Looking for a vegan brunch idea? You’re going to love these delicate breakfast nests with layer of hash browns, tofu scramble, and a drizzle of cashew queso. Vegan & gluten-free.
Whenever we travel, I’m always eager to get new vegan brunch ideas.
In our town, vegan breakfast options in restaurants are on the slim side. And it’s too bad, because there are few things cozier than going out on Sunday mornings for cups of coffee, waffles, and hearty scrambles.
So when we were in Portland last spring, I took advantage of the vegan options – from brunch through after dinner drinks.
I was really taken with the breakfast nests at A.N.D. Café. (The restaurant is now called Off The Griddle.) They were unlike any vegan brunch item I’d gotten in the past.
Since Portland is now many airport stops away, I had to re-create this vegan brunch idea at home.
In this post:
Vegan breakfast nests
These vegan breakfast nests are made with a layer of hash browns. They are then topped with tofu scramble dotted with onions, bell pepper, garlic, and kale. Then they’re drizzled with a creamy vegan queso.
I can’t think of a better way to start the morning than by gathering with friends for hot coffee or tea and a platter of breakfast nests.
Slice through soft scramble, hit the crunch of the hash browns, and sneak your fork through the nacho cheese on your way off of the plate.
These nests can be served as one or two to a plate for an appetizer. Or make it a meal with seitan bacon and fruit.
Step by step instructions
Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
To make them for your next brunch affair, start by grating two baked potatoes.
(I got the idea to use baked potato, as opposed to uncooked from a non-vegan recipe at Pioneer Woman.)
Then lightly oil a muffin pan, put three generous tablespoons of grated potato into each cup, and loosely press the potato into a cup shape. (Be careful not to press too hard, though.)
Keep in mind that the potato will shrink as it cooks. So it’s okay for it to spill over the top.
Lightly oil the top of the grated potato and add a dash of salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the tofu scramble.
Remove the muffin tin from the oven. Top the potato mixture with a healthy helping of scramble, until it reaches the top of each tin. Put it back in the oven for ten more minutes.
Once the nests are done, carefully remove the nests from the tin with a spoon. The hash browns may come apart a little as you remove them. Don’t worry about it. They will still be delicious!
Drizzle the nests with a creamy vegan queso (also known as vegan nacho cheese sauce). I recommend using cashew queso (my personal favorite).
However, if you’re looking for a nut-free queso, use the recipe included in these fried vegan nachos. Heads up that the cashew queso is gluten-free. However, the nut-free queso is not. (It uses flour to make a sort of gravy.)
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Breakfast Nests in a Creamy Vegan Queso
Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized Russet potatoes
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil plus more for oiling potatoes and muffin tin
- Salt & pepper to taste
- ½ orange or red bell pepper diced
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 leaf curly kale rib removed, roughly chopped small
- 14 ounces firm tofu drained
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon kala namak black salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 batch creamy cashew queso
- Garnish: cilantro optional
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub two Russet potatoes and prick several times with a fork. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes directly on the oven rack, turning each potato over half-way through. (It's okay if the potatoes are slightly underdone.) Or if you have an air fryer, you can bake the potatoes in the air fryer instead. After they are done cooking, remove them from the oven or air fryer and refrigerate until completely cool.
- Peel and grate the baked potatoes. Lightly oil the cups of a muffin tin. Loosely pack 3 Tablespoons of grated potato into each cup. Lightly oil the potato mixture in the cups. Cover each cup with a pinch of salt and pepper. Put the muffin tin into the oven and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.
- While the potatoes cook in the oven, bring a large skillet to a medium heat. Add a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil to the skillet. Saute bell pepper, onion, and garlic until fragrant and translucent, about five minutes. Add kale to the pan and continue cooking until it wilts, a few more minutes. Crumble the drained firm tofu into the pan. Add turmeric, black salt, paprika, cumin, and nutritional yeast flakes. Fully combine the tofu mixture with the spices, so that they are spread evenly throughout the scramble, and continue cooking for about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the muffin tin from the oven and cover the grated potato with tofu scramble, until the scramble reaches the top of each cup. Put back in the oven and bake for ten more minutes.
- Once the Breakfast Nests are done, remove them from the oven and carefully remove each nest with a spoon. Cover with a drizzle of Creamy Vegan Queso (link to recipe above), garnish with cilantro, and serve.
Janis
Oh, A.N.D., how I miss you…
Thanks, Cadry, for recreating this delicious dish. EVERYONE, vegan or not, loved them! Perfect!
Cadry
Aw, I’m so glad to hear that, Janis! Thank you!
FeedThisFoodie
Sounds delicious!! Planning a brunch for my sisters birthday in a couple of months and these would be a great addition 🙂 Has anyone tried making these ahead of time yet and then putting them together on the day?
Cadry
I haven’t tried that, but I’m sure there are shortcuts you could take. The queso can be made ahead of time and gently warmed on the stove on the day. It tends to thicken in the refrigerator, and so you may need to add a splash of water. You could make the tofu scramble beforehand too. I probably wouldn’t do the potato cups ahead of time, as the potato will soften in the refrigerator. Let me know how it goes, and best of luck with your sister’s birthday brunch. Very thoughtful of you to plan it!
