How To: Cook with Tofu

Once again, welcome to the all new how-to series! Where we’ll break down all of the how-to musts for plant based cooking and vegan living. Today, we’ll continue with how to cook with tofu. 🌱

Learning to like tofu

For most people, learning to like tofu isn’t about the flavor, it’s the texture. Tofu actually has very little flavor; it takes on the taste of flavors around it.

Tofu is incredibly versatile and can be used in sweet and savory dishes. Yep, I’ve even used tofu in desserts! (See below).

Since going vegan, I eat more foods than ever before. And, our taste buds can actually learn to like new foods.

If you’re new to tofu, start small and work your way up. For example, I recommend starting with crumbling firm tofu in a marinade or in something like a curry.

Tofu is high in protein and contains all essential amino acids. Tofu also contains a wide variety of vitamins and minerals and is a nutrient-dense food.

Types of Tofu

Tofu, also known as bean curd, is made from soybeans. The typical procedure involves soaking the beans in water then grinding the beans. Then, filtered, coagulated, and pressed into blocks with different amounts of water content.

Tofu is categorized by texture; the texture of tofu is determined by the water content. The higher the water content, the softer the tofu; less water makes tofu firmer.

The most common types of tofu are silken and firm.

Silken Tofu

Silken tofu is the softest type and very delicate. As indicated by the name, it is silky and creamy. Silken tofu is shelf stable. And, it can often found in the ethnic food aisle of grocery stores. Use silken tofu in: 

• creamy sauces
• vegan mayo, cheeses, and dressings
• smoothies 
• pudding, mousse, and other desserts
• baking 

Regular Tofu

Regular tofu is often used in Asian dishes. Use regular tofu in: 

• soups and stews
• miso and broths

Firm, Extra Firm, and Super Firm Tofu

Firm and extra firm tofu are the most common types. They can usually be found in the refrigerated section of grocery stores.

Firm tofu is compact and comes soaked in liquid, and can easily be crumbled and sliced. All types of firm tofu are typically pressed before cooking to extract excess liquid. Pressing tofu also allows it to better absorb other liquid and flavors. After pressing, you can expect tofu to absorb most or all of the marinade.

Use a tofu press or put tofu between paper towels and place something heavy on top for about 30 minutes. For best (and easiest!) results, I recommend investing in a tofu press. I use mine all the time.

Firm tofu is very versatile and is a great meat substitute. Use firm tofu in: 

• stir fry
• fryer or air fryer, baked, grilled
• soups, stews, and curries
• vegan scrambled eggs

Other types of Tofu

Tofu is available pre-seasoned or smoked. Prepare these by pan frying, deep frying, grilling, or oven roasting.

How to Cook with Tofu

Always try and purchase organic tofu. Most soybean crops are genetically modified; purchasing organic ensures no GMOs.

Tofu can also be frozen. Once thawed, the tofu becomes even more absorbent, so it is great for marinating. Freezing tofu does change the texture though, and it becomes more spongy. (Personally, I don’t like the texture of tofu after it has been frozen).

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Raw

Commonly eaten raw, silken tofu is mixed in a blender or food processor.

Steamed

Fill a pot with water or vegetable broth and place sliced firm tofu in a steamer basket. Cover and steam for approximately 6-8 minutes over medium-high heat.

Sauted

Dice firm tofu and marinate in sauce, marinade, or spices for at least 30 minutes. Saute in a pan with olive oil over medium heat for approximately 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Fried

Always press firm tofu and pat dry before frying. Slice tofu and cover in desired coating. Fry in oil over high heat until golden brown on all sides. If using an air fryer, I usually set it at 390 degrees and cook for 12-14 minutes in a single layer until crispy.

Baked

Slice or cube firm tofu. Marinate, season, or coat tofu as desired. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, turning tofu once.

Grilled

Press firm tofu and pat dry. Slice tofu into “steaks” and season as desired. Preheat grill and grill tofu for approximately 4-5 minutes per side.

Scrambled

Press firm tofu. Crumble by hand or with a wooden spoon. (No need to use oil if you don’t want to. I just toss directly into the skillet). Season tofu with salt*, pepper, nutritional yeast, and a pinch of turmeric for color. Over medium heat, cook crumbled tofu for approximately 4-6 minutes.

* Use an Indian salt called kala namak for a more authentic, eggy-flavor. Purchase kala namak in specialty Asian markets or online.

Tofu Recipes

Silken Tofu Smoothie

Silken Tofu Chocolate Pudding

Vegan French Onion Dip

Chevre Cheese

Feta Cheese

Tofu Breakfast Scramble

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Breakfast Casserole

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Vegan Egg Salad Sandwich

Tofu Bolognese

Tacos

Vegan Chili

Tofu Steaks

Vegan Chicken Nuggets

Tofu Cutlets with Gravy

Thai Red Curry

Tofu Marinades

For more amazing tofu recipes and how to cook with tofu ideas, be sure to check out my Pinterest page. What are your favorite tofu dishes? Or will this be your first time trying tofu? Let me know in the comments below! And be sure to follow my social media this week for lots of vegan tofu deliciousness! 😋

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