What to do with tofu?

Question

Last night I made a delicious vegetarian stromboli and was left with a lot of excess crumbled extra-firm tofu. It was the first time I have ever cooked with tofu, and as such I have no idea with what to do with the (uncooked) leftovers. What techniques/flavors can I utilize to make it delicious?

You might search some of the better known vegetarian blogs for tofu recipes - we tend to work with tofu a lot and know how to get the most out of it. My two best hints: (1) less use as a sub, more as its own beloved food in Asian cuisine (2) to really get it brown, pat dry and pan-fry in a single layer, for more flavor. — Michael Natkin, Sep 02 '10 at 16:56

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 02 '10 at 17:24

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I usually don't buy crumbled tofu, but since you have that, I would suggest making tofu burgers. Add another hearty ingredient, like lightly roasted finely chopped walnuts, or baked eggplant cubes. Combine with chopped onions, garlic, grated carrots, and breadcrumbs. Bind with beaten egg. Season with your choice of herbs or spices, such as thyme, oregano, basil. Form into patties, fry lightly in olive oil and sprinkle with tamari (or soy sauce) until both sides are browned. Bake until fully cooked in the oven at 375 degrees. Serve on a bun just like a beef patty.

answered Sep 02 '10 at 17:24

mamadalgas

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This sounds delicious and I have all of the ingredients. I'll be trying this soon :) – Dorrene Sep 03 '10 at 11:00
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I would suggest to use the tofu soon after you open it, as it is perishable. – mamadalgas Sep 05 '10 at 04:51
Just wanted to let you know that I tried this yesterday (with the walnuts) -- it's delicious! The only problem is that it gets extremely crumbly, so you have to be careful when frying. – Dorrene Sep 08 '10 at 13:31
glad to hear it was good - I wonder if adding a little parmesan or other cheese might help to hold it together a little better. – mamadalgas Sep 13 '10 at 22:08

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 02 '10 at 16:59

In my experience, extra-firm, crumbled tofu can be substituted into tacos in place of ground beef or turkey. The powerful flavor of the taco seasoning counters the neutral flavor of the tofu well.

Really, any dish that uses ground meat should work. I've had tofu meatloaf, as well as tofu sloppy joes, and both were delicious.

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 02 '15 at 19:30

I steam my tofu with broccoli and then stir it into fettuccine alfredo. Steaming it gets rid of a lot of the tofu water taste and is good if you're new to the taste of tofu.The texture with the sauce and noodles is creamy and amazing. I would highly recommend getting a steamer for it because the tofu will turn out much more creamy if you do, but I'm sure it would work fine without one as well.

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 02 '10 at 18:32

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You can also add it to a miso soup. Or try it in scrambled eggs. Or mix it with mayo or everything else and spread on a slice of bread. Or use it as a substitute of feta in a greek salad. Or in almost any other kind of salad, better if it's one with canned corn. Or add to chinese veg noodles.

(I would simply sprinkle a lot of soya sauce over it (raw as it is) and eat it with a big big smile)

answered Sep 02 '10 at 18:32

dolma33

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+1 Scrambled tofu is about the only thing I can think of.. – Brendan Long Sep 03 '10 at 01:18

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Sep 09 '11 at 13:40

I can't believe this has been missed for so long....

Crumbled tofu is the basis for Scrambed Tofu. This is very tasty and versatile dish. Do some searching around for good tofu scramble recipes and you will find a new staple recipe or two, especially if you like tofu.

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Sep 10 '11 at 01:46

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I like putting raw tofu on my salads. It has a very subtle taste but I like it and it's nice to have protein on a salad. Tofu really takes on the flavor of whatever sauce you use so pairing it with a nice soy can be good.

Good Luck!

answered Sep 10 '11 at 01:46

David

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Adam Shiemke · Answer 7 · 2010-09-02T16:51:43.373

The flavor of tofu is fairly neutral, so it is generally used to add some body to sauces or veggie dishes.

Firm tofu can be directly substituted for chicken or paneer (Indian cottage cheese) in Indian curries or any sauce with a lot of flavor (stir fry, Asian chicken dishes with lots of sauce, Thai curries, etc.). To prepare, it works better if the tofu is fried first (it will fall apart otherwise). The tofu should also be drained before it is used.

score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Sep 02 '10 at 20:17

Crumbled tofu is the main ingredient in what's often called "eggless-salad," or sometimes "tofu paté." Recipes abound, here is a simple one.

Basically you add some Veganaise (vegan mayo), mustard, onions, turmeric and whatever else you want. Options are endless.

What to do with tofu?

8 Answers8