What can I make with tofu and soy sauce?
Tofu and Soy Sauce takes on flavour beautifully once you solve texture. Below are recipes built around tofu and soy sauce, then the pressing-and-searing method that gives it a genuine crust.
12 recipes with tofu and soy sauce
Crispy Tofu Stir Fry
Golden tofu and broccoli in a garlic-soy glaze.
Chinese25m2
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
Miso Soup
Simple Japanese soup with dashi, miso, tofu, and wakame.
Japanese15m4Vegetable Stir Fry
Crisp-tender veggies in a glossy ginger-soy sauce.
Chinese15m2Egg Fried Rice
Wok-tossed day-old rice with egg, scallion, and soy.
Chinese15m4
Poke Bowl
Cubed raw tuna over rice with soy and sesame.
Hawaiian15m4
Shrimp Fried Rice
Quick wok-style fried rice with shrimp and eggs.
Chinese20m3
Teriyaki Salmon
Glazed salmon fillets with a sweet-savory sauce.
Japanese20m2
Bulgogi
Sweet-savory marinated beef, quickly grilled.
Korean25m4
Beef and Broccoli
Tender flank steak stir-fried with broccoli in a glossy soy sauce.
Chinese-American25m4
Getting real texture from tofu and soy sauce
- 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 and soy sauce
Tofu and Soy Sauce is at its best with soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, scallion, cornstarch and chili. Any two or three of those, plus tofu and soy sauce, is already a dinner rather than an ingredient list.
Storing tofu and soy sauce
Store tofu and soy sauce 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 and soy sauce
If you are out of tofu and soy sauce, 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 and Soy Sauce recipes: common questions
- What can I make with tofu and soy sauce and not much else?
- Plenty. With tofu and soy sauce 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 and soy sauce 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 and soy sauce?
- 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 and soy sauce?
- Fried rice, a frittata, a grain bowl, a soup, or a quesadilla will absorb almost any leftover tofu and soy sauce 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 and soy sauce 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.