firm tofu

This is one of my favorite ways to eat tofu. Keep some marinating in the refrigerator, then grill or pan-fry at will.

Grilled Or Pan-Fried Marinated Tofu

Asian sesame oil

soy sauce

mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)

rice wine vinegar

ginger

canola oil or peanut oil

Grilled or Pan-Fried Marinated Tofu

Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a 2-quart bowl. Whisk together well.

Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels. Slice into 1/2-inch thick slabs, and blot each slab with paper towels. Add to the bowl with the marinade, and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to an hour, or for up to a day.

To pan-fry the tofu, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. When the oil is hot, add the tofu in one layer (you may have to do this in batches). Cook on one side for one to two minutes, until lightly colored. Using tongs, turn the tofu over and cook for another one to two minutes, or until lightly colored on the other side. Remove from the pan, and serve with additional marinade or soy sauce.  To grill the tofu, prepare a medium-hot grill. Brush the grill with oil, and grill until grill marks appear, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from the heat, and serve with additional marinade or soy sauce.

Great dumplings are as much about texture as taste, and these double the welcome contrast of tenderness and crunch. Simultaneously fried and steamed in a covered skillet, the wrappers develop crackling brown bases, while the tops become delicately chewy. Inside, the crunch of spicy chile crisp punctuates soft tofu and greens. Wringing water out of both fillings first allows them to soak in the soy sauce and chile crisp and ensures the filling doesn’t end up watery or bland. Another benefit to this vegan filling is the ability to taste it raw and adjust the seasonings before wrapping.

Chile Crisp Dumplings

tofu,

watercress

garlic chives

salt

celery stalks, finely chopped (1/2 cup)

soy sauce,

chile crisp,

dumpling wrappers or store-bought round wrappers

Grapeseed or other neutral oil,

Chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar and sesame oil,

Arrange the tofu slices in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel or between double layers of paper towels. Roll tightly in the towel as if rolling a sleeping bag, then squeeze it over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible. Let stand 10 minutes for the tofu to continue releasing liquid. If the towel gets soaked, transfer the tofu to another dry towel.

Toss the spinach, chives and salt in a colander. Let stand for 10 minutes, then squeeze the greens in the colander over the sink to release as much liquid as possible. Transfer the greens mixture to a large bowl. Add the drained tofu, squeezing it to crumble into bits as you add it, then mix evenly with the greens. Add the celery, soy sauce and chile crisp, and stir until evenly mixed. Taste, and add more soy sauce and chile crisp, if you’d like. The filling on its own should be very flavorful because the wrappers are not seasoned at all.

Set up a dumpling assembly line with the bowl of filling, wrappers and a small bowl of water. Using a dessert spoon or other small spoon, scoop a mound of filling, then press it against the side of the bowl into a tiny football. Set the filling in the center of one wrapper. Use your fingertip to dampen the edges with water. Bring together the sides over the filling to enclose in a half-moon. Pinch the center together, then press the edges together to seal, pleating decoratively if you’d like. Sit the dumpling upright on your work surface. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers. Cook immediately or freeze in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet until hard, then transfer to airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

You can cook as many or as few dumplings at a time as you’d like. Choose your pan size accordingly: An 8-inch skillet will fit 8 to 10; a 10-inch will fit 14 to 16. When ready to cook, coat a well-seasoned cast-iron pan or nonstick skillet with a thin, even layer of oil. Arrange the dumplings in the pan, pleated side up, spacing 1/3 inch apart, and filling the pan. Add enough cold water to the pan to come 1/3 inch up the sides (about 1/4 cup for an 8-inch pan; 1/2 cup for a 10-inch).

Cover the skillet and cook over medium until the rapid firecracker popping diminishes to a steady, low crackle, indicating that all the water has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Uncover and check to see if the bottoms are browned and the dough is slightly translucent all the way to the top. If so, remove from the heat. If not, cook uncovered 1 to 2 minutes longer. Let stand for a minute so the dumplings release from the skillet naturally. Transfer to a plate, browned side up. Make your own dipping sauce with any combination of soy sauce, chile crisp, vinegar and sesame oil, and enjoy with the hot dumplings.

