Recipe index

-Tofu Parmesan
-Italian Tofu Balls
-BBQ Tofu
-Braised Shiitake with Kale & Tofu
-California Scrambled Tofu
-Savory Tofu Saute
-Thai Red Curry
-Thai Tempeh & Mushroom Stew
-Tofu Vegetable Stir-Fry
-Tofu in Curry Coconut Sauce
-Tofu Salad
-Tofu with Stuffing
-Tofu with Lemon & Capers
-Tangerine Teriyaki Tofu
-Dengaku



Tofu Recipes


Tofu Parmesan

  • 1 lb. tofu, squeeze out liquid and crumble
  • Chopped onions
  • Parsley
  • 1/2 C. Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • Oregano
  • Basil
  • Sesame seeds
  • Oil to fry
  • Tomato sauce
  • Mozzarella
  • Linguini, cooked according to package
  1. Mix together tofu, onions, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, eggs, oregano, and basil. Form into patties or balls. Coat the patties with sesame seeds, and fry in hot oil till browned.
  2. Return to clean pan and top with tomato sauce, and strips of mozzarella cheese. Cover and simmer a bit to blend flavors. Serve over linguini.

Italian Tofu Balls

  • 2 16oz blocks of firm or extra firm tofu (or one of each), rinsed and pressed
  • Roughly 1 1/2 cups of preseasoned bread crumbs (salt, basil, oregano, garlic powder, pepper)
  • 1 heaping tablespoon powdered egg replacer or cornstarch
  • About 1 1/2 tablespoons (six to ten shakes) low sodium tamari
  • Vegetable or sea salt to taste (or potassium salt substitute)
  • Pepper to taste
  • 2 Tbsp. dry flaked onion
  • Soymage Parmesan Substitute to taste
  • 1 tsp. basil
  • 1/4 tsp. oregano
  • Granulated garlic, minced garlic or garlic powder to taste
  • 1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon chopped flax seed (adds a nutty taste)
  • 1 1/2 quarts pasta sauce
  1. Lightly oil a full-size baking sheet Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Rinse, drain, and squeeze dry the tofu, crumble it into a large mixing bowl, then mash it into an even - but not extremely fine - consistency, using a sturdy fork. Sprinkle on the tamari, and mix it in with the fork. Add the other seasonings and the yeast, while continuing to mix the tofu without mashing it further. Taste and adjust seasonings.
  3. Stir in the flaked or minced onion, and the egg replacer. Then add about 2/3 of the bread crumbs, first mixing them in with the fork, then with your (slightly moistened) hands. First squeeze it through your fingers repeatedly, then press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the bowl with your knuckles. While doing this, add enough bread crumbs to make the mixture form readily into firm balls, without being wet or doughlike. If you add too much bread and it gets dry and crumbly, sprinkle in a little water. If it's still a little wet and you are out of bread, add a little more egg replacer or some cornstarch or potato starch.
  4. Form the mixture into balls. They can be small (about 1") or medium size (about 1 1/2"). Larger ones are possible, but are likelier to end up underdone in the middle. Place them on the baking sheet. They can be close together, but not touching.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes (small) to 1 hour (medium). The tofu balls should be well browned, especially if you are omitting the last two steps, but not burned looking. You can turn them after 1/2 hour, but it isn't absolutely necessary.
  6. Let the balls cool for about 20 minutes, them place them in a large *covered* frying pan that has been coated with canola oil, olive oil, or a mix of the two, and preheated. Gently sauté them for about 15 minutes, turning them frequently.
  7. Add enough tomato sauce to completely cover the balls, then cover and simmer them for one hour, gently stirring them occasionally. They are ready to eat at this point, but for the best flavor, let them sit in the sauce, in a glass bowl or steel pan, in the refrigerator overnight. They freeze fairly well.

BBQ Tofu

Adapted from "Tofu Cookery" by Louise Hagler (of The Farm in Summertown, Tennessee)

2 lbs. Firm tofu

Marinade

  • 3 Tbsp. peanut butter
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbsp. paprika
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • water

BBQ Sauce

  • 1-2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 1/2 C. tomato sauce
  • 1/4 C. water
  • 1 C. brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. molasses
  • 1/2 C. prepared mustard
  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. allspice
  • 1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper or 3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley or 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley
  • 1/2 C. lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce

Put tofu in the freezer. Let it freeze solid. Then thaw it out and squeeze out some of the excess water. The tofu will look kind of like a sponge at this point. Cut it into strips that are about 1 inch wide, three inches long, and 1/4 inch thick.

