We’re incredibly passionate about tofu – it’s a wonderfully exciting main ingredient that opens the door to an endless variety of tasty meals, dishes and other treats. But we’re not the only ones. That’s why we’ve gathered a team of expert food bloggers and invited them to take one of our famous tofu products – our organic tofu, Marinated Tofu Pieces or Sweet Ginger Tofu – and create their very own original recipe. Say hello to the friends of Cauldron!
Tofu wasn’t something Ceri was necessarily used to cooking with, but she was interested to give it a try and share something a bit different with her readers. She put our Organic Tofu to the test in her own version of a French summer staple, the Niçoise Salad.
“Cauldron’s Organic Tofu works well in salads.” she said. “I like to thickly slice it and cook on my griddle pan – I enjoy the texture so much more this way, appreciating the flavour of the firmer tofu and the crispy edge from frying it. It’s best pressed for 10 minutes, then marinated for 30 minutes. Happily, tofu takes on whatever flavours you marinate it in!”
Jacqueline revisited a British summer favourite with this delicious Chip Shop Battered Tofu recipe. Coated with a homemade beer batter and served with chips, peas, lemon and ketchup, this recipe takes the detective work out of visiting the chip shop if you’re a vegetarian or vegan.
“For my chip shop battered tofu I used a block of firm Organic Tofu from Cauldron. It’s available in most supermarkets, so handy to pop in your basket when you’re shopping and it doesn’t break the bank either. Having a brand like this just makes making midweek meals so easy, not to mention packed lunches. I love that being a vegan or vegetarian is getting so much easier – it’s changed a lot (for the better) over the last 20 years.”
Besma loves dabbing with Asian cuisine. She decided to use our Marinated Tofu Pieces in a colourful dish of Teriyaki Tofu and Noodles. It’s a the perfect recipe if you’re looking for a light lunch or a meal on the go.
“This dish has Cauldron‘s Marinated Tofu Pieces as the star of the show. The little pieces of tofu are delightfully spiced with tamari soy sauce, garlic and ginger, to which I add a complementary DIY teriyaki sauce and diced vegetables sat in a bed of noodles. This dish is also nice with sliced water chestnuts or fresh beansprouts for a crunch, or chilli flakes for a pinch of fiery goodness.”
Natalie concocted these gorgeous-looking Tofu Nachos with Smoky Avocado Cream using our Marinated Tofu Pieces – a vibrant, colourful dish for everyone who can’t quite face summer is almost over! A special treat that’s also light, healthy and full of protein, it combines baked tortillas, firm tofu, fresh salad veggies and a tangy-yet-smoky avocado cream – an ideal centrepiece for everyone to dig into.
“Cauldron’s Marinated Tofu Pieces come pre-pressed, pre-marinated and pre-chopped; in short, it saves lots of time!” Natalie said. “They’re perfect if you feel like you can’t get tofu to behave when cooking it. You can even eat the pieces cold – I recall many a time during my post-grad student days munching on these bits of tofu straight from the packet!”
Kate admits that until fairly recently, she was a somewhat of a tofu-sceptic. A fan of eating tofu in Thai and Japanese restaurants, she was frustrated when it came to cooking it at home, often ending up with a soggy mess. But she loved our Sweet Ginger Tofu, choosing to cook it with baby courgettes, spring onions and rice.
“I’ve learned a few tricks to get that super-crispy, packed with flavour ‘ultimate’ tofu taste at home.” Kate said. “Tofu soaks up anything you chuck at it like a sponge. But if that sounds a bit of a faff, don’t panic – help is at hand from the lovely people at Cauldron, who recently brought out their ready-marinated Sweet Ginger Tofu. The leftover marinade can be used to create a sticky, ginger coating – properly delicious!”
Chris created a vegan version of an all-time Cantonese favourite – egg-fried rice. Finding our Marinated Tofu Piece just the right texture – firm, but not crunchy, lovely and soft in the middle – she was able to bring together this delicious, lightly spiced vegan dish that’s quick and simple to make, every time.
“Cauldron’s ready Marinated Tofu Pieces require absolutely no preparation whatsoever,” Chris pointed out. “No tofu pressing, no marinating, no waiting – on the table in the time it takes to cook rice! We served them up with some stir fried summer veg in a light ginger, garlic and soy sauce and scoffed the lot!”
