it was in. It still tastes amazing but I’m looking forward to making it right next time!
Melina says
Soooo delicious! I made the spice mix myself because I had the components in my pantry already, and used green olives (also had on hand). It turned out amazing. Glad I doubled the recipe! I’m excited to eat the leftovers for breakfast.
Lindsay says
This recipe is really good but to be honest, kind of dry with just the spice for seasoning. I will definitely make it again but on the search for a dressing or sauce to add in along with the masala. I also substituted in tempeh because I can’t stand tofu and it worked out really well.
Tara says
So I never leave comments, but this recipe was definitely worth me taking the plunge! I made it for dinner and it was fabulous. The olives are an excellent addition & I’m an olive lover so I added extra. I can’t wait to have my left overs for lunch. PS I’ve made a ton of your recipes and really love them all! Thanks for making a transition into vegan-ism so easy ;)
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Tara! So glad you enjoyed it!
Ana says
Ooh, would definitely love to try this! Kale isn’t as accessible where I’m from. What can I substitute for it?
Any other sturdy dark green!
Sophia says
Made this for dinner yesterday and it.was.sooo.good!
Thanks for the recipe!
Wonderful! thanks for sharing, Sophia!
Tal says
Hello, I was wondering if I could use Garam Masala instead of Tandoori Masala?
Janani says
I tried this today and it came out really well! I’m originally from India and now live in Seattle. Came across your blog a few days back trying to look for healthy, quickly and tasty vegetarian recipes. Both me & my husband just love your recipes!! I love the way you incorporate different spices. My husband commented after having this dish today that he felt like he was having “Delhi chaat” ( en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloo_Chaat) again
Elie says
Can I sub with curry powder, or is it the tandoori masala that’s the key to this recipe? So excited to try it out!
Hazel says
What could you substitute cauliflower for? I am not the greatest fan of it although I indeed go give the recipe a try with it forst
It really does taste amazing in this recipe. Otherwise, sub broccoli or a similar cruciferous veg!
Suky says
Much enjoyed by carnivorous husband :-)
Yay!!!
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says
I’m cooking up channa masala tomorrow so I’ve got most of these ingredients in my pantry! I’m definitely going to have to try this for a weekend brunch :)
Hannah says
Looks delish! Can’t wait to try! Does the calorie count include the potatoes?? Thanks!
Yep!
Maria G. says
Nobody likes cauliflower? I do! In our family we make delicious vegan cream of cauliflower soup, cauliflower gratin with cashew sauce, and even cauliflower patties! They are all good.
Jen says
AMAZING!! So simple, so delicious. I rec’d the recipe in my email, went to the store right from work, came home, made it & then we destroyed it!! We made those bomb breakfast potatoes as well. I used coconut oil & I also added baby bellas to the masala dish. You guys seriously rock. So happy I found you! Working on a combo of the crispy eggplant (part of the eggplant parm recipe) & the pizza w/ the herbed Trader Joe’s crust. Stay tuned!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Jen!!!
Kelly Wise says
Has anybody really tried it? It looks and sounds delicious but all the replies are from folks that have not made the dish. I notice this in a lot of blogs and it doesn’t really help those of us that want real feedback. I do love your site. Would like more fat free vegan recipe.
Hannah says
Made it. With the potato recipe as well. Made both recipes exactly as stated. It was absolutely delicious.
Yay! Thanks for sharing!!
Alex says
I’m actually allergic tofu/soy. Do you think a good substitute would be eggs or meat? I can’t tell from the recipe. Thanks!
Definitely eggs!
Mary says
THIS: “Let’s be real, nobody likes cauliflower.”
But I too find I love it with India spices–who would have thought?!? :)
This looks great. Can’t wait to try it!
Gaby says
I would totally brunch with this!!!
Jasmin says
One more cauliflower muncher here. And I love it raw as well… Anyway, I’ll try this brunch scramble for sure, it sounds tempting :)
Jesse says
Your recipe came at the perfect time. We had a head of cauliflower and a half bag of chopped kale that needed to be used ASAP. This scramble is easy, flavorful, and will definitely be used time and time again!THANKS
Katie (Veggie and the Beast) says
I have been allllll about tofu scrambles lately. I’m also one of the few (only?) people who actually likes cauliflower. This is calling my name HARD.
jenna @ just j.faye says
Oooohhhh. This sounds incredible. I may have to take a break from my green smoothie kick and cook this up for breakfasts next week!
Jasmine Lukuku (@TheBlenderist) says
I just made a tofu scramble for dinner last night, because I love breakfast for dinner. You version looks incredible! Definitely keeping this one in mind for my next scramble!
Emilie @ The Clever Carrot says
Hey! I like cauliflower ;) This looks awesome. Thanks for the DIY and where to buy for the spices. We’re brunch people too, but never make it out of the house anymore (kids). This is perfect for brunching at home! I’d love to make my kids eat some tandoori cauliflower… ha! xo
Jordan Lynn // Life Between Lattes says
I love tofu scramble, but this totally takes it to another level! Love these flavors and love the Portland food scene – I would highly recommend Blossoming Lotus (if you haven’t been already). :)
Rosa / onnelimo.fi says
Oh oh! I must try this sometime soon! My husband is Indian and we’re vegetarian so this is just spot on! Somehow I haven’t thought of spicing up tofu, other than buying the marinated one. Thank you!
Hannah Elizabeth says
No way!! I l.o.v.e. cauliflower!! Just not raw, please. ;) But it has been such a lifesaver to many a brainstorming session, that I have come to rely on it as a mainstay! I seriously think that if someone delivered 8 heads/week to my doorstep, I would have no trouble using it. :P
This looks scrumptious, and good for you to boot. Yummy!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
We are total brunch people too. I’d die of happiness if this was served to me. I love the tandoori masala spice you used!
Liz says
So glad I live in portland because now I have to go to Bijou Cafe!
Elle {Styelleish } says
I don’t know if I have ever tried marsala before–I will have to pick up a bottle and give it a go!
And I too, am totally a brunch person. I just don’t get how anyone couldn’t be!
Daniel Fenderson says
Masala, not marsala. VERY different! :)