Mix together marinade ingredients and add enough water to produce a marinade of maple syrup-like consistency (1/2 - 1 cup approximately).You'll need two baking sheets with sides. Spray them lightly with cooking spray. Pour some of the marinade on the sheets and swirl it around to coat the bottom. Place the tofu strips on the baking sheets. Brush the remaining marinade on the tofu strips. Let the tofu marinate for about an hour.

While the tofu is marinating, prepare the BBQ sauce. Sauté the onions and garlic in the oil until onions are transparent. Stir in tomato sauce, water, brown sugar, molasses, prepared mustard, salt, allspice, crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper, and parsley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about one hour. Add lemon juice and soy sauce and simmer 10-15 minutes more.

Bake the marinated tofu strips (on the same baking sheets) in a 350 F degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Turn the tofu strips over and bake for another 20-25 minutes. Put the tofu strips in the pot with the BBQ sauce and heat through.

If you have leftovers, try making a hot tofu sub with Muenster cheese on a sourdough roll!

Braised Shiitake with Kale and Baked Tofu

Yield: 3-4 servings
From Natural Health magazine, November-December 1997

  • 6 oz. Fresh shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 C. water
  • 2 tsp. tamari
  • 4 scallions, sliced (keep green and white parts separate)
  • 1/2 lb. Kale, tough stems trimmed and finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced on diagonal
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. ginger root, minced
  • 8 oz. Baked smoked tofu, diced
  • 1-2 tsp. sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
  • Cooked rice for serving
  1. Trim root ends off shiitake stems and gently pry stems from caps. Rinse caps and set aside. Rinse stems and finely chop.
  2. Put 1 C. water, tamari, and chopped stems in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Add scallion whites, kale, carrot, garlic, and ginger. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 min.
  3. Add tofu and shiitake caps. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until mushrooms and kale are tender, 2-3 min more. Season to taste with sesame oil and additional tamari. Stir in sesame seeds and scallion greens; serve immediately with rice.

California Scrambled Tofu

from Diet for a Small Planet by Francis Moore Lappe

  • 2 tsp. margarine or oil
  • 1 large green onion
  • 1 C. sliced mushrooms
  • 11 oz. tofu, drained and crumbled
  • 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
  • dash white pepper
  • 3/4 C. grated cheddar cheese

Lightly sauté green onions and mushrooms in oil. Add tofu, turmeric, pepper, and cheese and cook over low heat until tofu is thoroughly heated, 5-10 minutes. Drain off excess water, if necessary.

Serve with toasted whole grain bread.

Savory Tofu Saute

  • 2 C. red onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2-5 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 3-4 C. broccoli florets, sliced
  • 10 mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 lb. Firm tofu, sliced
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 small summer squash, sliced
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh savory, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped

Sauté the vegetables in oil until soft. Add tofu, herbs, 1 Tbsp. water, then cover. Cook for additional 2-3 minutes, add salt and serve over brown rice or fine noodles.

Thai Red Curry

Yield: 4 servings

  • 12 oz. Firm tofu
  • 1 tsp. Canola oil
  • 1 sweet onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 C. vegetable stock, divided
  • 1 tsp. Brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. Soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp. Salt
  • 1 C. light coconut milk
  • 1 tsp. Red curry paste
  • 1/4 lb. Snow peas
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. Cumin
  • 1/4 tsp. Turmeric
  • 2 Tbsp. cashews, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp. cilantro, minced
  • 2 C. cooked white rice
  1. Slice the tofu 1 inch thick. Line a large plate with several layers of paper towels. Spread tofu on the plate and top with more paper towels. Place a second plate on top and let drain about 30 min. Then dice tofu into small pieces and set aside.
  2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, sauté 1 min. Add 1/4 C. vegetable broth, cover and cook 10 min. Uncover and stir in the brown sugar, soy sauce, salt, coconut milk and curry paste. Cook over medium-low heat, breaking up the curry paste with the back of a spoon. Gently stir in the tofu. Remove from the heat and set aside 15 min for tofu to absorb curry.
  3. Trim the ends of the snow peas and slice each into thirds. Bring a small pan of water to a boil, add peas and boil 1 min. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
  4. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Put in red pepper, remaining 1/4 C. vegetable broth, cumin, and turmeric into the pan. Simmer 5 min.
  5. Reheat the tofu mixture over medium-low heat, stirring in sweet peppers, snow peas, cashews, lime juice and cilantro. When mixture is hot and blended, spoon over hot rice.

