Air Fryer Silken Tofu Scramble with Purple Sweet Potatoes
Start off your day the right way with this Air Fryer Silken Tofu Scramble with Purple Sweet Potatoes! This recipe is incredibly easy to make, is super nutritious and will keep you fueled for hours, and is LOADED with flavor! Making tofu scramble in the air fryer is an absolute game changer! With little effort, you can have your breakfast cooking in the background as you do EVERYTHING ELSE you need to do in the morning.
Air Fryer Silken Tofu Scramble with Purple Sweet Potatoes consists of crispy purple sweet potatoes, roasted shallots and poblano pepper, and cheesy vegan silken tofu scramble that is seasoned to perfection to taste like eggs!
This savory, cheesy, slightly spicy vegan breakfast is everything you want and more in the morning! Leave the pots and pans in the cabinet this morning, and give this Air Fryer Silken Tofu Scramble with Purple Sweet Potatoes a try!
Jump to RecipeWhy you will love this Air Fryer Silken Tofu Scramble Recipe
Cooking your tofu scramble in the air fryer is a total game changer! Here’s why you will love this recipe…
- SUPER EASY TO MAKE – Air fryer silken tofu scramble is so incredibly easy to make! Even a beginner can successfully make this healthy vegan breakfast! You pretty much just cut and season your ingredients…and into the air fryer they go…very little effort needed for delicious results!
- EASY CLEAN UP – It’s easy to get carried away in the kitchen when you want multiple elements to a dish. A skillet for this, a sauce pan for that, an oven tray for that…next thing you know you have a pile of dishes in the sink! For this air fryer silken tofu recipe, everything gets cooked in the air fryer, making cleanup super easy.
- COOKS IN THE BACKGROUND – this recipe takes 40 minutes to make, but only 5 minutes of that time is hands on. The other 35 minutes, your breakfast is cooking in the background, while you do everything else you have to do in the morning!
- PREP IN ADVANCE – Want to make your mornings even easier? This Air Fryer Silken Tofu Scramble recipe can be prepped in advance! Dice your potatoes, cut your veggies and season your tofu the night (or days) before. Then when it’s time to cook your breakfast, all you have to do is pop everything in the air fryer. Healthy vegan breakfast made easy!
- HEALTHY BREAKFAST – This Air Fryer Silken Tofu Scramble with Purple Sweet Potatoes recipe is a fantastic, healthy, vegan options for breakfast! Thanks to the nutrient dense purple sweet potatoes and protein rich tofu, you can be fueled for hours with this baby!
- VERSATILE RECIPE – One of my favorite things about air fryer silken tofu scramble is that is it is so versatile so I never get bored! You can really personalize and change up this recipe easily…swap out the veggies, make it spicy, add vegan breakfast sausage, change the seasoning to cater to your palate…sky is the limit!
INGREDIENTS FOR AIR FRYER SILKEN TOFU SCRAMBLE WITH PURPLE SWEET POTATOES
The bulk of this dish is made with a few simple ingredients…purple sweet potatoes, silken tofu, poblano pepper, and shallots…with a sprinkle of cilantro at the end. But where this recipe really gets it’s magic is from the seasoning! Yes, you can make silken tofu taste a whole lot like eggs! The trick? It’s all about the right combination of clever seasoning to build flavor. Here’s what you will need…
- PURPLE SWEET POTATOES – Purple sweet potatoes are magic! They are loaded with nutrients, super beautiful, and incredibly flavorful. You can find these babies in most grocery stores, at health food stores, your local farmers market, or Asian grocery stores. If needed or desired, you can substitute any potato for this recipe. Regular sweet potato would be my personal next choice.
- SILKEN TOFU – Silken tofu is the soft, unprocessed version of tofu. For those of you that are new, tofu is an excellent source of plant-based protein! I love using silken tofu for my tofu scrambles because I feel like it best mimics the texture of scrambled eggs. You can find silken tofu in the grocery store and in Asian markets. You can substitute firm tofu for this recipe if desired.
- POBLANO PEPPER – Poblano peppers have a slight heat to them. If you don’t want your air fryer silken tofu scramble to be spicy at all, substitute sweet peppers or bell peppers. Want more heat? Substitute poblano peppers with jalapeño peppers!
