For many people, tofu is a controversial ingredient. While it has its hardcore fans, its detractors claim that it’s a bland, flavorless, and boringfood. If you find yourself nodding along, you might not be cooking your tofu the right way — because when prepared correctly, tofu is one of our favorite ingredients!
First and foremost, make sure you’re picking the right tofu for the right culinary job. There are several different kinds of tofu: silken, firm, and extra-firm. When it comes to cooking savory meals, you’re going to want to choose firm or extra-firm tofu. Silken tofu just doesn’t retain its shape in the same way.
Second, you want to make sure you’re pressing your tofu before cooking with it. Most tofu comes packed in water, but because tofu is like a sponge, that means it retains a hefty amount of that moisture right out of the package. Pressing your tofu preps it for better flavor absorption. You can buy a tofu press to assist you in this or you can “make” your own press by wrapping your block in a clean kitchen towel and then placing it between two cutting boards. Stack some heavy books on top of your tofu and allow the weight of the books to “press” the excess water out onto the kitchen towel. Once your tofu is pressed, it’s ready to be marinated and prepared to perfection.
Check out some of our easy tofu recipes below. We hope that they will convince you that cooking with tofu isn’t so scary, after all — on the contrary, it’s delicious!
Smoky Oil-Free Tofu
Tofu and oil-free cooking: two factors commonly associated with being bland and boring. Chuck those preconceived notions right in the trash where they belong, because this Smoky Oil-Free Tofu by Jasmine Briones is about to change all of that. Jasmine lets her tofu sit in a simple marinade made from liquid aminos, coconut nectar, and liquid smoke for a few hours, thencooks it in a skillet until browned on both sides.
Curried Tofu
Love spices? This Curried Tofu by Molly Patrick uses a marinade of soy sauce (or tamari), water, curry powder, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, onion powder, and fresh garlic. For this recipe, the tofu needs to marinate for only ten to 30 minutes, so it’s great for those days when you have less time to prep. The spices “cling” to the tofu, resulting in flavorful tofu that has a “just right” amount of crispiness on the outside.
Thai Basil Tofu
This Thai Basil Tofu by Sheil Shukla is a super-easy recipe to make — and in this case, you don’t even need to press it! Tofu is sautéed in oil and then mixed with a simple Thai basil sauce that’s spicy with cooling herbal notes.
Lemon Paprika Tofu Steaks
These delectable Lemon Tofu Steaks by Danya Dhanek are bursting with flavor, simple to prepare, and make the perfect addition to almost any dish you care to serve them with. The tofu is marinated in a simple mint, lemon, and black salt dressing and then fried to perfection in a cast iron skillet to give the steaks a crispy outside while the inside remains tender.
Easy Spicy Peanut Tofu Bites
This Easy Spicy Peanut Tofu Bites by Robin Runner will change the way even the most stubborn eater thinks about tofu. Here, tofu is pressed and then marinated in a sauce of liquid aminos, maple syrup, chili garlic sauce, peanut butter, fresh garlic and ginger, and vinegar. This can be left for up to three days, so if you know you’ve got a busy day later in the week, you can prep it a few days ahead of time. This tofu is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and exploding with melting peanut flavor.
If you’re a tofu skeptic, we hope this guide has helped you out! For more tofu-cooking tips, we recommend reading 6 Tips That Will Make You Love Tofu and How to Make the Perfect Baked Tofu. If you’re feeling up to it, maybe you even want to learn How to Make Your Own Tofu — trust us, you’ll never find a packaged tofu that tastes as good as something you made yourself.
Need more tofu recipes? Then we highly suggest you check out theFood Monster App. For those who don’t know, it’s a brilliant Food app available for bothAndroidandiPhone,and you can follow it onInstagramandFacebook. It’s a great resource for anyone looking to cut out or reduce allergens like meat, dairy, soy, gluten, eggs, grains, and more. Find more than 8000+ awesome recipes, cooking tips, articles, product recommendations and how-tos.Check it out.
Lead image source: Curried Tofu
FAQs
Press tofu and cube it. Coat it in garlic, black pepper, salt (plus more of your favourite seasonings), liquid aminos and some olive oil. Then mix it into some cornstarch and toss it all together, then bake for about 20 minutes. Cornstarch also helps to draw out excess moisture so it really gets the tofu crispy.
