Tofu is one of the easiest foods you can cook with: It has a mild taste that goes with just about any flavor, and it comes in so many different forms for all kinds of recipes. But if you're still feeling kind of meh about it, chances are you just haven't figured out how to cook it properly yet.
So what makes tofu go from just okay to life-changing? The key is in the prep and in the type of tofu you buy. Here is your ultimate guide to delicious tofu—and all of the different ways you can incorporate it into your meals.
Silken/Soft Tofu: This type of tofu is perfect for dips, spreads, desserts, smoothies, or even soups. In dessert recipes, you can replace the dairy or eggs typically called for with tofu (one egg = 1/2 cup silken tofu). To replace milk, blend silken tofu with water until it has the consistency of milk. When making dips, you can replace cream/milk/mayo/any dairy with the same amount of tofu. If you need to thin the tofu out, just blend it with water until it has the consistency you like. Here is my favorite recipe for tofu in a spread: my mushroom and spinach tartines with roasted garlic spread.
Firm/Extra-Firm Tofu: This is the type of tofu most people are familiar with, as it's commonly baked, grilled, fried, marinated, and/or used in stir fries. The key with firm or extra firm tofu is to remove all the water content before cooking. Before tofu is cooked, it absolutely needs to be pressed so that when it's cooked, it will brown and crisp up nicely on the outside and have a firm but silky texture on the inside. If the tofu isn't dehydrated enough, it will likely fall apart during cooking and won't hold its firm texture. You can buy a tofu press—or here's how to press it on your own without any special equipment:
- Open the package, and drain the water. Cut the block of tofu into a few slices width-wise (not more than four to six).
- Lay a kitchen towel on a cookie sheet, and place some paper towels on top of that.
- Spread the slices of tofu in a single layer on top of the paper towels. Put more paper towels, a couple of dish towels, and then something super-heavy on top (cookbooks work great for this, although a big can or bottle will work, too).
- Let it sit for a few hours or even overnight in the fridge. Once the tofu has been pressed, it's ready for cooking!
If you're going to marinate tofu, the key here is to use a marinade that doesn't contain oil. This is mainly because the residual water content of tofu doesn't mix well with oil, so it won't absorb the flavors of the marinade effectively if there is oil in it. You can also coat tofu in a delicious sauce or marinade after cooking it, which works well, too!
Here is a simple and easy (basic) tofu recipe to get you started. It's perfect to throw onto salads, put in sandwiches, or just add dressing to for a protein-rich side.
Baked Tofu
Makes 4 1/2 servings
14 oz package extra-firm tofu
Olive oil cooking spray
1. Press tofu (see detailed directions above under the "firm/extra-firm tofu" section).
2. Cut tofu into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Place them in a single layer on a baking pan sprayed with olive oil cooking spray. Spray the tops of the tofu with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 400°F for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping pieces about halfway through.
Nutrition info per serving (3 oz): 80 calories, 4 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 25 mg sodium, 3 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 9 g protein
If you prefer to use tofu in actual meals (instead of preparing it ahead of time to have on-hand), here are some of my favorite dishes that contain the ingredient:
Mattar Tofu (a healthier version of Mattar Paneer)
Anjali Shah is a food writer, board-certified health coach, and writer of The Picky Eater, a healthy food and lifestyle blog. She grew up a "whole wheat" girl, but married a "white bread" kind of guy. Hoping to prove that nutritious food can actually be delicious, she taught herself how to cook and successfully transformed his eating habits from frozen pizzas to healthy, flavorful recipes. Through her blog, she shares her passion for tasty, healthy cooking with simple, wholesome ingredients. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Google+.
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