- SHALLOTS – You can substitute sweet onion, or any onion if desired
- CILANTRO
INGREDIENTS FOR SILKEN TOFU SEASONING
- NUTRITIONAL YEAST – Nutritional yeast has a unique, cheese-like flavor that can be described as savory and slightly nutty. This delicious, flavor boosting ingredient is very popular in vegan and dairy free cheese recipes and is often the key ingredient to create a dairy free, cheese-like flavor. Using nutritional yeast on air fryer silken tofu scramble helps build a more well rounded “eggy” flavor. You can find this ingredient in the spice isle of your grocery store and online.
- BLACK SALT – Black salt, also known as Kala Namak, is often found in Indian cuisine. Black salt is an amazing addition to your spice cabinet. With its pungent, egg-like flavor it is a significant player in brining any vegan “egg” dish to the next level. You can easily find it online or at an Indian Market.
- GARLIC POWDER
- ONION POWDER
- TURMERIC – In this air fryer silken tofu scramble recipe, turmeric is used more for color than flavor. It will give your silken tofu scramble a nice mustard color, allowing your silken tofu to look more like eggs…after all, we eat with our eyes first. Turmeric is also great for you!
- SMOKED PAPRIKA
- CUMIN
- KETCHUP
- SOY SAUCE
- VEGAN CHEESE – For this recipe I went with a vegan cheddar cheese from the brand Violife. But feel free to use any vegan cheese of your choice.
MAKE THIS AN OIL FREE TOFU SCRAMBLE
This Air Fryer Silken Tofu Scramble with Purple Sweet Potatoes recipe is already very close to being oil free.
Air fryer purple sweet potatoes do not require oil! Your welcome to add oil to your air fryer purple potatoes if desired, doing so will make your potatoes slightly more crispy and moist. I personally love to skip the oil to save on calories.
In this recipe you will also air fry your veggies and tofu without oil! The only ingredient that contains oil in these recipe is the vegan cheese. So if you want to turn this into an oil free tofu scramble, just leave off the cheese! If you want a bit more of a cheesy flavor without actually using vegan cheese, just add more nutritional yeast to your air fryer silken tofu scramble.
HOW TO YOU MAKE AIR FRYER SILKEN TOFU SCRAMBLE TASTE LIKE EGGS
Yes! You can successfully make tofu taste a whole like like eggs! How? Well, air frying silken tofu will naturally develop a texture similar to soft scrambled eggs. But the trick is mostly in the seasoning.
What seasoning do you use to make air fryer silken tofu scramble taste like egg? To achieve this, combine ketchup, nutritional yeast, black salt, and soy sauce. For this recipe you will also add garlic powder, onion power, smoked paprika, and cumin for extra flavor and turmeric for an eggy color.
How to make Air Fryer Silken Tofu Scramble with Purple Sweet Potatoes
Air Fryer Silken Tofu Scramble with Purple Sweet Potatoes is incredibly simple to make! Here’s how…
PREHEAT YOUR AIR FRYER
Begin by preheating the oven to 400ºF. If your air fryer does not have a preheat button, simply turn your empty air fryer on and let it heat up for 5 minutes before use.
PREPARE YOUR POTATOES AND VEGGIES
Begin by dicing your purple sweet potatoes into small cubes about 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch. You want to potato cubes to be small like this so they don’t take too long to cook.
Slice your shallot into thin slices and cut your poblano pepper into small pieces as well.
PREPARE YOUR AIR FRYER PURPLE SWEET POTATOES
Air fryer purple sweet potatoes will take the longest to cook, so we will start with them.
Next, lay your cubed purple sweet potatoes in a single layer on an air fryer basket.
If you prefer to add oil to your potatoes, go for it. Doing so will make them slightly more crispy and moist. I personally skip the oil because I don’t find it necessary and like to save on fat and calories.
Place your tray of purple sweet potatoes in the preheated air fryer and cook at 400ºF for 15 minutes. Mix them at the half way mark to help them cook more evenly.
**While air fryer purple sweet potatoes are cooking, use your time wisely and move ahead to prep the rest of the recipe
Season your silken tofu
Open and drain your silken tofu. Place tofu in a mixing bowl and add 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1/8 tsp black salt, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon onion powder, 1/8 tsp turmeric, 1/8 tsp smoked paprika, 1/8 tsp cumin, 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tsp soy sauce, and 1/4 cup of vegan cheese (shredded or cut into small pieces).
