How to cook tofu

[fairfarmhand]

I write for a cooking website and to force myself to try new things I often pick up a random ingredient I’ve never tried before and figure out how to use it. This week it’s tofu. 
 

tell me how to fix this. I’ve never used it before.

[Sneezyone]

I like both deep fried (firm) tofu cubes and sautéed tofu (steaks) marinated in different things. Sometimes people use silken tofu in place of ricotta or cream cheese. It doesn’t work as a cheese substitute for me tho. It lacks flavor.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Do you like stir fry?  Just cube the tofu and add it at the end after the vegetables have had a chance to cook a bit. It will take on the flavor of the sauce. (I don’t know how firm your tofu is but this works better with firm tofu). 

[fairfarmhand]

I have firm tofu.

[fairfarmhand]

Just now, Jean in Newcastle said:

Do you like stir fry?  Just cube the tofu and add it at the end after the vegetables have had a chance to cook a bit. It will take on the flavor of the sauce. (I don’t know how firm your tofu is but this works better with firm tofu). 

Sounds good. What’s the texture like?

[Katy]

So first you want to press all the water out of it.  Then slice, season it (I prefer like chicken), and saute in a little oil until it's brown and crispy.

Edited December 17, 2021 by Katy

[WildflowerMom]

You need to dry it out some for stir fry.  Put it on a plate on napkins with another plate on top (and preferably something kind of heavy--a book, maybe?   Let it drain a good bit.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Just now, fairfarmhand said:

Sounds good. What’s the texture like?

Depends on the firmness of the tofu!  The soft tofu will crumble easily. It will have the texture of a pudding or creme brûlée.  Firm tofu will hold its shape and will have more texture. I compare it to a firmer cheese. 

[Resilient]

I use it a lot in soups to add protein when we are eating vegan.  
 

this week I fried it up—drain a block of firm tofu, slice it into thirds so you have something the three to four slices (pretend this is a steak to get the shape I’m describing), fry it up until it is browned.  I use basil infused olive oil or earth balance margarine.  Flip the “steaks” until they are browned on both sides.  Put on a plate and put some soy sauce in it.  Eat. 

[Arcadia]

Mapo tofu (spicy, you can omit the meat) https://thewoksoflife.com/wprm_print/30204

Agedashi tofu https://www.justonecookbook.com/wprm_print/58567

This is a good overview: A Guide to Tofu Types and What to Do With Them https://www.seriouseats.com/shopping-cooking-guide-different-tofu-types

ETA: 

asian Indian tofu curry https://veggiedesserts.com/wprm_print/13853

Edited December 17, 2021 by Arcadia

[fairfarmhand]

15 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

Mapo tofu (spicy, you can omit the meat) https://thewoksoflife.com/wprm_print/30204

Agedashi tofu https://www.justonecookbook.com/wprm_print/58567

This is a good overview: A Guide to Tofu Types and What to Do With Them https://www.seriouseats.com/shopping-cooking-guide-different-tofu-types

ETA: 

asian Indian tofu curry https://veggiedesserts.com/wprm_print/13853

Thank you!

[ScoutTN]

30 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Do you like stir fry?  Just cube the tofu and add it at the end after the vegetables have had a chance to cook a bit. It will take on the flavor of the sauce. (I don’t know how firm your tofu is but this works better with firm tofu). 

This! My kids love it in stir fry!

[Stacia]

https://cleanfooddirtygirl.com/how-to-make-damn-delicious-baked-tofu-video/

[Arcadia]

You can also use tofu to make cheesecake, bake or no-bake varieties. I forgot which recipe I tried but my kids are used to the taste of Trader Joe’s New York cheesecake so it was a one-off try.

Korean soft tofu soup (soft/silken tofu) https://www.koreanbapsang.com/wprm_print/7691

[Arcadia]

Today 🙂 12:42 mins

 

[mathnerd]

My DS loves this sweet and crunchy Korean Tofu (in Korean, tofu is pronounced “dubu”). The recipe is called Dubu-gangjeong. The author dredges the tofu cubes in potato starch and fries them until crispy. I don’t deep fry, but shallow fry with a tablespoon of oil on my griddle.