April C.
I’m not a great cook, but decided to make these for a brunch I went to last week and they were the hit of the party! Vegans and non-vegans alike went crazy for them. Thanks for the fabulous recipe that even a dunce in the kitchen like me could follow. I highly recommend this recipe to anyone reading!
Cadry
I am so glad to hear that, April! I’m happy that the breakfast nests went over well, and thank you for letting me know.
Helen Butt
Do the potatoes really need to be baked before they are grated. It seems as though they would cook enough in the muffin tins if put in raw. I’m tempted to try, but don’t want to end up with something that’s inedible.
Cadry
Hi Helen,
I baked the potatoes first, because there are several layers in the nests, and I wanted the hash browns to get crispy at the bottom. However, another commenter recently made the nests without baking the potato first and said it worked fine for them. Good luck!
Helen Butt
Thanks, Cadry. I’m going to try these. They look delicious!
Cadry
Thanks, Helen! I really hope you enjoy them. 😀
in2insight
Wow, these not only look great but taste wonderful as well.
A bit of a production, with an end result that is as flavorful as it is impressive.
Ended up not baking the potatoes first, just grated, shaped and baked “raw”.
Sauce ended up very thick, so thinned out a bit and adjusted seasonings.
A great fancy delicious way to start the day. Thank you!
Cadry
I’m glad to hear it! Thanks for letting me know.
carmen ☮ (@CarmenVarner)
Oh my gourd! This looks like the yummiest breakfast (or brunch or dinner) recipe ever!!
Cadry
Thanks, Carmen!
kahht
Holy crap. I caught myself salivating while reading this! I know exactly what I’m bringing to the next brunch party. Thanks!
Cadry
Terrific! I hope you enjoy them!
alexandra caspero
Yum! These looks so yummy! What a perfect breakfast for a crowd!
Cadry
Thanks, Alexandra!
thepeacepatch
ohgoodgolly I haven’t had potato baskets since I was a kid! My mom used to fill them with some cream of chickeny thing with peas and onions. Very Betty Crocker. I love your sweet potato/bean suggestion…it would be fun to experiment with all sorts of things like purple potatoes, parsnips, etc. Maybe an over-the-top take on a T-day dish…sweet potato nests with a whipped candied sweet potato/date/nut filling and a marshmallow top. 😉
One of the reasons your blog rocks is all the visuals…thanks for the helpful step-by-step photos! Cheers!
Cadry
I’m so surprised that you grew up with potato baskets! I’d never heard of them before our trip to A.N.D., but that’s a cute name! Yes, there are so many possibilities to branch out and experiment with this concept! I definitely look forward to exploring some more options. Thanks for the kind words on the photos. 🙂
jessicademarra
I almost never make the typical breakfast food but I think I am willing to get up a little earlier to make these. Coffee on the side of course
Cadry
I hear you! Most mornings I just have leftovers from the day before for breakfast. However, some days call for something a little more involved! 🙂
Shell
These look so delicious! As you know, I haven’t tried tofu yet. This looks less intimidating to me than most tofu dishes.
Cadry
Thanks, Shell! I bet we could think of some alternatives to tofu as well for the filling. Maybe sweet potato hash browns with a black bean filling… We’ll have to give it some thought!
veganmiam.com
What heartwarming and delicious Breakfast Nests: veggie hash browns & garlic & kale & creamy cheezy queso? I love all the combinations. I have yet to go to A.N.D. Cafe even though I lived about 2 hours away – however, I was in Bogota, Colombia at that time you were there. Happy VVP, it’s nice to see you here!
Cadry
I really enjoyed our trip to A.N.D. It’s worth checking out the next time that you’re in Portland! Happy VVP to you too!!
Kristy
Gah! These look so delicious! I’m all over anything with hash browns. 🙂
Cadry
You and me both! Hashbrowns had fallen off of my radar since they’re not offered at any of the restaurants in the area with vegan breakfast options. However, lately they’ve been making our breakfasts at home extra special!
sweetveg
These look great Cadry! I know a few children who will LOVE these! Yay! A new recipe to try. Thank you!
Cadry
Excellent! I hope they really like them! Let me know how it goes. 🙂
Anna {Herbivore Triathlete}
Cheesy-shredded potatoey-ness?!?!? Yum, This looks awesome Cadry!
Cadry
Thanks, Anna!
Maggie Muggins
Fantastic idea Cadry, so cute and creative. I love that you smothered them in queso, that gives you 10 extra points in my books 😉
Cadry
10 extra points, hooray! Out of curiosity, how many points am I at now? Do the points work like frequent flier miles or Starbucks credits, and will I eventually be able to spend them on something? Or is it like a basketball game and the points help me edge ahead of other brunch competition? Enquiring minds… 😉
veganmiam.com
Haha on frequent flier miles… I would love that, too!
Randi (laughfrodisiac)
Wowww! Those look so delicious AND adorable!
Cadry
Thanks, Randi! I have a soft spot for cute food too. I could happily make a meal of appetizers!
Eat,live,burp
I am totally bookmarking this for my next brunch with the girls:)
Cadry
Excellent! Let me know if you try it!