Mix until evenly combined. Allow your tofu to break apart into smaller pieces.
Air fry your vegetable
When your air fryer purple sweet potatoes have reached the 15 minute mark, it’s time to add your vegetables.
Place shallots and poblano peppers on a air fryer tray in a single layer.
Place in air fryer, along with sweet potatoes, and cook for 5 minutes at 400ºF.
Air Fry your silken tofu scramble
When your veggies have reached the 5 minute mark, it’s time to cook your tofu.
Place your silken tofu scramble on the same air fryer tray as the veggies. Spread out your silken tofu as much as possible, while still leaving room for your veggies.
Place in air fryer and cook at 400ºF 5 minutes.
At the 5 minute mark, mix you silken tofu scramble together with your shallots and poblano peppers. Allow to cook for 10 more minutes, stir at the half way mark.
Your meal will be cooked when the air fryer purple sweet potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and the silken tofu is hot, slightly roasted, and the vegan cheese has melted.
Remove the Air Fryer Silken Tofu Scramble with Purple Sweet Potatoes from the oven and plate. Top with chopped cilantro. Serve and enjoy!
Tips for making air fryer silken tofu scramble with purple sweet potatoes
- Prep this recipe in advance – This recipe is a super simple recipe to prep and make. But you can make your life super easy if you prep your ingredients the night (or days) before. Dice potatoes, shallots and sweet potatoes and store in an air tight container. Combine all of your ingredients for silken tofu scramble and mix. Store your seasoned silken tofu in an air tight container. Not only will prepping your tofu in advance lead to an easier morning, it will also allow your tofu to marinate and become even more flavorful!
- Preheat the air fryer – Preheating the air fryer is super important when it comes to successfully making air fryer silken tofu scramble with purple sweet potatoes. This allows the oven to heat up so it is actually at the temperature it should be when you place the purple sweet potatoes in the air fryer. If you do not have a preheat button on your air fryer, simply turn on the empty air fryer for 5 minutes before use. Never preheat your air fryer with parchment paper in it! It could get sucked up into the heating element and cause a fire!
- You don’t need oil – When it comes to air fryer purple sweet potatoes, veggies, and silken tofu scramble, you can actually skip the oil if desired. Personally, if I can skip the oil on my air fryer veggies without compromising the texture or flavor too much, I do. If you want your air fryer purple sweet potatoes, poblano peppers, and shallot to be slightly more moist, feel free to brush a thin layer of oil on them.
- Cook in a single layer – I know it can be tempting to over crowd or stack ingredients in your air fryer…but don’t do this! Always lay your diced purple sweet potatoes and veggies out in a single layer. This will allow your air fryer everything to cook evenly.
QUESTIONS ANSWERED
- Is this recipe a good source of protein – Yes! Silken tofu is a great source of vegan protein.
- Is silken tofu scramble and purple sweet potatoes gluten free – Because of the soy sauce, this recipe is not gluten free. But that is an easy fix! Make this air fryer silken tofu scramble gluten free by using a gluten free soy sauce alternative.
- Is silken tofu scramble and purple sweet potatoes vegan – Yes! This recipe is vegan, vegetarian, and plant based!
- How to I make this recipe oil free – You can easily make this silken tofu scramble and purple sweet potatoes oil free by simply leaving out the vegan cheese. Everything else in the recipe is already oil free!
- How do I add calories to this meal – This recipe is fairly low in calories. If you want MORE calories, add a handful of nuts or seeds. You can also serve with avocado! Adding oil to air fryer purple potatoes, before cooking, will also bulk up the calories.
- Can I use firm or extra firm tofu – Yes! I personally prefer using silken tofu for tofu scramble when I have it, I just like the texture more. But you can definitely use firm and extra firm tofu for this recipe. You may need to add extra seasoning to your tofu scramble, so taste test it and adjust as needed.
- Can I use different spices – Of course! I added cumin to this recipe to give it a bit of a Spanish inspired flavor. But you can exchange that for any spice you desire. Chinese 5 spice or Italian seasoning are great swaps.