Thai Tempeh and Mushroom Stew

Yield: 6 servings
From Natural Health magazine, November-December 1997

  • 4 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 8 oz. Tempeh, preferably mixed-grain
  • 1 1/2 C. leeks or onions, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp. garlic, minced
  • 1 14 oz. Can coconut milk
  • 1 tsp. Thai red curry paste
  • 3 stalks fresh lemon grass, cut into 2" pieces
  • 1 lb. Cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
  • 3/4 lb. Broccoli
  • 1/2 C. chopped cilantro leaves
  • Basmati or jasmine rice, cooked, for serving
  1. Prepare marinade by combining 2 Tbsp. lime juice, 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp. oil in a large container. Slice tempeh in half horizontally and then into strips about 1" wide. Place tempeh in marinade, cover, and shake and turn upside-down to coat all surfaces of tempeh. Set aside 30 min, shaking occasionally.
  2. Heat large nonstick skillet over high heat. Remove tempeh from marinade, and cook until deeply browned on all sides. Dice into 1/2" cubes when cool enough to handle and set aside.
  3. In same skillet, heat remaining 1/2 Tbsp. oil, add leeks and garlic, and sauté over medium heat 1 min. Reduce heat, add coconut milk, and blend in curry paste. Add lemon grass, mushrooms, pepper, and tempeh. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 min.
  4. While tempeh is cooking, cut broccoli into small florets. Trim and peel stalks and dice. When tempeh has cooked for 15 min, stir in broccoli and 1/4 C. water if mixture has become dry. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is tender-crisp, about 3 min. Stir in cilantro, any leftover marinade, and remaining lime juice and soy sauce. Remove and discard lemon grass pieces. Serve immediately over cooked basmati or jasmine rice.

Tofu and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Yield: 2 servings
Author: Digital Chef

  • 1/4 C. soy sauce
  • 1/4 C. rice wine vinegar
  • 8 oz firm tofu
  • 1/4 eggplant
  • 8 oz. shiitake mushrooms
  • 1/2 bunch broccoli
  • 1/2 bunch of scallions
  • 1/4 C. salad oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp. honey
  • 1 Tbsp. ginger, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Tabasco
  • cilantro sprigs, for garnish
  1. Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, and tofu. Toss gently to coat and set aside to marinate.
  2. Using a sharp knife, peel the eggplant and cut into 2-inch strips.
  3. Remove the stems from the mushrooms.
  4. Cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces.
  5. Trim the tops from the scallions and cut them into 2-inch pieces.
  6. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the tofu, reserving marinade, and fry until crisp and golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove the tofu and keep warm. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the pan.
  7. Add the honey, scallions, ginger, garlic, and Tabasco to the reserved marinade; stir well. Heat the reserved oil and add the mushrooms, broccoli, and eggplant. Briefly sauté the vegetables and add the marinade. Stir gently to coat.
  8. Sauté the vegetables until the broccoli is tender, about 2 minutes. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch slices.
  9. Spoon the stir-fry onto a heated serving platter. Arrange the tofu on top and pour any extra stir-fry broth on top of the tofu. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Tofu in Curry Coconut Sauce

Yield: 2-3 servings
From Natural Health magazine, January-February 1998

  • Salt
  • 1 lb. Firm tofu, cut into 1" cubes
  • 1 Tbsp. roasted peanut oil
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 small bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 serrano chiles, minced
  • 1-2 tsp. Thai curry paste or curry powder
  • 1/2 C. canned unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/2 C. stock or water
  • 1/3 C. cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped toasted peanuts
  • Cooked rice or noodles for serving
  1. Bring several quarts of water to a boil. Add salt and tofu; simmer gently 5 min. Remove tofu with slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and set aside.
  2. Heat wok over high heat. Add oil, then onion, pepper, and chiles. Stir-fry until vegetables slightly soften, about 1 min. Stir in curry, coconut milk, stock, 1/2 tsp. salt, and tofu. Simmer 2 min. Garnish with cilantro and peanuts, serve over cooked rice or noodles.

Note: Boiling the tofu makes it firm, serving the same purpose as deep-frying.

