What’s for breakfast? Scrambled Tempeh “Eggs” {Vegan}

Tempeh.

You don’t see much of it on this blog because I don’t exactly love it.  In fact, until today, I had only three tempeh recipes on my recipe page.  The funny thing is, I always have tempeh around; I guess it just seems like the thing a vegan should have handy.  Yesterday, when horrified to discover that I was out of tofu, I did what I had to do.  I grabbed the fermented block of soybeans and grains and tried to make some magic happen – I tossed it in the food processor.

Scrambled Tempeh “Eggs” {Vegan}

by JL Fields @ JL goes Vegan

Ingredients (Serves 1)

  • 5 oz. tempeh (I used organic three-grain tempeh)
  • Filtered water
  • 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast (I used powder; fortified with B vitamins)
  • 1/8 teaspoon black salt (which is actually pink)
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon water
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic and onion
  • Vegetables of your choice

Instructions

  1. Soak tempeh in filtered water for 15 minutes
  2. Remove the tempeh from the bowl of water and place it in a food processor.
  3. Using the “S” blade, pulse for a few seconds to break up the tempeh.
  4. Add nutritional yeast and salt and pulse, checking for consistency. You’re looking for moist crumbles; add water as needed (I used about 1 teaspoon).
  5. Heat olive oil in the skillet (if you avoid oil you can use vegetable broth or water but it really stuck to the non-stick pan when I tried it).
  6. Add garlic and onion and saute for a few minutes.
  7. Add the crumbled tempeh to the pan and brown, stirring frequently.
  8. Add vegetables of choice (I used spinach) to the skillet, mix, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until vegetables reach desired doneness.
  9. Serve in a bowl; I like to eat my breakfast bowl meals with a side of raw vegetables; in this case, diced tomato from the farmers market.
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The moist and creamy mouthfeel make this the closest to “egg” that I feel I have been since making the vegan leap.

This is really, really good!  Next time I may use a little less water to see how it tastes when more crumbled. Or, I might add more water and make tempeh patties (just might try that this morning!).

And, trust me, there will be a next time. I don’t always love tempeh but when I do, I’m a return customer!

16 thoughts on “What’s for breakfast? Scrambled Tempeh “Eggs” {Vegan}”

  1. I love tempeh! I didn’t always, in fact it kind of freaked me out, but after I learned to boil it before I used it I’ve discovered lots of yummy ways to cook it. Recently I used it to make some tacos and it was absolutely scrumptious!

    1. Boiling is s a great idea! I had been steaming mine, which help a great deal and imagine is why I thought to soak it in water before processing it.

  2. Just made this for me and my wife, we both loved it. Added a little cumin to hers, and I ate mine with avocado and tomato slices. Thanks for the recipe.

  3. Wow, just made this and it is seriously like eggs. Like, freakily so. Nice job!!

  4. Pingback: T is for tempeh

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