If you don’t cook tofu often (or even if you do), this unfussy tofu dish is for you: There’s no flour-dredging or shallow-frying, and no marinating at all. As long as you pat the tofu dry (a bit fussy, but not by much), the vegetable oil’s high smoke point will yield crisp edges, while the sesame oil imparts flavor, putting you well on your way to making tofu taste great. What’s more, a ginger-and-garlic-laced soy sauce coats noodles and tofu alike, giving you chopstick after chopstick of toothsome pleasure. Serve these warm or cold, and be generous with the cool, crispy vegetables on top, especially for summer picnics where you can stretch this to serve 6 or even 8 as a side.

Sweet and Spicy Tofu With Soba Noodles

(14-ounce) packages firm tofu, drained

canola oil

sesame oil

(8-ounce) package all-buckwheat soba noodles

garlic cloves, smashed

green onions,

dark brown sugar

black pepper

red-pepper flakes

radishes, thinly sliced

cilantro leaves,

lime,

Drain the tofu in a colander, or dry on paper-towel lined plate while you prep the remaining ingredients, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil for the soba noodles.

Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil. When the oil shimmers, add the tofu in a single layer, in batches if needed and cook until golden on all sides, turning as needed when the tofu releases easily from the pan, about 8 to 10 minutes total. Lift the tofu out of the pan with a spatula and transfer to a new paper-towel-lined plate.

Meanwhile, cook the soba in boiling water for 5 to 8 minutes (or according to package directions), until just al dente, stirring frequently. Drain and rinse in cold water until the noodles no longer feel sticky.

Add garlic, ginger and whites of the onions to the skillet, along with the remaining tablespoon sesame oil, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the oil is fragrant, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.

Add cooked and drained soba noodles to the pan, along with soy sauce, sugar, black pepper, red pepper and reserved green onions; toss together until the noodles are coated. Gently toss in the tofu until all the pieces are covered in the sauce.

Remove from the heat, and sprinkle cucumber, radish and cilantro on top. Serve warm or at room temperature, with lime.

Start cooking the rice or quinoa that you will serve this with, prep your vegetables and make the stir-fry. The prep is the most time-consuming but there aren’t too many ingredients. You can be sitting down about 35 minutes after you begin. <br/><br/>

Stir-Fried Cabbage, Tofu and Red Pepper

chicken stock or vegetable stock

sugar

cornstarch

peanut oil, rice bran oil oil

garlic cloves, minced

pepper,

Salt and pepper

broken walnuts

rice

Cut the tofu into dominoes and drain between paper towels. In a small bowl or measuring cup combine the stock, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, the sugar, rice wine or sherry, and the sesame oil. Remove 1 tablespoon to a small bowl and stir in the cornstarch. Stir until it has dissolved. Have all the ingredients within arm’s length of your pan.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan, then add the  tofu and stir-fry until golden, about 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or to taste), toss together for a few seconds, and transfer to a plate. 

Swirl in the remaining oil, add the garlic and ginger to the wok and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the red pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute, or until it begins to soften, and add the cabbage and walnuts. Stir-fry for 1 minute, add salt and pepper to taste, and stir-fry for another 1 to 2 minutes, until crisp-tender. Return the tofu to the wok, stir in the  walnuts and the stock/soy sauce mixture and stir-fry for another minute, until it has just about evaporated. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and stir-fry until the ingredients are lightly glazed. Remove from the heat and serve with quinoa or rice.

Shredding tofu on a box grater before stir-frying gives it a fluffy, light texture, and the smaller pieces readily absorb the complex, earthy mushroom flavor of the sauce. Unlike with many tofu dishes, you’re not looking to sear the tofu here, just to warm it up in the sauce. The caramelized flavor is supplied by the shiitake mushrooms, which should be cooked until they are well browned and crisp-edged. If you can’t find fresh lemongrass, you can leave it out.

