Name: Mushroom and Bell Pepper Scrambled Tofu
Ingredients: 1 Tbs. vegetable or light olive oil; 1 large red bell pepper, cut into short, narrow strips (1 1/4 cups); 1 to 1 1/2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms (3 to 4 oz.); 1 lb. firm tofu, well drained and crumbled; 2 to 3 scallions, sliced ( 1/3 cup); 3/4 tsp. salt; 1/2 to 1 tsp. mild curry powder; 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Why it works: Olive and mushroom are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,571 recipes. Both carry trans,trans-2,4-nonadienal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓

Mushroom and Bell Pepper Scrambled Tofu

Ingredients

1 Tbs. vegetable or light olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, cut into short, narrow strips (1 1/4 cups)
1 to 1 1/2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms (3 to 4 oz.)
1 lb. firm tofu, well drained and crumbled
2 to 3 scallions, sliced ( 1/3 cup)
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 to 1 tsp. mild curry powder
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the vegetables

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add bell pepper and mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Increase heat and cook, stirring, until any liquid remaining in pan evaporates.

Add tofu and finish

Add tofu, scallions, salt, curry powder, and pepper.
Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.
Serve hot.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

420Calories

13 gProtein

33 gFat

23 gCarbs

What these numbers assume: 9 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Vegetable	1 tbsp (14g)	120
Olive Oil	1 tbsp (14g)	119
Tofu	100g firm	76
Onion	1 medium (110g)	44
Bell Pepper	1 medium (119g)	31
Mushroom	1/2 cup sliced (35g)	15
Turmeric	1 tsp ground (3g)	9
Black Pepper	1 tsp ground (2.3g)	6
Salt	1 tsp (6g)	0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

Olive + mushroomtop 7% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together4,571 recipes

Shared aroma: trans,trans-2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).
Olive + tofutop 8% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together678 recipes

Shared aroma: ethyl isobutyrate (fruity, ethereal).
Mushroom + tofutop 9% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together201 recipes

Shared aroma: 2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).
Olive + peppertop 11% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together30,263 recipes

Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Pepper + mushroomtop 11% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together13,580 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Firm tofu: Forms the scrambled body of the dish and absorbs the seasonings as it heats.
Cremini mushrooms: Add savory depth and moisture that cooks off when the heat is raised.
Red bell pepper: Adds sweetness and tender texture that contrasts with the soft tofu.
Curry powder: Contributes warm aroma and flavor to the tofu.

The step that matters

Evaporate the liquid before adding the tofu. Mushrooms and peppers release water as they cook. If that liquid stays in the pan, the vegetables steam instead of browning and the dish turns watery, so cooking it off first keeps the texture firm.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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Mushroom and Bell Pepper Scrambled Tofu