Easy Tofu Scramble

The between-days. The strange, loose time between Christmas and New Year's that feels like the exhale after holding your breath for a month. I worked Friday but had the weekend off, and I spent it in a state of pleasant purposelessness that I almost never allow myself and that felt, by Sunday evening, like exactly the right medicine.

The Christmas food is finished — the ham is gone, the rolls are a memory, the cookies have been redistributed to everyone who will take them. What's left is the good, clarifying simplicity of the in-between week, when you're allowed to eat leftovers and not think too hard about anything. I made hash from the remaining ham — diced potatoes, diced ham, onion, a fried egg on top — because ham hash is the best argument for making too much ham at Christmas. I made it Saturday morning and ate it at the kitchen table with coffee and the particular quiet of a city that has, for once, decided to pause.

Sean D. and I walked the harbor on Sunday afternoon. The water was gray and cold and the city looked spare without Christmas lights. We didn't talk much, just walked. I have become a person who values walks with someone quiet. He said at one point, "What are you thinking about?" and I said, "Everything," and he said, "Same," and we kept walking.

I was thinking about the year that was — the proposal, the engagement party, the dress in my closet, the wedding five and a half months away. I was thinking about my patients. I was thinking about everything that 2017 is going to hold. I'm twenty-five years old and in five and a half months I'm getting married at St. Brigid's to a history teacher from Dorchester who thinks my family is wonderful, which is either the most reasonable opinion or the bravest one. I am ready. But tonight I'm going to eat ham hash and let the last week of this year be exactly what it is.

I made ham hash that Saturday, and it was exactly right — but it got me thinking about the broader category of thing it belongs to: the humble, forgiving skillet scramble, the kind of breakfast you make when the house is quiet and you’re not performing for anyone. This tofu scramble lives in that same spirit. It’s seasoned simply, ready fast, and it asks nothing of you except a little patience with the pan — which feels, after the full noise of December, like a gift.

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 2

Ingredients

1 block (14 oz) firm or extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1–2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional, for depth)
1–2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
Fresh chives or parsley, to finish

Instructions

Press the tofu. Wrap the tofu block in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and press firmly for at least 5 minutes to remove excess moisture. The drier the tofu, the better it will crisp in the pan.
Sauté the vegetables. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Crumble in the tofu. Use your hands or a fork to crumble the tofu directly into the skillet in rough, uneven pieces — aim for a texture that resembles a loose scramble, not a fine crumble.
Season and cook. Sprinkle in the turmeric, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir everything together until the tofu is evenly coated and golden. Cook for 5–7 minutes, letting the tofu sit undisturbed for a minute at a time to develop some color.
Finish with soy sauce. Drizzle in the soy sauce and add nutritional yeast if using. Toss to combine, taste for salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute more.
Serve. Plate and top with fresh chives or parsley. Serve alongside toast, roasted potatoes, or just a good cup of coffee.

Nutrition (per serving)

Easy Tofu Scramble — A Between-Days Breakfast Worth Slowing Down For