Full recipe here: https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/dubu-gangjeong

Video of recipe here: 

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by mathnerd

[Corraleno]

I prefer the texture of tofu after it's been frozen. When you freeze it, the water forms ice crystals that then leave air pockets when you thaw and squeeze the liquid out, resulting in a totally different texture — it's literally like a sponge and it really soaks up marinades compared to regular tofu. My favorite way to eat it is to freeze it, thaw it, squeeze out as much water as possible, cut it into small cubes, marinate in tamari, ginger, and garlic overnight, then toss the cubes in a mix of cornstarch, onion powder, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, and black pepper, and fry them in a little oil until crispy. Add to a stir fry, salad, or buddha bowl. They're more chewy and meat-like in texture compared to unfrozen tofu. I generally buy Trader Joe's Organic Sprouted Extra Firm Tofu which is $1.99/lb; I especially like that it comes in two separate half-pound blocks rather than one big block.

For baked tofu, this recipe from June Xie at Delish is great:

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a32407897/baked-tofu-recipe/

 

 

 

[Selkie]

I get extra firm tofu that does not need to be drained - the kind that is a very firm block that is not packed in water. Hodo is the best brand, if you can find it. Nasoya makes a good extra firm block, too.

We like our tofu crispy. I don’t fry or cook with oil, so I bake it instead. Slice tofu into small cubes and put on a parchment lined baking sheet. Make sure they are spread out and aren’t touching. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes and you will have crispy, chewy tofu. Perfect for stir fries, tacos, grain or burrito bowls, salads, spring rolls or egg rolls...just add whatever sauce or flavoring you want.

Tofu is also great in sandwiches. Slice tofu thinly, brush with bbq sauce, and bake. Or coat the slices in flour, then quickly dip in plant milk, then coat with garlicky bread crumbs and bake. They taste like a healthy version of fish sandwiches.

Silken tofu (the kind that comes in shelf stable packaging) is good for making desserts or sauces. I use it to make salad dressing.

[Laura Corin]

I always marinade in cubes in advance then oven bake. A tomato/balsamic/olive oil/garlic marinade works well, as does rapeseed oil/turmeric/soy sauce/chilli flakes. Oven bake at 180C - you want slightly crisp on the outside but soft and warm within. They tend to stick so I put down baking paper.

[MEmama]

Air frying is another option. In addition to using tofu in stir fries, tacos, soups, etc, we like to simply snack on baked or air fried marinated tofu cubes. 

[KungFuPanda]

I use this recipe. The ingredients are simple and the water presses out faster because you cut it into cubes first: 

https://cookieandkate.com/how-to-make-crispy-baked-tofu/

[Soror]

28 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

I use this recipe. The ingredients are simple and the water presses out faster because you cut it into cubes first: 

https://cookieandkate.com/how-to-make-crispy-baked-tofu/

This is the recipe I use and like--

[Pam in CT]

I often do a meat & veg variant of the same basic dish, first cooking all the veg parts together, then separating out for the one vegetarian in the family and completing with two different proteins. I use pretty-firm tofu for nearly everything I use boneless / chunked chicken for -- curries, stir fry, casseroles, etc.

The two main tricks to getting it to taste good are 1) pressing out the water; and 2) marinating at least an hour.

 

re freezing first:

10 hours ago, Corraleno said:

I prefer the texture of tofu after it's been frozen. When you freeze it, the water forms ice crystals that then leave air pockets when you thaw and squeeze the liquid out, resulting in a totally different texture — it's literally like a sponge and it really soaks up marinades compared to regular tofu. My favorite way to eat it is to freeze it, thaw it, squeeze out as much water as possible, cut it into small cubes, marinate in tamari, ginger, and garlic overnight, then toss the cubes in a mix of cornstarch, onion powder, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, and black pepper, and fry them in a little oil until crispy. Add to a stir fry, salad, or buddha bowl. They're more chewy and meat-like in texture compared to unfrozen tofu. I generally buy Trader Joe's Organic Sprouted Extra Firm Tofu which is $1.99/lb; I especially like that it comes in two separate half-pound blocks rather than one big block.

For baked tofu, this recipe from June Xie at Delish is great:

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a32407897/baked-tofu-recipe/

 

 

 

I've never done this -- sounds like another good go-to trick.

Ginger marinades are our favorites.

[crazyforlatin]

I stir-fry extra firm tofu with sesame oil, garlic paste, and either fish sauce or soy sauce. I never thought about marinating tofu and may try that later. I’m not much of a cook, nor do I have a deep interest in it, and it was only this year I found out from DD’s teen friend that I ought to marinate chicken in order for it to be tender after cooking. 

[MEmama]

5 minutes ago, crazyforlatin said:

I stir-fry extra firm tofu with sesame oil, garlic paste, and either fish sauce or soy sauce. I never thought about marinating tofu and may try that later. I’m not much of a cook, nor do I have a deep interest in it, and it was only this year I found out from DD’s teen friend that I ought to marinate chicken in order for it to be tender after cooking. 

