Surprising Ways of Cooking With Tofu

Tofu Tarts

If you’d like to make a quiche without the heavy cream and cheese, our Summer Tofu Tart shows just how easy it is to throw together your own light and tasty version by blending our organic tofu with soya milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Forming a smooth paste, it’s baked in the oven with garlic, peppers and courgette. Or for something a little more bite-sized, these mouthwatering Tofu Tartlets are baked with apple balsamic and sweet chilli sauce, then combined with crisp apple, sweet onion and watercress.

Tofu Soups

Nothing beats a warm, comforting bowl of soup on a cold day. Blending tofu into your favourite soup will add an extra protein punch, as well as giving your meal a thick, rich texture – all without the need for creams or unnecessary fats. Our Tofu Asparagus Soup is full of flavour and vibrant in colour, and this velvety Scandinavian Mushroom Veloute is the perfect balance of taste and light whipped tofu texture. For an amuse-bouche with a difference, our Spiced Parsnip, Apple & Tofu Soup is served up in shot glasses with candied seeds.

Tofu Balls

Tofu balls are an excellent meat-free alternative to meatballs. They’re easy to make and work perfectly as a canapé starter or on a vegan “meatball sub” style sandwich. Our Ginger, Chilli & Coriander Tofu Balls with Wasabi Mayonnaise takes this idea to the next level by adding a fiery kick of spice and flavour to create a delicious supper time treat.

Tofu Burgers

Another simple way of compressing and shaping tofu is the time-honoured burger patty. Our Smoky American Barbecue Tofu Burger is cooked in a lightly spiced glaze and served in a bun with melted cheese, gherkins and lashings of hickory smoke barbecue sauce. Or for an extra tasty treat, you could try our Sweet Ginger Tofu Burger served up with a delicious kimchi slaw – simply pulse our Sweet Ginger Tofu in a blender with its own marinade, along with chickpeas and brown rice for a flavoursome and filling vegan burger.

Tofu Loaves

Loaves make excellent meat-free centrepieces any time of year, but are especially perfect for special occasions and family gatherings. It’s often as simple of taking the ingredients and whizzing them in a food processor and putting them in a greased, lined baking tin. Our Tofu, Squash & Spring Greens Loaf is packed with flavour and delicious with roasted carrot chutney, whilst our Christmas Loaf goes great with onion marmalade and a port and rosemary sauce. If you fancy something a little lighter, our Savoury Tofu Sun Blushed Tomato Loaf is a great alternative to sandwiches and ideal for picnics.

Tofu Terrine

Tofu can be used to create a unique twist on the traditional French dish. Our Tofu, Coconut and Chilli Terrine is assembled layer by layer – tofu followed by tomato followed by polenta, then back to tofu again. The sweetness of the coconut is offset by the bold chilli flavours, and can be served warm or cold in generous slices over fresh salsa verde.

Scrambled Tofu

One of the easiest ways of cooking up a tasty treat (and a great way for vegans to replicate scrambled eggs) is to use a fork or your hands to gently break up a block of our organic tofu into small chunks, then fry with oil in a non-stick pan and season according to taste. Stir every couple of minutes until golden – perhaps adding a sprinkle of turmeric to give your scrambled tofu an extra yellow colour.

Scrambling tofu in this way makes an ideal addition to a traditional British breakfast, sitting perfectly alongside our vegetarian or vegan sausages. If you fancy something a little spicier, try out our recipe for Tofu and Corn Pancakes with scrambled tofu, packed full of Mexican flavours and topped with ranch sauce. Or you could even try scrambled tofu as a delicious filling for a Mushroom and Tomato Pitta – it makes a perfect brunch.

Battered Tofu

If you’re feeling a little indulgent, another great way of cooking tofu is to coat it with a freshly prepared batter mix and drop straight into bubbling hot oil. Our famous chip-shop style Tofu and Chips served with gherkins, capers and minted peas is an excellent example of this. You could try our twist on Calamari – pre-dusted tofu rings coated in batter and served with aioli and lemon wedges – or maybe even use our tofu to create the actual batter itself, like in our Mexican-style Jalapeno and Lime Churros served with a mango dip.

Learn more about other frying methods and ways of coating your tofu.

Steamed Tofu

There are lots of different ways of steaming tofu. One unusual way to try is steaming it inside a Banana Leaf – this imparts a wonderful tea-leaf like scent to the tofu during the cooking process. You’ll end up with delicious, gently steamed tofu, with lovely fresh flavour provided by the oil and herbs. Wrapping in corn husks before streaming also works well, like in this recipe for Mexican Tamales with Salsa Roja.

Or how about our recipe for Nikuman Japanese Buns – deliciously steamed parcels, often sold as street food during festivals. Our Marinated Tofu Pieces are encased in dough and steamed for around fifteen minutes, then served with pickled ginger and a tasty dipping sauce.