How to cook tofu

If you are new to cooking with tofu, you may still be wondering how to cook tofu so it tastes good. Tofu is really versatile because of its plain taste, variety of texture, and shape. It can allow you to create some really amazing and interesting things. But left as is, it can be unappetizing and uninspiring.

Below are some tips and tricks I’ve learned while trying to figure out how to cook tofu so my family will eat it. The best part is that it’s helped me replace meat in some of our favorite recipes, like this Thai Basil Tofu or Korean Tofu Bowl.

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Ground Tofu

This ground tofu has a crisp, chewy texture similar to ground meat and can be used to create a meatless version of any recipe. You can add either dry spices during cooking or liquid spices and flavorings at the end of cooking to recreate the flavor profile you need in a recipe.

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Servings: 4 people

Equipment

• 1 Carbon Steel Pan

Ingredients

• 1 lb tofu, firm or extra firm
• 4 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

• Cut open packet of tofu and drain the liquid out. Break the tofu square into 4 pieces. Take one piece of the tofu at a time and press between your hands over a bowl or the sink to squeeze out as much of the water as possible. Put squeezed tofu into a bowl.
• *Optional – Add your dry spices to the tofu and stir to combine before frying. Check out this Tofu Italian Sausage recipe.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan on high heat. Add the squeezed, crumbled tofu to the hot pan.
• *Optional – Add your liquid flavorings to the fried tofu, stir until the sauce is the thickness and consistency you want and serve.

Video

I use the ground tofu method in two of our families favorite recipes the Thai Basil Tofu or Korean Tofu Bowl. In fact the Korean Tofu Bowl is so good, it was a hit with all of the kids at a sleepover, even those that usually eat meat. You could just as easily use the cubed tofu method for either of these recipes if you prefer.

Cubed sautéed tofu

Use this method for tofu that's cubed and holds together in a recipe while still providing a crisp exterior with a softer interior. This is a great replacement for recipes that use chunks or pieces of meat instead of ground meat.

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Servings: 4

Equipment

• 1 Carbon Steel Pan

Ingredients

• 1 lb tofu, firm or extra firm
• 4 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

• Cut open the package of tofu and drain out the water, pressing gently with your hands. Set the tofu on the cutting board on its longest side. Cut lengthwise into 3 equal horizontal slices. Lay the tofu back down so all the layers are stacked evenly on top of each other. Cut vertically into 1/4 inch cubes, this is about 6×8 rows vertically.
• *Optional – Add your liquid flavorings to the cubed tofu and marinate for 20 minutes up to overnight. When ready to use, drain and, if possible, pat dry before continuing to fry the tofu. Or if you prefer a softer texture simmer the tofu in the liquid marinade until reduced slightly and serve.
• *Optional – Add your dry spices to the tofu and stir to combine before frying.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan on high heat. Add the squeezed, crumbled tofu to the hot pan.
• *Optional – If you haven't added any seasoning yet, add your liquid ingredients to the fried tofu, stir until the sauce is the thickness and consistency you want and serve.

If your pan doesn’t give you the results you expect you may need to get a new pan. I’ve tried stainless steel and cast iron, neither of which work that great. I prefer to avoid non-stick pans and the chemicals they contain.

I only promote products that I use and love, if you use these links to buy something, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. This is an affiliate link to my favorite Lodge Carbon Steel pan for cooking tofu, if you need a new pan, I highly recommend this one.

Let us know how this turns out and what some of your favorite recipes are to use this tofu in!