Spicy Tofu Scramble

My husband came up with this recipe for spicy tofu scramble tacos with hominy and he's been enjoying it for his weekly breakfast meal prep.  It turned out pretty good and I wanted to share it with you all for a savory breakfast option.  He likes to make things spicy, but I’m pretty sure he toned down the spice once the recipe was written out for me to test.  

The kind of chili powder you use will have a lot to do with how spicy the tofu turns out.  Some store-bought chili powders can be a bit bland, so our favorite is a homemade version using cayenne pepper.  If needed, serve the oil-free tofu scramble on tortillas with avocado slices to lessen the heat.

I love the hominy in it and chipotle powder might be my new favorite spice.  Hominy has a mild nutty-earthy flavor and a chewy texture.  The chipotle powder gives some heat and smokiness to the dish.

What is Hominy?

Hominy is dried field corn that’s been soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution through a process called nixtamalization. This process softens the outer hull and has been fundamental to Mesoamerican cuisine since ancient times.

Hominy can be found dried or in cans and the most common varieties are white and yellow.  If you haven’t had hominy, it can usually be found near the canned beans in the grocery store.  

If you can’t find hominy, I wouldn’t recommend substituting with corn for this particular recipe.  They are similar but they don't have the same texture or flavor.  Black or white beans don’t taste like hominy at all, but would still work in this recipe as a variation if you can’t find hominy.  Drain and rinse the beans before adding them to the recipe.

What is Himalayan Black Salt?

Indian black salt is also known as Kala Namak (and also know as Himalayan black salt) and has a sulfurous pungent smell.  It’s used to give vegan tofu scrambles an eggy taste.  The smell is the strongest when it’s added to the dish, and then quickly dissipates. 

It’s still salty but has a much lower sodium content than table salt.  Add it at the end of cooking as a finishing salt. I purchase my Himalayan black salt on Amazon, but if you don't miss the smell of eggs it can be skipped. I wouldn't recommend substituting with table salt on a 1 to 1 ratio, it may make the dish too salty.

Tips for Tofu Scramble Tacos

• To keep some heat don’t seed the jalapeños.
• No need to press the tofu, just drain it, and the excess liquid will cookout.
• Just use your hands to crumble the tofu into the pan, then use a spatula to break up any large pieces.
• Yellow or white hominy can be used in this spicy tofu scramble recipe.
• The ground turmeric can easily be cut in half if you prefer.  (Secretly I think my husband had been trying to find all kinds of ways to use turmeric since reading Dr. Greger’s How Not to Die.  Plus, he bought two pounds of it!)

How to Make Spicy Tofu Scramble

For oil-free cooking, sauté the onion, green bell pepper, and jalapeños in a preheated non-stick large pan over medium heat. If you don’t have a nonstick pan, you may need to add a ¼ cup of water when cooking the veggies for oil-free cooking.  Or use a neutral-tasting oil.

Cook for about 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent and the peppers have softened.  Add a tablespoon of water at a time if the veggies start sticking.

Add the drained hominy and tofu to the pan. Crumble the tofu into the pan for small bite-size pieces.  Break up any large tofu chunks with your spatula. There's no need to press the tofu or rinse the hominy.

Add all of the seasonings to the pan except the black salt and stir to combine. Turn down the heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes uncovered for the flavors to combine and remove excess liquid from the tofu.  Stir occasionally.

Stir in the black salt and serve with tortillas.

More Savory Breakfast Recipes

• Oil-Free Potato Hash
• Vegan Cheesy Broccoli Hash Brown Casserole
• Avocado Toast Three Ways
• Hatch Green Chile Tofu Scramble

I hope you enjoy this vegan hominy recipe!

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