The 20 Best Tofu Recipes (2024)

These 20 tofu recipes will definitely change the way you look at tofu! Tofu doesn’t have to be boring and plain. In fact, it’s super delicious, extremely versatile, and packed with protein! These 20 vegan tofu recipes are the perfect proof!

I’m sure you’ve heard someone saying that tofu is super plain and has a weird texture. Or maybe you even think so yourself? I’ve been there! When I became vegetarian, I didn’t like tofu at all! In fact, I hated its texture and taste. However, over the years I learned how to prepare it the right way and I now absolutely LOVE it!

It’s such a healthy and versatile product and often plays an important part in vegan cooking!

Tofu is:

  • a great source of protein
  • extremely versatile
  • budget-friendly
  • kind of tasteless, so you can add any kind of flavor to it by using spices and sauces
  • super delicious
  • a real super star in the vegan kitchen!

I have some delicious vegan tofu recipes on the blog myself. But to provide you with even more recipes with tofu, I teamed up with some fellow food bloggers.With these 20 tofu recipes you will never think again that tofu is boring!!

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This roundup includes:

  • crispy tofu recipes (like Nashville hot tofu nuggets or baked sesame tofu cubes)
  • Chinese tofu recipes (how does general tso’s tofu sound?)
  • tofu skewers
  • crusted tofu as well as baked tofu recipes
  • a tofu chili with beans and corn (it’s packed with protein!)
  • tofu burgers and sandwiches
  • and lots of other simple tofu recipes!

So let’s get started with all the yumminess!!

1.Vegan Bibimbap with Crispy Sesame Tofu

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Crispy tofu cubes with sesame seeds on top are the superstar in this vegan bibimbap. The whole dishcomes together pretty quickly and you can prepare most of the ingredients in advance. It’s a Korean classic that is packed with flavor and color – all in one bowl!

2. Vegan Nashville Hot Tofu Nuggets

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These vegan Nashville hot tofu nuggets by Lauren from Rabbit and Wolves are the perfect comfort food! They’re kind of like a vegan take on deep fried Nashville hot chicken!

But the best part is that Lauren’s tofu nuggets are super crispy and crunch all without frying! The sauce is a little sweet and very spice. BIG yum!!

3.Afghan Cauliflower and Tofu Tikka Kebab Skewers

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These smokey cauliflower and tofu tikka kebab skewers byEva from The Curious Chickpea are perfect for summertime barbecues! Before Eva grilled the skewers, she marinated the cauliflower and the tofu in a vegan spiced yogurt sauce. They’re great on a bed of rice or you could also serve them in wraps with some extra vegan yogurt sauce.

4. Spicy Vegan Tofu Chili with Sour Cream

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You definitely won’t miss the meat in this spicy vegan tofu chili with cashew sour cream! It’s super easy to make and packed with protein! It has been one of my favorite vegan weeknight meals for a long time. Top it off with some homemade cashew sour cream, avocado, and tortilla chips.

5. Almond Rosemary Lemon Crusted Tofu

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Doesn’t this almond rosemary lemon crusted tofu by Sam from It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken look absolutely delicious? It’s super crispy and crunchy and makes a great meal. Maybe in combination with a side of greens and potatoes or on top of a salad. All in all, this crusted tofu is ready in just under 40 minutes.

6.Vegan Battered Tofu Mexican Tortas

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I wish I could just bite right into this vegan battered tofu Mexican sandwich by Eva from The Curious Chickpea! It’s filled with refried beans, vegan mayonnaise, seitan bacon, roasted poblanos, and cabbage slaw. And the main part is a vegan battered tofu steak! This is what I call an AWESOME vegan sandwich!

7.Vegan Sheet Pan Fajitas with Chipotle Lime Tofu

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This recipe for vegan sheet pan fajitas with chipotle lime tofu by Caitlin from From My Bowl couldn’t be easier! All you need for the preparation is your oven and a sheet pan! It makes a perfect weeknight dinner for busy days. Such a great and easy way to use tofu!

8. Tofu and Kale Pesto Sandwich

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This vegan tofu and kale pesto sandwich with carrots, grilled zucchini, and lettuce is perfect for a quick and healthy lunch! Maybe the best vegan sandwich I had in a long time. And it’s packed with protein and vitamins!

9.Vegan Thai Red Curry with Tofu and Vegetables

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This vegan Thai curry with tofu and mixed vegetablesby Ruchi from Ruchi’s Kitchen makes a great weeknight dinner. All in all, it comes together in less than 30 minutes and is packed with flavor. Furthermore, it’s very easy to customize to your personal liking. For a healthier version serve it with brown rice.