What is the best way to season tofu? ›
Marinate it: Tofu can be marinated in a variety of flavorful sauces or spices. You can use soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and other seasonings to make a simple marinade. Let the tofu marinate for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours) before cooking or grilling.
How do you make tofu less bland? ›
Place the Tofu cubes in a large glass bowl, then drizzle 1 tbsp of Tamari over them. Now that the Tofu has been pressed, it's much more likely to absorb the Tamari flavor (and taste less bland).
How to prepare tofu for beginners? ›
Cut tofu into cubes. Step 2: Place those cubes in a bowl, and toss gently with 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Step 3: Arrange tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle with some olive oil and salt. Step 4: Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes, or until as crispy as you'd like.
What not to mix with tofu? ›
What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.
What should I marinate tofu in? ›
In a mixing bowl or measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the marinade: soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ginger, and Sriracha. Drizzle over the tofu. If any pieces look bare, turn them over in the marinade a few times so all of the sides are coated.
Should you marinate tofu before cooking? ›
Tofu has very little flavour itself but soaks up almost every flavour you add to it. When you put tofu in a stew or simmer it in a broth, you don't need to marinade it beforehand, as it absorbs all of the flavours during cooking. But for all other types of preparations, it's better to marinate the tofu first of all.
Is tofu good for you to Lose Weight? ›
Tofu is a cholesterol-free, low-calorie, high-protein food that's also rich in bone-boosting calcium and manganese. Tofu may help you to lose weight by keeping you fuller for longer on fewer calories than meat. It may reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when swapped for saturated fat-heavy animal proteins.
Do you put cornstarch before or after marinating tofu? ›
It takes no time to put together. Once the tofu is marinated, I use a cornstarch coating with some cumin powder in it. Not only does it create a super crispy result, but the seasoning further brings out the flavor of the tofu.
Why is my tofu so tasteless? ›
Plain tofu has no specific flavor and is honestly, quite bland. This might be why people tend to hate it but the fact that it's bland is exactly why we should LOVE it. The texture of tofu is more important than the taste- all the different types of tofu have different textures.
A light coating of cornstarch will absorb even more moisture from the tofu's surface and contribute to a distinct coating. Sprinkle over the starch (potato starch, tapioca starch, and arrowroot all work too) a little bit at a time and toss the tofu, pressing gently so the starch adheres.
Why is my tofu so mushy after cooking? ›
Pressing is a particularly important step for crispy tofu if you are looking to cook without oil. If you do not press you will end up with a mushy texture. Pressing works best if you are going to slice your tofu block.
What is the best tofu for beginners? ›
Extra-firm tofu: Consider extra-firm tofu the all-purpose tofu that holds its shape well and is excellent for slicing and cubing. It's an ideal choice for pan-frying, stir-frying, baking, grilling, and scrambling.
What happens if you don't drain tofu before cooking? ›
Here's the thing: even though tofu might be labeled firm or extra-firm, it contains a lot of water. This excess water can cause the tofu to crumble when you cook it, and it will also have a hard time crisping up. But when you press tofu, you remove the excess moisture.
What are 4 ways to cook tofu? ›
You can cook extra firm tofu any way you cook firm tofu. It's extremely versatile and one of the best options for home cooks because it's so easy to work with! Its texture is firm enough to be cooked over high heat, such as pan-frying, air frying, baking, braising, and grilling.
Do I need to soak tofu before cooking? ›
Many cooking experts champion a quick soak as a way to give the protein more texture and flavor. “Simmering cubed tofu in salted water for 60 seconds pulls out excess moisture and tightens the proteins on its surface,” Lukas Volger told Bon Appétit in 2021.
Can you make tofu taste like anything? ›
The wonderful thing about tofu is that is a blank canvas. Tofu truly takes on the flavor of whatever seasonings you put on it or whatever you marinate it in. My go-to everyday tofu seasonings are garlic powder, onion powder, salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and smoked paprika.
How do you get the bitter taste out of tofu? ›
Peel the muslin cloth carefully and leave the tofu to soak in the water for about 20 minutes to firm up and remove any bitter taste the nigari may impart. Use the tofu in any recipe that you like.
