7 Simple Tofu Recipes for Beginners

So, you’ve quit meat and/or dairy and eggs. What next? How do you make delicious vegetarian or vegan recipes that won’t have you missing steak at all? We give you: tofu.

This article will detail some of the best tofu recipes, which will make it simple for you to enjoy a plant-based diet. You won’t be missing meat at all when you try these!

What is tofu?

Tofu is a food product made using soybeans, popular in East Asian cuisine. It is low calorie and low fat, while also containing lots of essential vitamins and minerals. When cooked, it can have a meaty texture. Tofu doesn’t have a distinct flavor, but it absorbs flavors around it really well.

Easy Tofu Recipes

1. Miso Soup

Tofu miso soup is a low calorie, delicious dinner or snack. You may need to visit an Asian food store to get some miso paste – but you can stock up on tofu at the same time!

1. Use a tofu press to extract the liquid from the tofu.
2. Fry spring onions, pak choi, and other green vegetables in a wok.
3. Add around 2 litres of vegetable stock and two tablespoons of miso paste. If you are cooking in a bigger wok and want more soup, adjust your miso measurements accordingly.
4. Cook for 5 minutes, add the tofu and cook for another 5 minutes. Then serve.

2. Tofu Curry

You can add tofu to any sauce-based meals, like curry or pasta. Here’s how to make a curry with tofu.

1. Press your tofu and then cut it into squares.
2. Fry onion, garlic and chilli in a pan. Add vegetables.
3. Season with curry powder, paprika, cumin and turmeric.
4. Add two tins of coconut milk and some vegetable stock.
5. Simmer for 20 minutes, then add the tofu and simmer for a further 10 minutes before serving.

3. Tofu Fish Fingers

If you want a comfort food classic, try these tofu fish fingers. You could either have them in a lunchtime sandwich or serve them up with oven baked potato wedges.

1. Press your tofu and cut it into strips.
2. In a bowl, mix apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and seaweed flakes.
3. Coat your tofu in the marinade.
4. Combine breadcrumbs and flour in a separate bowl. Coat tofu in breadcrumbs and flour.
5. Add oil to a pan and fry on medium heat until crispy.

4. Scrambled Tofu

This recipe is perfect for any new vegans who are missing their Saturday morning scrambled eggs! Use firm tofu for this recipe.

1. Cut the tofu into pieces, and then place in a bowl. Use a fork to mash the tofu, so it looks ‘scrambled’.
2. Add a little oil to a saucepan. You could dice some onion and garlic up finely and fry in the pan first for a more flavorsome scrambled tofu.
3. Add the scrambled tofu to the pan.
4. Season your scrambled tofu with salt and pepper, and add any extras you want (our favourites are tabasco and nutritional yeast!)
5. Cook the scrambled tofu mix for 3-5 minutes, remove from heat and serve.

5. BBQ Steak

If you can’t fathom quitting steak, this recipe is for you! As long as you replicate the flavour, you can create a genuine steak like dish.

1. Press your tofu.
2. Add tomato paste, garlic, onion, jalapeno, dates, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, and salt to a blender. Blend them to create a smooth sauce.
3. Fry the tofu until it is crispy on both sides. Then add 3/4 of the sauce.
4. Put the sauce-covered tofu into a hot grill and grill for five minutes.
5. Serve with the rest of the sauce!

6. Cream cheese

If you’ve given up dairy, here’s a straightforward vegan cream cheese recipe that is entirely moo-free!

1. Add cashew nuts, silken tofu, apple cider vinegar and nutritional yeast to a food processor and mix together.
2. Serve on toast, and season with salt and pepper!

7. Vegan chocolate pudding

Tofu doesn’t just make savory dishes! Here is a delicious and quick tofu dessert recipe that will put any sweet cravings at bay!

1. Melt dark chocolate in a microwave until liquidized.
2. Combine the melted chocolate with silken tofu and maple syrup in a food processor.
3. Mix until smooth.
4. Either enjoy right away or refrigerate for 3+ hours for a firmer texture.

There are so many delicious tofu recipes where it perfectly slots in as a meat, dairy or egg replacement. If you are contemplating turning vegetarian or vegan, or just want to eat less meat and animal products, tofu will make the process a lot easier!