10.Sweet and Salty Tofu Bowls

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These sweet and salty tofu bowls by Cindy from Vegetarian Mamma are such a great way to use tofu. They are very easy to make and, thus, make a great weeknight dinner.

Besides, they have the perfect balance between sweet and salty! And for an extra boost of vitamins you could add some broccoli.

11.Baked Spicy Peanut Butter Tofu by Amber from Quite Good Food

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These baked spicy peanut butter tofu cubes by Amber from Quite Good Food are the perfect protein bomb! You can add them to salads or warm meals. For her blog post, Amber served them with pre-shredded slaw, mint leaves, and more sesame seeds. For an extra kick of flavor, drizzle some hot sauce on top.

12.Vegan Sunbutter Chocolate Pretzel Pie

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Yes, you can also make sweet recipes with tofu. This vegan sunbutter chocolate pretzel pie by Dianne from Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen is the perfect proof! You need only six ingredients for this pie: silken tofu, chocolate chips, maple syrup, sun butter, and crushed pretzels. Sounds pretty easy, right?

13.General Tsos Tofu

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This general tsos tofu by Melissa from Vegan Huggs is such a sticky sweet goodness! The recipe is originally from Chloe Coscarelli’s cookbook Chloe Flavor, which Melissa reviewed on her blog. Instead of chicken, Chloe used tofu for this delicious Chinese American classic! For more spiciness add some extra sriracha.

14.Black Bean Tofu Tacos with Walnut Crumble

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Don’t these vegan loaded black bean tofu tacos by Anjali from Vegetarian Gastronomy look delicious? They make such a great weeknight meal. And the best part is that they’re super delicious while being pretty healthy and protein-packed at the same time. Anjali served these tofu tacos with walnut crumble lettuce, avocado, and vegan sour cream.

15.Vegan Goulash with Smoked Tofu and Potatoes

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This vegan goulash with smoked tofu by Bianca from Elephantastic Vegan is a great recipe for fall and winter. It’s very comforting and requires only very few ingredients. And it’s also pretty budget-friendly! Plus, it practically cooks by itself and you only have 5 minutes of actual preparation time!

16.Vegan Chocolate Pudding with Silken Tofu

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Here’s another great vegan dessert recipe with tofu! If you haven’t tried vegan chocolate pudding or mousse au chocolat with silken tofu yet, you should really give it a try! Sara from Beaming Banana has a great recipe on her blog!

17.Chilled Smoked Tofu Sesame Rice Noodle Salad

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If you’re looking for a fresh summer recipe, this cold noodle salad with smoked tofu and sesame dressing by Linda from Veganosity is perfect for you! It’s packed with healthy protein and vitamins. I mean just look at all those different colors! It definitely won’t put you down. And it’s also pretty easy to make!

18.Easy Tofu Teriyaki Skewers

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These teriyaki tofu skewers by Steven from The Nut-Free Vegan make such a great finger food! Or serve them as a tasty protein in combination with a salad, vegetables, or over rice.

19.Teriyaki Grilled Tofu Kabobs

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Are you looking for a vegan barbecue recipe? Then these teriyaki grilled tofu kabobs with pineapple and red bell pepper are perfect for you!Amy from Veggies Save The Day did such a great job creating these! They’re super easy to make and very delicious. And the recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free.

20.Easy Cheezy Tofu Loaf

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This tofu loaf by Joann from Woman In Real Life sure is a creative way to use tofu. It makes such a delicious and festive entree for the holidays. Who thought that tofu could be this festive?

I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS!

I hope you like these vegan tofu recipes. There are so many different ways to use tofu! What’s your favorite tofu recipe?

If you give any of these recipes a try, I’d love to know what you think about it. Justleave me a commentbelow. Your comments really make my day!

You like my recipes and roundups and want to see more? Then follow me onFacebook,Instagram, orPinterest!

Sina – xx

The 20 Best Tofu Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the tastiest way to make tofu? ›

Press tofu and cube it. Coat it in garlic, black pepper, salt (plus more of your favourite seasonings), liquid aminos and some olive oil. Then mix it into some cornstarch and toss it all together, then bake for about 20 minutes. Cornstarch also helps to draw out excess moisture so it really gets the tofu crispy.

What not to mix with tofu? ›

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

Why won t my tofu get crispy? ›

The key to crispy tofu is to heat the oil in your pan before adding tofu cubes. Coating the pan-fried tofu in corn flour helps create a crispy coating as the cubed tofu cooks in the oil. Another key to getting uber-crispy tofu is removing excess liquid/moisture from it before you cook tofu.