Shredded Tofu and Shiitake Stir-Fry

(15-ounce) package firm tofu, drained

Chinese Shaoxing or dry sherry

lime

scallion

ginger root, grated

garlic clove, grated

red chile,

Salt,

edamame (defrosted if using frozen)

herbs,

Using the coarse holes of a box grater, shred the tofu. Spread tofu out on a clean kitchen towel to drain while you prepare the sauce and mushrooms.

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, Shaoxing, lime juice and sesame oil.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until it’s very hot, then add the peanut oil; it should thin out on contact. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and cook, tossing occasionally, until most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are browned and slightly crisp, 8 to 12 minutes. Stir in the scallion, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, chile and a pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes.

Carefully transfer the tofu from the towel into the skillet. Toss in the edamame and the soy sauce mixture. Cook until mixture is heated through. Season with salt as needed. Remove from heat and stir in herbs. Serve with lime wedges. 

Melissa Clark shreds tofu for this hearty weeknight stir-fry.

I like to serve the baked seasoned tofu “fingers” warm on top of the salad. They are delicious cold, too; it is worth making up a separate batch for the refrigerator. If you have an assortment of vegetables leftover from Thanksgiving dinner, throw them in!

Asian Chopped Salad With Seasoned Tofu ‘Fingers’

rice vinegar

romaine heart, chopped

mixed chopped or diced vegetables

dry roasted peanuts,

cilantro (more to taste)

serrano pepper, seeded and minced (optional)

lime juice

tofu marinade, above

low-fat buttermilk or plain nonfat yogurt

Marinate the tofu: combine the soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, ginger and sugar in a 2-quart bowl. Whisk in the sesame oil and combine well. Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels. Slice into 1/3-inch thick slabs and cut the slabs in half lengthwise to get “fingers” approximately 1/3 inch thick by 3/4 inch wide. Blot each finger with paper towels. Add to the bowl with the marinade and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to an hour, or for up to a day.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. Lift the tofu out of the marinade and arrange the pieces on the parchment-covered baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to color and the marinade sets on the surface of the tofu. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss with the salad. If desired, transfer to a platter. Garnish with the tofu strips and serve.

Molly O'Neill's Hot and Sour Soup

shiitake mushrooms

wood ears

pork loin

eggs,

rice wine

chicken stock

water

rice vinegar, plus more if needed

toasted-sesame oil

scallions

minced ginger, plus more if needed

Soak the shiitakes and the wood ears separately in hot water to cover for 20 minutes. Remove any fat or gristle from the pork and discard. Cut the meat, across the grain, into 1/4-inch-thick slices. (You may partly freeze the meat to facilitate cutting.) Cut the slices into matchstick-size shreds and place in a bowl. Stir together the pork marinade ingredients and toss with the pork. Marinate for 10 minutes.

Remove and discard the shiitake stems. Cut the caps into matchstick-size shreds. Cut away and discard the hard, bitter nib on the underside of the wood ears, then cut into matchstick-size shreds. Cut the tofu into thin slices and then into matchstick-size shreds.

Combine the soup base ingredients in a large pot, and heat until boiling. Add several tablespoons of the hot broth to the pork shreds, and stir to separate; then add them to the pot and cook until they change color, about 1 minute. Skim impurities from the surface of the soup. Add the shiitakes, wood ears and tofu. Heat the mixture until boiling.

Stir the water and cornstarch together and slowly add to the soup, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Continue to skim the surface to remove impurities. When the soup has thickened, add the soup seasonings. Stir to blend, and taste for seasoning. If the soup is not spicy enough, add more vinegar and minced ginger.

Remove the soup from the heat. Add the eggs, slowly pouring in a thin stream. Stir the soup once in a circular motion. Transfer the soup to a tureen and serve immediately.

I like to serve baked seasoned tofu strips warm on top of the salad. They are delicious cold, too; it is worth making up a separate batch for the refrigerator. If you have an assortment of leftover vegetables, throw them in here!

