Easy Basic Tofu Recipes & Tips

10 Tips for Cooking With Tofu - How To Cook Tofu Tasty:

1. Use firm or extra firm tofu for our simple tofu recipes. If your tofu seems too soft, wrap in a dishtowel or paper towels, and press it with a brick or book or something heavy to squeeze out excess water, for 5 - 10 minutes

2. You can also buy a tofu press, such as Tofu Xpress, which some people love. I buy the firmest tofu available and skip pressing. If I have to press, then I just improvise.

3. Safety First! Raw tofu should be steamed for 5 minutes, to kill any nasty bacteria, before adding to any uncooked dish, like a salad or sandwich, or giving to children as finger food

4. Silken Tofu: apparently has been cooked in processing, or pasteurized, and can be used right out of the box in smoothies, desserts, sauces etc.

5. Fried Tofu: Slice firm tofu in 1/2 x 1" pieces, marinate in soy sauce 5 minutes, then fry both sides til crispy. Kids love this, and you can toss the pieces into pasta, rice, casseroles, stir fries etc. See the Fried Tofu Recipe for more details

6. For more adult tastes, add spices like ginger, cumin, etc to the marinade, OR use a spicy marinade, then stir fry with veggies OR add an Indian or Oriental spiced sauce. Serve with rice or noodles.

7. Cut tofu in 1/2" slices, or in 1" sticks or fingers, marinate and bake or broil. Serve with a grain and vegetables or salad.

8. After marinating tofu slices, sprinkle with nutritional yeast, then fry, to give it a cheesy, crispy crust.

9. Add raw sliced tofu to any cooked veggie dish, or sauce, and it'll soak up the flavors. Tofu goes well with stir fried greens, especially if you throw in a few spices, like cumin, turmeric, ginger, or garlic

10. Store unused raw tofu in a tub of water tightly sealed for up to a week. Change the water once or twice to keep it fresh. Store fried or baked tofu in the frig for up to 2 days.

Adult Serving Size: 1/4 of a block of tofu, or 3 - 4 oz

Nutrition Data Per Serving, 81g, made with calcium sulfate: 117 calories, 3 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat, 11 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 13 g protein, 55% DV Calcium, 12% DV Iron, very low in Cholesterol and Sodium, good source of Phosphorous, Copper and Selenium, very good source of Manganese. Estimated glycemic load: 2

Tasty Ways to Eat Fried or Baked Tofu:

• Serve fried tofu with pasta and steamed veggies, with a little tomato sauce and parmesan cheese
• Serve baked tofu with rice or quinoa, baked squash and steamed veggies, or salad
• Combine fried tofu or baked tofu with roasted or sautéed veggies and salsa in a wrap
• Add fried tofu to a stir fry, or vegetable stew
• Fried tofu is delicious on a bun with mayo, lettuce & tomato
• Store baked tofu in a container in the fridge for sandwiches

Is Soy Safe to Eat?: Traditional soy foods like tofu, miso, tempeh and soy sauce are nutritious (and delicious). Processed soy foods like TVP are iffy. Some people are allergic, and soy can adversely affect people with hypo-thyroidism. More Soy Info

Tips for Buying, Storing and Eating Tofu

Fresh Is Best: Favor organic non-gmo tofu, buy tofu as fresh as possible, and use it quickly. Avoid the vacuum pack keep forever varieties of tofu.

Block Tofu Storage: Drain, rinse, and submerge tofu in fresh water in a clean, sealed container. Refrigerate for 2 days. Change water daily to extend storage time.

A Little Tofu Goes A Long Way: Tofu is a concentrated protein, best eaten in small quantities, with grains & veggies.

Easy Basic Tofu Recipes

Tofu Cooking FAQ:

Question: I am just starting to learn how to cook tofu, I have eaten it before. My question is can you freeze tofu? - Wilhelmina S.

Answer: Yes, you can freeze tofu, and it tastes and works fine, although it makes the texture tougher, and changes the color a bit - Savvy Veg

Question: I am on thyroid medication because my thyroid levels were low, from reading through this information, are you saying that I should not eat tofu???? Or can I eat a small amount??? - Di J.

Answer: What I've heard is that the estrogen mimicing hormone in soy tends to further depress the thyroid, causing fatigue, depression and weight gain. Although you should of course consult a dietitian or doctor about this, it's my guess that you could eat a little tofu and see how you react. But not try to live on it! Here's an article with more soy info: The Truth About Soy: Is Soy safe to eat? - Savvy Veg< /p>

Question: Do you have a recipe for tofu chocolate pudding? I had one but cannot find it now. Appreciate any info you might have. Thank you - Mary S.< /p>

Answer: Here's a very simple one I found. Substitute agave or brown rice syrup for honey if you like: 2 pkgs firm Mori-Nu Silken Tofu - light or regular, 3/4 cup honey, 3 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup cocoa powder. Blend in food processor or blender. Chill and serve. Try it and tell me how it works - Savvy Veg

Question: Can you microwave tofu? - Patricia B.

Answer: I don't see why not! But can't give you specific cooking times, as I've never done it. You wouldn't be able to brown tofu in the microwave, but a couple of minutes should cook it - Savvy Veg

Question: I'm just beginning to use tofu, and I'm curious because two statements above seem to conflict: "Small children will eat raw tofu straight up, but since it's raw, it should at least be steamed, to kill any nasty bacteria, and prevent gas" and "Add raw sliced tofu to any veggie dish, or sauce. It'll soak up the flavors. It goes well with stir fried greens. Especially if you throw in a few spices, like cumin, turmeric, ginger, garlic" Should I assume that you add the raw tofu to dishes/sauces that WILL be cooked? - J.M.

Answer: Yes, you should assume that, and I've made changes in the recipe above, so that this important point is clear. Thank you for your comment! - Savvy Veg

Question: It's hard to find a recipe for the soft tofu (with veggies, rice or pasta) Suggestions please. Thanks - Marie Z.

Answer: - Soft tofu is too soft to sub for hard tofu, but it can be added to tofu scramble to make it creamy, and used in smoothies, sauces, cream soups, puddings or baking in place of non-dairy milk or eggs. Use a blender to make it lump free and mix it well with other ingredients. Add some lemon juice to make it like sour cream or yogurt. Savvy Veg

I fry tofu straight up in olive oil, perfect - Mike S.

Today was my first shot using tofu. I added it to sauteed garlic, onions, and mushrooms (buttons & shitaki-the big ones). I sprinkled a little Mrs. Dash seasoning on tofu and added it to pan with everything...made some brown rice and terriaki sauce.....man it is good!!!! - Elaine C.

My first time ever actually being the one to cook tofu. All of the info was very helpful. Thank you! - Krissie S.

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