I must marinate wrong because I’ve never noticed a difference with either tofu or chicken. 🤷‍♀️

I no longer bother to press the water out of tofu unless I’m baking or air frying it. If the heat is high enough the water will evaporate while it cooks in a pan. 

[crazyforlatin]

4 minutes ago, MEmama said:

I must marinate wrong because I’ve never noticed a difference with either tofu or chicken. 🤷‍♀️

I no longer bother to press the water out of tofu unless I’m baking or air frying it. If the heat is high enough the water will evaporate while it cooks in a pan. 

If you taste the kind of knarly dry chicken I made pre-2021 I believe you would notice a difference. But it’s rare to find such a basic cook like myself. My parents were extreme with food, into organic when that was difficult to find, no baking or frying ever, steamed everything. 
 

I use some sort of acidic sauce or just lemon juice with other spices, place them all in a plastic zip lock bag overnight and then cook them in an air fryer. 

[MEmama]

3 minutes ago, crazyforlatin said:

If you taste the kind of knarly dry chicken I made pre-2021 I believe you would notice a difference. But it’s rare to find such a basic cook like myself. My parents were extreme with food, into organic when that was difficult to find, no baking or frying ever, steamed everything. 
 

I use some sort of acidic sauce or just lemon juice with other spices, place them all in a plastic zip lock bag overnight and then cook them in an air fryer. 

I’m not much interested in cooking either, so the more unnecessary steps I can avoid the better. Lol. I think in general I’m just not fussy—and tbh I prefer fish dry so I know it’s actually cooked all the way. I’m new to cooking chicken but I suspect I prefer it overdone as well. I'd eat your pre-2021 chicken without complaint! 🙂 

[Selkie]

You can buy tofu that is already marinated, which is very convenient. Wildwood has savory and teriyaki tofu and Westsoy has a few flavors, too. 

[crazyforlatin]

5 minutes ago, MEmama said:

I’m not much interested in cooking either, so the more unnecessary steps I can avoid the better. Lol. I think in general I’m just not fussy—and tbh I prefer fish dry so I know it’s actually cooked all the way. I’m new to cooking chicken but I suspect I prefer it overdone as well. I'd eat your pre-2021 chicken without complaint! 🙂 

That’s me, fewer steps, less ingredients, and I’m not a picky eater at all, but during zoom the other kids were watching Dd squeeze ketchup onto dry chicken (which Dd likes) and everyone was trying to stop her. I thought it was time to do a little more, which is still a headache for me because I don’t like to handle chicken too many times, much prefer to just dump the frozen ones into the fryer or steamer, less fluid to deal with. 

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, crazyforlatin said:

I found out from DD’s teen friend that I ought to marinate chicken in order for it to be tender after cooking. 

I slow cook chicken herbal soup style, takes about 2 hours or more and the chicken is off the bone tender. 
We avoid chicken breast though and stick to chicken thighs or drumsticks.

[mmasc]

1 hour ago, MEmama said:

I’m not much interested in cooking either, so the more unnecessary steps I can avoid the better. Lol. I think in general I’m just not fussy—and tbh I prefer fish dry so I know it’s actually cooked all the way. I’m new to cooking chicken but I suspect I prefer it overdone as well. I'd eat your pre-2021 chicken without complaint! 🙂 

+1 😁 I like all meat dry. I barely even like meat, so I want my chicken dry, my salmon dry, etc. Basically jerky lol

eta: confession: I’ve never made a piece of chicken with a bone in it in my 20+ years of cooking. 😬

Edited December 17, 2021 by mmasc

[Paige]

The only way we like it is air fried. First we slice it and press it between some towels for at least 20 min. I put the air fryer on top to squish it well. Then, I mix it with some cornstarch and soy sauce, or whatever else feels appropriate to coat it in for the meal. Some people say you can avoid corn starch if you use an air fryer or if you press well, but I don't like it as well without. Then we air fry with plenty of space and I still add some oil or it sticks.

I don't like mushy tofu.

[Sneezyone]

LOL. This thread is hilarious. I press the tofu before marinating b/c pressing creates space for the marinade to be absorbed without watering down the finished product. Then I can add the cornstarch to the outside and deep fry or pan fry without it being waterlogged after I take it out and the water returns to the surface. I'm the only one in my family who really likes firm tofu (or any tofu) tho. Everyone else would rather eat veg than any form of meat-like substitute.