Chopped Salad With Seasoned Tofu Strips

mirin

Marinate the tofu: combine the soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, ginger and sugar in a 2-quart bowl. Whisk in the sesame oil and combine well. Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels. Slice into 1/3-inch thick slabs and cut the slabs in half lengthwise to get strips approximately 1/3 inch thick by 3/4 inch wide. Blot each strip with paper towels. Add to the bowl with the marinade and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to an hour, or for up to a day.

Herby noodles, chile oil and crisp tofu come together in this spicy, filling bowl that will disappear before you know it. But the component parts are just as valuable on their own: Make crisp baked tofu once, and you may never pan-fry cubes again. Make a scallion-basil paste on your cutting board, and forget about pesto from the food processor. And make a little extra spicy sesame oil, so that you can swirl it into scrambled eggs and smashed cucumber salads.

Spicy Rice Noodles With Crispy Tofu and Spinach

panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

sesame seeds (optional)

rice noodles

peanut oil

garlic clove, thinly sliced

(1-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

red-pepper flakes,

sesame seeds,

basil,

baby spinach, packed

sesame oil, for drizzling (optional)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. As the oven heats, press the tofu (you can do this by sandwiching the block in paper towels and placing a cutting board, plus a heavy pot, can or book on top). 

Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes and place in a medium bowl. Add the salt and oils, and toss to combine.

Sprinkle the cornstarch, panko and sesame seeds, if using, and toss gently so the tofu cubes are coated. 

Spread on the prepared sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, flipping once, until golden-brown and crisp. 

While the tofu bakes, start the noodles: Put the dry rice noodles in a big, wide bowl. Fill a kettle, bring the water to a boil, and pour the boiling water over the noodles to cover. Set aside for 6 to 10 minutes, until the noodles are fully rehydrated and soft. (Time may vary by brand.) Then drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Transfer noodles to a large bowl.

As the noodles soak, prepare the spicy sesame oil: In a small pot, combine sesame oil, peanut oil, garlic, ginger, red-pepper flakes and sesame seeds. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook on the lowest heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the garlic slices turn golden. 

Meanwhile, on your cutting board, make a small mound with the teaspoon of salt. Place the basil and the scallions on top, and use your knife to furiously chop and smash until you have a rough paste.

Mix the basil paste into the bowl of rice noodles. Pile the baby spinach on top. Pour at least half of the hot oil immediately over the spinach, tossing so that the heat wilts the leaves slightly. Then add the juice of the 1/2 lime and toss to combine. Taste for salt and lime juice, and add more oil as you see fit.

Arrange the tofu on top of the noodles, or mix them in so that the cubes hide like little treasures. For extra flair, garnish with additional sesame seeds and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil.

Tofu and cabbage make ideal partners in a stir-fry, bringing contrasting soft and crisp textures. For best results, the tofu is pan-fried until golden, then stirred in at the end to maintain its shape and preserve its creamy texture. Scrambled eggs add fluffy bites, while fresh basil perfumes and brightens the dish. The hot mustard sauce complements the caramelized cabbage. Green cabbage is used here, but Napa or Savoy varieties are fantastic alternatives.

Tofu and Cabbage Stir-Fry With Basil

neutral oil,

(14-ounce

salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

mustard

garlic (from 6 cloves)

green cabbage (from

flakes

rice,

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Add tofu, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tofu is lightly golden in spots, about 5 minutes. 

  While the tofu cooks, in a small bowl, combine the mustard and soy sauce; stir until smooth.

Once the tofu is golden in spots, stir in 1 tablespoon of the garlic until well incorporated, then push the tofu to one side of the skillet. 

Add eggs to the empty side of the skillet and allow them to set a little before stirring. Once the eggs are scrambled, stir them into the tofu mixture. Transfer tofu mixture to a large plate. Wipe out skillet.

