What can I make with tofu?
Tofu takes on flavour beautifully once you solve texture. Below are recipes built around tofu, then the pressing-and-searing method that gives it a genuine crust.
6 recipes with tofu
Miso Soup
Simple Japanese soup with dashi, miso, tofu, and wakame.
Japanese15m4Crispy Tofu Stir Fry
Golden tofu and broccoli in a garlic-soy glaze.
Chinese25m2
Laksa
Spicy coconut curry noodle soup with shrimp and tofu puffs.
Malaysian30m4
Silken Tofu with Sesame Soy Sauce
Prepare the tofu: Drain the tofu and gently remove it from its packaging onto a large plate.
Chinese4
Mee goreng mamak
Heat oil in a pan at medium heat.
Malaysian4
Tofu, greens & cashew stir-fry
step 1 Heat the oil in a non-stick wok.
Vietnamese4
Getting real texture from tofu
- 1Press it: 20 minutes under something heavy removes the water that stops browning.
- 2Cube, toss with a spoon of cornstarch and a pinch of salt for an edge that actually crisps.
- 3Sear in a hot pan in a single layer and do not stir for the first three minutes.
- 4Sauce it off the heat so the crust stays crisp rather than turning soggy in the pan.
What goes well with tofu
Tofu is at its best with soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, scallion, cornstarch and chili. Any two or three of those, plus tofu, is already a dinner rather than an ingredient list.
Storing tofu
Store tofu sealed and cool, and use the oldest stock first. If it is close to turning, cook it rather than throwing it out - roasting, soup, and a quick sauce all forgive slightly past-peak ingredients.
Substituting tofu
If you are out of tofu, look for something that behaves the same way in the pan rather than something that tastes the same. Match the moisture level, the cooking time, and the richness, and adjust the liquid slightly if your substitute releases more water. When in doubt, describe what you actually have in the chat and Mr. Chef will rewrite the recipe around it.
Tofu recipes: common questions
- What can I make with tofu and not much else?
- Plenty. With tofu plus an onion, garlic, oil, and salt you already have the base of a skillet dinner, a soup, or a simple sauce. Add a starch - rice, pasta, bread, or potatoes - and it becomes a full meal. The recipes above are ordered so the ones needing the fewest extra items come first.
- What is the quickest tofu recipe?
- Look for the entries above marked 20 minutes or less. As a rule, anything cut small and cooked in a hot pan beats anything roasted whole, and one-pan recipes save more time in cleanup than in cooking.
- Can I substitute tofu?
- In most recipes yes, as long as the replacement plays a similar role - similar moisture, similar cooking time, similar richness. Swapping across roles (a watery vegetable for a starchy one, for instance) usually needs a change in liquid or cooking time too.
- How do I use up leftover tofu?
- Fried rice, a frittata, a grain bowl, a soup, or a quesadilla will absorb almost any leftover tofu without a recipe. If you want something specific, tell Mr. Chef exactly what is in the fridge and it will build a recipe around it.
- Are these tofu recipes vegetarian-friendly?
- Many are, and the vegetarian and vegan collections filter the whole library down to recipes with no meat or no animal products at all. In the chat you can also say "vegan" or "no dairy" and every suggestion will respect it.