- Can I use different vegetable for this recipe – You sure can! Add any vegetable you desire! Just chop them up into bit size pieces and adjust cooking time if needed. Broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms and zucchini are all great additions.
- How do I add protein to this recipe – You can easily make this recipe more protein rich by adding vegan breakfast sausage or beans to the dish!
What to serve with silken tofu scramble and purple sweet potatoes
This recipe makes a full meal as is…but if you are looking for more flavor or food here’s a few ideas.
Condiments to serve with air fryer silken tofu scramble
- Ketchup
- Hot sauce
- Salsa
- Pico de Gallo
- Guacamole
- Hummus
- Vegan Sour Cream
Sides to serve with air fryer silken tofu
- Fresh Fruit
- Steamed vegetables
- Pumpkin Spice Butternut Squash Silver Dollars
- Rosemary Maple and Blackberry Silver Dollar Sweet Potatoes
- Vegan Breakfast Salad
Air Fryer Silken Tofu Scramble with Purple Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 2 purple sweet potatoes
- 1 poblano pepper
- 1 shallot
For silken tofu scramble
- 1 container silken tofu
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/8 tsp black salt
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp turmeric
- 1/8 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/8 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp soy sauce low sodium
- 1/4 cup vegan cheddar cheese, shredded or chopped small can substitute any vegan cheese of choice
Garnish
- 1 tbsp cilantro
Instructions
PREHEAT YOUR AIR FRYER
- Begin by preheating the oven to 400ºF. If your air fryer does not have a preheat button, simply turn your empty air fryer on and let it heat up for 5 minutes before use.
PREPARE YOUR POTATOES AND VEGGIES
- Begin by dicing your purple sweet potatoes into small cubes about 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch. You want the potato cubes to be small so they don't take too long to cook.
- Slice your shallot into thin slices and cut your poblano pepper into small pieces as well.
PREPARE YOUR AIR FRYER PURPLE SWEET POTATOES
- Lay your cubed purple sweet potatoes in a single layer on an air fryer basket. If you prefer to add oil to your potatoes, go for it. Doing so will make them slightly more crispy and moist. I personally skip the oil because I don't find it necessary and like to save on fat and calories.
- Place your tray of purple sweet potatoes in the preheated air fryer and cook at 400ºF for 15 minutes. Mix them at the half way mark to help them cook more evenly.
- **While air fryer purple sweet potatoes are cooking, use your time wisely and move ahead to prep the rest of the recipe
SEASON YOUR SILKEN TOFU
- Open and drain your silken tofu. Place tofu in a mixing bowl and add 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1/8 tsp black salt, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon onion powder, 1/8 tsp turmeric, 1/8 tsp smoked paprika, 1/8 tsp cumin, 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tsp soy sauce, and 1/4 cup of vegan cheese (shredded or cut into small pieces).
- Mix until evenly combined. Allow your tofu to break apart into small pieces. Set aside.
AIR FRY YOUR VEGETABLES
- When your air fryer purple sweet potatoes have reached the 15 minute mark, it's time to add your vegetables.
- Place shallots and poblano peppers on a air fryer tray in a single layer.If you prefer to add oil to your veggies, go for it. Doing so will make them slightly more moist. I personally skip the oil because I don't find it necessary and like to save on fat and calories.
- Place in air fryer, along with sweet potatoes, and cook for 5 minutes at 400ºF
AIR FRY YOUR SILKEN TOFU SCRAMBLE
- When your veggies have reached the 5 minute mark, it's time to cook your tofu.
- Place your silken tofu scramble on the same air fryer tray as the veggies. Spread out your silken tofu as much as possible, while still leaving room for your veggies.
- Place in air fryer and cook at 400ºF 5 minutes.
- At the 5 minute mark, mix you silken tofu scramble together with your shallots and poblano peppers. This will allow your shallots and peppers to continue cooking without drying out. Allow to cook for 10 more minutes, stir at the half way mark.
- Your meal will be cooked when the air fryer purple sweet potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and the silken tofu is hot, slightly roasted, and the vegan cheese has melted.
- Remove the Air Fryer Silken Tofu Scramble with Purple Sweet Potatoes from the oven and plate. Top with chopped cilantro. Serve and enjoy!