Tofu Salad

Tofu with Stuffing

  • Tofu
  • soy sauce

Stuffing:

  • 1 1/2 onions
  • 1 1/2 apples
  • 4-5 ribs celery
  • 1 loaf white bread
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • veggie stock or milk

Chop onions, apples, and celery. Sauté in butter under tender. Cube bread and toss with sautéed veggies. Place in baking dish and dampen with stock or milk if necessary. Bake covered about 45 minutes.

Cut tofu into squares, and cut a scallop-shaped depression inside each square. Marinate in soy sauce (spoon some soy sauce inside the cut). Stuff in some of the above stuffing. Bake in a glass dish with a layer of stuffing on the bottom and the stuff tofu squares on top, covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes.

Tofu with Lemon and Capers

Recipe adapted from The Vegetarian Meat & Potatoes Cookbook by Robin Robertson.
Serves 4

  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 1 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into l/4-inch thick slices
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour (for dredging)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine (may substitute stock)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable stock
  • 1 large garlic clove, finely minced (optional)
  • 4 ounces white mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons soy margarine, optional

  1. Cut one half of the lemon into very thin rounds, remove and discard seeds and set aside. Juice the other half of the lemon and set aside. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
  2. Season the tofu with salt and pepper and dredge in flour in a shallow bowl. Transfer the flour-coated tofu slices to a platter and set aside.
  3. Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu in batches and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Place the cooked tofu slices on a baking sheet and keep warm in oven.
  4. Add the garlic and mushrooms to the pan and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Deglaze the skillet with the wine and/or stock. Stir in the reserved lemon slices and juice, the capers, and parsley and simmer until hot. Taste to adjust seasonings.
  5. Remove the tofu from the oven and arrange on a platter or individual plates. Stir the margarine into the sauce, if using. Pour sauce over tofu and serve at once.

Tangerine Teriyaki Tofu

From FoodFit.com
Makes 8 pieces, enough to serve 8 as an appetizer, 4 as a light main course.

  • 2 pounds extra firm tofu
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
  • slender bamboo skewers for grilling

marinade/ sauce

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup fresh tangerine juice
  • 3 strips tangerine zest
  • 1/4 cup sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of a cleaver
  • 2 slices fresh ginger (1/4 inch thick), crushed with the side of a cleaver
  • 2 scallions, white part crushed with the side of a cleaver, green part finely chopped for garnish
  • 1 star anise

Press the tofu for 1 hour. Cut each block of tofu widthwise into 4 slices and arrange in a baking dish.

Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a mixing bowl and whisk to mix. Pour the marinade over the tofu. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, turning the tofu pieces several times so they marinate evenly.

Strain the marinade into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Briskly simmer the marinade uncovered until reduced to a thick, syrupy glaze, 5 to 10 minutes.

Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. Brush and oil the grill grate. Skewer the tofu pieces through the narrow end, 2 skewers per piece. Arrange the resulting kebabs on the grate. Grill the tofu until sizzling and well browned, 4 to 6 minutes per side. (Protect the skewers with strips of foil if they start to burn.) Baste the tofu with the glaze as it cooks.

Transfer the tofu to plates or a platter and drizzle with any remaining glaze. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and reserved scallion greens and serve at once.

"Tofu On Stilts" (Dengaku)

From FoodFit.com
Makes 8 pieces, enough to serve 8 as an appetizer, 4 as a light main course

  • 2 pounds extra firm tofu
  • 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds or toasted sesame seeds
  • slender bamboo skewers

miso barbecue sauce

  • 1/2 cup white miso
  • 2 tablespoons mirin
  • 2 tablespoons sake
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup dashi or vegetable stock
  • ¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest

Press and slice the tofu.

Prepare the miso barbecue sauce. Combine the miso, mirin, sake, sugar, egg yolk, dashi, and lemon zest in the top of a double boiler and whisk until smooth. Cook the sauce over the double boiler until thick and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not overcook, or the sauce will curdle.

Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. Brush and oil the grill grate. Skewer the tofu pieces through the narrow end, 2 skewers per piece. Arrange the resulting kebabs on the grate. Grill the tofu until sizzling and well browned, 4 to 6 minutes per side. (Protect the skewers with strips of foil if they start to burn.) Carefully spoon the sauce over the tofu pieces after you've turned them. (The tofu goes only on the top side.)

Transfer the tofu to plates or a platter and top with any remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve at once.