Big BOSH! Breakfast Bagel
This is our go-to when we want a breakfast that actually keeps us going until lunchtime. The Big BOSH! Breakfast Bagel has everything you want from a proper fry-up, all piled into one glorious handheld situation. We're talking smoky aubergine bacon, golden crispy tofu, and all the fillings that make you feel like you've properly treated yourself. It takes about 55 minutes but honestly every single minute is worth it. Make this on a lazy weekend morning and you will not regret it.
Before You Start
- Preheat oven to 200°C
- Large baking tray lined with parchment
- Tofu press (or 2 clean tea towels & weight)
- Food processor
- Microplane or box grater
- Frying pan
Ingredients
- 4 bagels
- Chives garnish
- 4 slices of plant-based cheese
- 1 tbsp plant-based butter - for spreading, optional
- Tomato ketchup or brown sauce
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp black salt (Kala Namak)
- 1 x 300g block of silken tofu
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 ½ tbsp plant-based butter
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ x 280g block of firm tofu
- 3 spring onions
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp liquid smoke
- 1 small aubergine
- ½ smoked paprika
- ½ garlic powder
Method
Preparing the tofu
- Press the tofu using a tofu press or place it between two clean tea towels, lay it on a plate and put a weight on top
- Leave for 10–15 minutes to drain and firm up before you start cooking
Make the aubergine bacon
- Put all the ingredients except for the aubergine into a mixing bowl and mix together with a fork
- Cut the stem off the aubergine and slice the flesh lengthways into quarters, then again to make 5mm-thick slices
- Add to the marinade and carefully turn to coat
- Transfer to the lined baking tray and drizzle over any remaining marinade
- Put the tray in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, turning halfway through
Scrambling the tofu
- Now make a start on the scrambled tofu
- Peel and grate the garlic
- Thinly slice the spring onions
- Place the silken tofu in the food processor and blitz to a smooth cream
- Put the frying pan over a medium heat
- Add the dairy-free butter and melt
- Add the sliced spring onions and stir for 3–5 minutes
- Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute
- Add the turmeric, black pepper and kala namak and stir them into the onions
- Cut the bagels in half and put in the toaster to toast
- Snip the chives
Back to the scrambled tofu
- Drain any liquid from the pressed firm tofu
- Pour the creamed silken tofu into the frying pan and stir everything together
- Once the silken tofu has taken on the colour of the turmeric, crumble the firm tofu into the pan
- Fold everything together for 1–2 minutes to completely warm through
- Take the pan off the heat
Time to serve
- Butter the toasted bagels
- Put 1 slice of dairy-free cheese on the bottom half of each bagel
- Cover the cheese with equal portions of scrambled tofu
- Take the baking tray out of the oven and top the scrambled tofu with the aubergine bacon slices
- Squeeze over some ketchup or brown sauce, if using
- Garnish with the chopped chives
- Close the lids of the bagels and serve
Tips & Variations
- Press your tofu properly: Even 10 minutes under a heavy pan makes a huge difference to the texture. The drier it is, the crispier it gets in the pan.
- Slice the aubergine thin and even: About 5mm is the sweet spot. Too thick and it stays chewy, too thin and it burns before it gets that lovely caramelised finish.
- Toast your bagel last: Get everything else ready and then toast the bagel right at the end so it's warm and crispy when you build the whole thing. Trust us on this one.
Why This Works
The trick is pressing the tofu properly before you cook it. We know it feels like an annoying extra step but it makes such a difference, giving you that firm, golden bite rather than something soggy. The aubergine bacon is the real star though, that marinade gets deep into the slices and when it hits the heat it goes sticky and smoky in a way that genuinely surprises people.