vegan braised tofu

Introducing your new favorite way to eat tofu! This Braised Tofu features golden pan-fried tofu squares simmered in a deeply savory Chinese-inspired braising liquid. The tofu soaks in all of these gorgeous flavors, leaving you with a gourmet, yet weeknight-friendly dish!

Braised Tofu

(14-ounce 400 grams) block of extra-firm tofu, (drained)

Kosher salt

oil oil

scallions,

1- inch piece fresh ginger, (finely chopped)

garlic cloves, (finely chopped)

(120 grams) thinly sliced red bell peppers

organic brown sugar ((see Note 4))

Chinese black vinegar

chile

Chinese five spice powder

white pepper ((optional))

(120 mL) water

cornstarch or arrowroot powder

sesame oil

toasted white sesame seeds

scallion

(360 grams) of cooked white rice or brown rice

Slice the tofu in half vertically. Gently press down on each slab with a towel to remove some water. Flip each slab around and slice crosswise into squares ⅓” to ½” (1 cm) thick. Arrange tofu squares on a cutting board. Cover with a thin dish towel or a few paper towels. Cover with a cookbook to press. Meanwhile, slice the aromatics.

Remove the towel from the tofu. If the tofu appears still wet, gently dab down on the squares with a dry towel. Sprinkle the top side of each tofu square with a bit of salt to season.

Heat a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Meanwhile, line the cutting  board from step 1 with a few paper towels.

Pile the tofu in a slotted spoon or spider tool. Carefully add the tofu to the hot oil, arranging it in a single layer. Move the tofu around in the oil to evenly coat and cook on one side for 5 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. Use a thin spatula to flip and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the bottom is also golden brown.

While the tofu cooks, combine the braising liquid ingredients together in a jar; seal and shake it up; or add to a bowl and whisk together.

When the tofu is golden brown and crisp on both sides, transfer the squares to the towel-lined board to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt.

Return the frying pan to the stove and wipe out excess oil. Add the 1 tablespoon chile oil or oil from chile crisp (or regular oil) and heat over medium-high. Once hot, add the scallion whites/greens, garlic, and ginger, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, tossing frequently, until fragrant. Add the vegetables and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes, shaking the pan and stir-frying as you go.

Pour in the braising liquid. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes, or until thickened a bit.

Meanwhile, thinly slice the reserved scallion greens on a hard bias. Stir the cornstarch into the water and whisk well. After the 5 minutes, add the cornstarch slurry into the pan and whisk until it thickens a bit but not too much, 45 to 60 seconds.

Add the fried tofu into the sauce and use a silicone spatula to coat the tofu in the sauce. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has thickened into a sauce that sticks to the tofu. Take off the heat and cool for a few minutes.

Serve tofu over rice. Drizzle lightly with toasted sesame oil and garnish with sesame seeds and scallion greens.

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Top 1 vegan braised tofu recipes from across the web

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

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Braised Tofu

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