Is it better to fry or bake tofu? ›

It sticks, and the crispy bits end up sticking to the pan, which is a tofu tragedy. Plus, it requires more oil, and you don't need to use a lot of oil to get crispy tofu. When you bake your tofu, you give it time to develop crispy edges and warm, pillowy insides. It's simply the best.

How to improve the taste of tofu? ›

Simply press firm tofu and use your hands to break it up by smashing it between your fingers until it mimics the texture of scrambled eggs. Then season with turmeric, black pepper, garlic powder, black salt (for an “eggy” flavor, or use sea salt or Tamari instead), and add in your favorite cooked veggies.

Should I soak tofu before cooking? ›

Many cooking experts champion a quick soak as a way to give the protein more texture and flavor. “Simmering cubed tofu in salted water for 60 seconds pulls out excess moisture and tightens the proteins on its surface,” Lukas Volger told Bon Appétit in 2021.

Is there a downside to eating tofu? ›

Incorporating tofu into your daily meals and snacks can bring several health benefits. Those benefits include brain health promotion, ease of menopause symptoms, and heart disease prevention. However, eating tofu has some risks, as it might lead to digestive issues or interact with certain medications like MAOIs.

Why can't you eat spinach with tofu? ›

- It is said that tofu cannot be eaten together with spinach at the same time. As tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively, the combination of the two will form kidney stones. But in fact, only prolonged and volumionous consumption of tofu and spinach at the same time will pose this risk.

What happens if you don't wash tofu? ›

Any food that is contaminated is going to make you ill. Remove the tofu from the packaging and rinse it thoroughly. If you are handling raw meat at the same time as the tofu, use separate utensils. Other than that, there are no risks to eating raw tofu.

What to season tofu with? ›

Tofu seasoning rub: Rub the pressed tofu with lots of spices like garlic or onion powder, salt and pepper, nutritional yeast or a spicy taco seasoning, KFC seasoning, Buffalo spice, etc. Tofu marinade: Soak the tofu cubes in your favorite chicken/meat marinade to infuse extra flavor.

What should I marinate tofu in? ›

Marinade Ingredients: For this recipe, we use a classic and simple marinade of soy sauce, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Cornflour: To make the tofu really delicious and crispy, we coat the marinated tofu in cornflour before cooking with it. This is the secret to super crispy tofu!

How to cook tofu for beginners? ›

Cut tofu into cubes. Step 2: Place those cubes in a bowl, and toss gently with 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Step 3: Arrange tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle with some olive oil and salt. Step 4: Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes, or until as crispy as you'd like.

What is the secret to cooking tofu? ›

First, drain and press the tofu.

For the best texture, press the tofu using a tofu press or cast-iron skillet for 20 to 30 minutes. If you're short on time, just drain the tofu and gently press it in a kitchen towel or paper towels over the sink. The tofu won't be as firm this way, but it will still be delicious!

Why is restaurant tofu better? ›

This difference in taste is largely due to one key ingredient: salt. In the culinary world, salt is a key flavor enhancer that unlocks and elevates the natural tastes of food. When it comes to tofu, which is naturally quite mild-tasting, salt becomes a critical component in transforming it into something delicious.

How do you get the best flavor in tofu? ›

12 Ways To Add More Flavor To Tofu
  1. Press tofu to help it absorb flavor. Nungning20/Shutterstock. ...
  2. Coat tofu in starch before cooking. ...
  3. Season tofu more than you think. ...
  4. Use a marinade. ...
  5. Toss it in a sauce. ...
  6. Find inspiration from other foods. ...
  7. Roast tofu for tasty caramelization. ...
  8. Try deep frying your tofu.
Jan 7, 2024

Does homemade tofu taste better than store bought? ›

Making tofu at home is such a rewarding experience! It definitely takes time and effort, but it's so cool to see how the process works. The flavor profile is even more mild than store-bought tofu and it works perfectly in any tofu dish.

Can you make tofu taste like meat? ›

A: Marinating tofu in a rich umami marinade and then searing on high heat will make it taste like meat. The longer you can marinate it for, the more meaty it will taste.

Does boiling tofu make it taste better? ›

Heat, however, helps the flavours to permeate. Boiling tofu to obtain a more reliably solid texture and to impart flavour is not a new method, but it's not commonly used in Western styles of cooking. This method of seasoning tofu is suitable for varying levels of firmness, but not for silken or soft tofu.

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