Rhian stepped up to the challenge with her Tofu Katsu Sushi Lettuce Wraps – filled with rice and fresh vegetables, they offer up lots of contrasting flavours and textures. She took our Organic Tofu and made it the exciting centre of the dish by coating it in crunchy, golden-brown breadcrumbs.
“You can’t make good tofu katsu without a delicious firm tofu, my absolute favourite being Cauldron’s Organic Tofu.” Rhian said. “It’s made with non-GM ingredients, is available in most supermarkets in the UK, and is both firm and moist in texture. Absolutely perfect for making yummy tofu treats!”
Esme threw together a wonderfully cute mini-buffet with our Sweet Ginger Tofu, baby carrots, courgettes, green beans, oyster mushrooms, pickled cucumber salad, onions, peppers, chilli oil and pickled ginger. Reasoning the tofu was perfect as it comes, she ended up with a simple recipe that anyone could make.
“Cauldron are my go to tofu brand,” Esme said. “I had loads of grand ideas for their Sweet Ginger Tofu but decided to keep it simple. The tofu is infused with actual real little pieces of garlic and ginger, which I loved. It takes away the need to soak the tofu to as the flavour is already running through the tofu block!”
Dannii has created a super simple Thai Noodle Soup that is ready in under ten minutes – including prep time! Packed with noodles, shiitake mushrooms, pak choi and shallots, it’s a big bowl of comfort that shows precisely why comfort food doesn’t have to be unhealthy.
“Cauldron’s Marinated Tofu Pieces are an ideal, convenient tofu solution if you aren’t sure what to do with a whole block, or you don’t have much time.” she explained. “They can be eaten straight from the pack (which happens before they even reach our pan) or, as they are already full of flavour, can simply be added straight into your stir-fry. Being so easy to use, we always have a pack in our fridge.”
Nadia decided to try our Organic Tofu in a sweet recipe. She revisited the traditional Italian dessert to make it completely plant-based, vegan and gluten-free, resulting in a mouth-watering tofu tiramisu that tastes every bit as good as it looks and much healthier than the original version.
“I love using tofu in my treats and desserts,” Nadia explained. “Since it doesn’t have much of a flavour and thanks to it’s silky, smooth texture, it can be used as the base of many desserts. From cheesecakes, ice creams, puddings, tarts and as a replacement for eggs/oil in baking. It’s such a versatile ingredient and so healthy!”
As a lover of tofu, Jen whipped up a takeaway-style Sweet & Sour Tofu dish, perfect for an indulgent night in. Designed to make you feel as if you’re having a takeaway for a fraction of the cost, it’s comforting, sweet, rich and satisfying.
“I’m a big tofu fan,” Jen said. “When Cauldron asked if I wanted to come up with a recipe using their famous tofu, I was like ‘I’ve literally never wanted to do anything more.’ Cauldron tofu blocks are great value, they last a long time in the fridge, they’re massive and they’re often on offer.”
Ava cooked up our Marinated Tofu Pieces in one of her favourite recipes – a simple dish with broccoli, lime, chilli and sesame oil. A long-time fan of our tofu, Ava makes this delicious-looking dish on a regular basis and thinks it’s perfect for feeding large groups.
“Cooking with tofu doesn’t have to be all that complicated,” she explained .”It’s easy enough to get to know a few tofu recipes well, then build from there. I love Cauldron’s Marinated Tofu Pieces added to salads or stir-fries – I often just eat them straight from the packet, they rarely make it to the fridge! They’re great for picnics too. I’ve also found Cauldron’s Organic Tofu works really well if you drain it over night in a tofu press.”
Jen always liked the idea of Shakshuka – the classic North African dish – but was put off by the use of eggs in the recipe. So she decided to blend our Organic Tofu and use it as a direct replacement for the eggs, creating a simple, no-fuss vegan version with plenty of colour, spice and flavour.
“Tofu is your best friend – reliable, versatile and tasty when cooked and spiced properly,” explained Jen. “Cauldron Organic Tofu works best in this recipe, and there is no need to squeeze out the excess liquid either – just open the packet and straight into the blender. Easy. Not a difficult dish to prepare and all the ingredients can be found in any good vegan pantry!”
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