In the skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add cabbage, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred and softened, about 8 minutes. Add ginger and the remaining 1 tablespoon garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. 

Stir in the mustard sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the sauce has been absorbed, about 2 minutes. Fold in the tofu-egg mixture. Turn off the heat and stir in the basil and red-pepper flakes, if using.

Transfer the stir-fry to shallow bowls and garnish with additional basil. Serve with rice.

This quick Korean braised tofu recipe turns bland tofu into a full flavored dish. Pan-seared tofu slices are braised in a spicy savory sauce. Adjust the amount of Korean chili flakes to suit your spice level.

Quick Braised Tofu

lb firm tofu

anchovy stock

- 1 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)

garlic (finely minced)

tbsp sesame oil

tsp sugar

tsp black pepper

onion

green chili (sliced, optional)

To make the sauce, combine soy sauce, Korean chili flakes, garlic, sugar, sesame oil, black pepper. Pour anchovy stock (or water) and mix well; set aside.

Slice tofu into 1/2-inch thickness. Press tofu slices slightly firmly with a piece of paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add tofu slices and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden and crisp.

Add onion and chili on top of tofu. Pour the sauce evenly over the tofu and let it boil. Cover with lid and cook for 4-5 minutes on medium low heat.

Remove the lid and garnish the braised tofu with chopped green onion and toasted sesame seeds if you wish. Serve with rice.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/kK2Xftm4.mp4

This Korean braised tofu is a quick and easy tofu recipe that turns bland tofu into a full flavored dish. Pan-seared tofu slices are braised in a spicy savory sauce. Adjust the amount of Korean chili flakes to suit your spice level.

This Korean pan-fried tofu recipe is crispy and chewy, just the way you like to eat tofu. No pressing is required before cooking and it is the best low-effort, pan-seared tofu dish you can easily make at home.

Crispy Korean Pan-Fried Tofu (Dubu Buchim)

(1 lb) firm tofu (drained)

tbsp oil

Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)

green onion (finely chopped)

shrimp powder (optional, see note below)

sesame seeds

red chili

Take the tofu out of its package and rinse. Cut tofu into 1/2-inch thick slices.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Gently press each tofu slice with a paper towel to remove excess water from the surface, then place them in the skillet.

Sear the tofu until a nice golden crust forms on the surface, about  5 minutes. Flip the tofu slices to the other side and continue to sear another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the soy chili sauce. Mix soy sauce, Korean chili flakes, garlic, green onion, shrimp powder (if using), sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds in a small bowl.

Arrange the tofu slices in a serving platter and drizzle the soy chili sauce on top. Garnish with fresh red chili (if using) and serve with rice.

Spicy and crispy peanut tofu is a hearty vegan dinner that’s all cooked in the oven on one sheet pan! Made extra delectable with an 8-ingredient peanut sauce. I like to serve mine with warm brown rice, sliced green onions, and chili crisp.

Top 15 firm tofu recipes from across the web

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Top Tags

Grilled Or Pan-Fried Marinated Tofu

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Molly O'Neill's Hot and Sour Soup

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Top 15 firm tofu recipes from across the web

The most viewed firm tofu recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Grilled Or Pan-Fried Marinated Tofu

Chile Crisp Dumplings

Sweet and Spicy Tofu With Soba Nood...

Stir-Fried Cabbage, Tofu and Red Pe...

Shredded Tofu and Shiitake Stir-Fry

Asian Chopped Salad With Seasoned T...

Molly O'Neill's Hot and Sour Soup

Chopped Salad With Seasoned Tofu St...

Spicy Rice Noodles With Crispy Tofu...

Tofu and Cabbage Stir-Fry With Basi...

Quick Braised Tofu

Crispy Korean Pan-Fried Tofu (Dubu ...

Spicy &amp; Crispy Peanut Tofu with...

Blackberry Glazed Tofu with Black P...

Vegan Japanese Cabbage Rolls

The most viewed firm tofu recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Spicy & Crispy Peanut Tofu with...