The Best of The Best Tofu Recipes

Tofu is something of a pantry staple in our kitchen. We love how versatile it is, lending itself just as easily to a marinade as to a stir-fry or even baked dish. Not only is it easy to cook with, it’s also a blank canvas for highlighting the flavours of the sauce it is cooked in. Which essentially means we could eat tofu each day of the week – experimenting with a different preparation each time – and never tire of it. Seriously. Don’t believe me? Gathered here are the best tofu recipes to prove it.

These recipes are as eclectic as they are creative. Choose between traditional preparations specific to a particular Asian cuisine, such as with Sichuan-style Mapo Tofu and Korean-style braised tofu. Or try something completely new and creative borne from my culinary tinkering in the kitchen: hello cold chilli oil tofu!

These intensely-rich and fragrant recipes do have one thing in common: they are veritable truth that tofu is anything but boring!

Tips For Prepping Your Tofu

If your recipe calls for silken-firm tofu:

Wrap the block of silken-firm tofu between kitchen towels (placing a small saucepan on top). Let it sit for 30 minutes or so. This extra step helps to drain out the excess water.
Pat the tofu dry with clean kitchen towels before slicing it.
Lightly coat the tofu pieces with corn flour before pan-frying the tofu, for an extra crispy texture

If your recipe calls for soft silken tofu:

There is no need to press the tofu, however do gently wrap it with kitchen towels to release the excess water.
Whilst it is safe to use this type of tofu without cooking it (for recipes calling for cold no-cook preparations), if you prefer you can steam the tofu beforehand (for 5-6 minutes) or microwave it for 30 seconds.

Best Soft Tofu Recipes

Spicy Cold Tofu With Sizzling Chilli Sauce

A sizzling chilli sauce sets apart this spicy cold tofu with shades of heat and an umami-rich intensity of zingy flavours! This quick and deliciously-easy recipe comes together in under ten minutes and can be a substantive meal in itself, when served alongside a bowl of rice.

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Vegan Sundubu Jjigae (Spicy Soft Tofu Stew)

Pronounced SOON-DOO-BOO JIG-AY, this hot and spicy Korean soft tofu stew stars shades of heat from gochugaru (a Korean spice mix) foiled by the melt-in-your-mouth texture of creamy tofu. Serve this vegan Sundubu Jjigae with the rice of your choice (short grain rice preferably).

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Best Korean-Inspired Tofu Recipes

Spicy Korean Tofu

Elevate your next tofu fix with a "Korean Ketchup" that is part sweet and part tangy, with a spicy slant and fiery shades of heat!

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Korean-Style Braised Tofu

Crisp and golden tofu braised in a spicy, savoury and intensely-rich sauce – this one-pan tofu is inspired by the classic Korean dish, Dubu Jorim. It's as simple as it is soul-stirring, pairing perfectly with rice for a deliciously-healthy and wholesome meal.

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Other Asian Tofu Preparations

Kung Pao Tofu

Packed with protein and veggies, this one-pan Kung Pao Tofu is brimming with a perfect balance of sweet, spicy and savoury flavours. Serve it over rice for a complete meal in itself!

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Vegan Mapo Tofu

A deeply-savoury, bewitchingly-fragrant dish suffused with the numbing warmth of toasted Sichuan peppercorns.

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Contemporary Tofu Recipes

Vegan Tofu Scramble

Packed with protein, this tofu scramble is as close as it gets to scrambled eggs in texture. Assembled on grilled pita (or a bread of your choice) with a deliciously-nutty Tahini based dressing – it’s full of flavour, proving that healthy really can be delicious too!

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We’d love to hear from you! Do let us know if you try any of these recipes – leave a comment below; and tag us in your delicious creations on Instagram @the_foodiediaries.