Tofu is a thrilling culinary chameleon, prized for its ability to absorb flavors and adapt to a wide range of cooking techniques. It’s also a textural shape-shifter: Whether you’re seeking something creamy and cooling, crunchy and fried, or tender and yielding, there is a type of tofu capable of accomplishing the goal. We’ve put together this collection of creative tofu recipes to prove just how fun this ingredient can be. Try blending soft tofu into a tangy spread for burgers, fry up some extra-firm tofu to make a killer sandwich, or crumble a medium-firm block into a spiced scramble. The possibilities are endless!
Tofu Pad Thai
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
Chef and cookbook author Lara Lee’s meatless pad Thai relies on fresh oyster and shiitake mushrooms for hearty, savory, earthy flavor. Tamarind is key, along with chewy noodles, golden fried tofu, crisp bean sprouts, lightly spicy long red chiles, and crunchy peanuts. To make it vegetarian, use a vegan fish sauce, such as Ocean’s Halo, and swap in mushroom sauce for the oyster sauce.
Fried Yuba Tacos with Sweet Corn Relish
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Heather Claire Spollen
Chef Bryant Terry rolls up thin sheets of tofu skin, then fries them in avocado oil before layering them onto warm corn tortillas smeared with “green cream” — sautéed spinach stirred together with mashed avocado. A summery corn relish and lots of fresh toppings round the tacos out.
High-Protein Peanut Noodles
Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless
Blended silken tofu and peanut butter create the creamy base for a no-cook sauce to coat strands of chewy udon noodles. Garnish with chopped peanuts, scallions, and gochugaru to complete this 20-minute dish.
Sheet-Pan Tofu with Broccolini, Mushrooms, and Sweet Potatoes
Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
When you want something plant-based pronto, turn to this hearty recipe that gets dinner on the table in under an hour. The tofu derives its bright flavor from an easy marinade made from soy sauce, orange juice, vinegar, sesame oil, and garlic.
Vegan Mushroom and Fried Tofu Sisig
Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
Chef Kristine Subido’s vegan take on traditionally meat-heavy Filipino sisig swaps in fried tofu along with king trumpet and shiitake mushrooms. She first caramelizes them in a savory soy sauce–sherry vinegar glaze before finishing the dish with a drizzle of lime mayo.
Vegan Pimiento Cheese
Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
This plant-based take on a beloved Southern classic makes for an irresistible snack. Sweet pimientos are folded into a rich, savory spread built on extra-firm tofu, with pickle brine and apple cider vinegar adding a lively tang. Nutritional yeast and miso layer in savory, umami-rich depth.
Vegan Mapo Tofu
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
“In this vegan version of mapo tofu, instead of ground pork, finely chopped eggplant and mushrooms cook down to a meaty consistency that absorbs a richly savory blend of broad bean paste and mushroom seasoning — two umami-packed ingredients that quickly add long-cooked flavor,” says Jocelyn Law-Yone, executive chef and co-owner of 2020 F&W Best New Restaurant Thamee in Washington, D.C.
Scrambled Tofu with Potatoes, Mushrooms, and Peppers
Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
In this entirely vegan scramble from chef Neal Fraser, firm tofu is paired with sliced potatoes, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and soy cheese for a hearty, savory result.
Crispy Fried Tofu Sandwich
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
Here, extra-firm tofu is frozen, thawed, and marinated in tangy pickle juice, then brushed with hot sauce and mustard, before it’s dredged in a spiced flour mixture and pan-fried until golden and crunchy. The result, served on toasted buns with spicy mayonnaise, pickles, shredded cabbage and extra hot sauce, is a flavorful, fried, and completely vegetarian sandwich.
Charred Corn and Tomato Tartines with Tofu Aioli
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Enhanced by smoked paprika, our eggless, tofu-based aioli — inspired by the plant-based innovations of 2022 F&W Best New Chef Rob Rubba — has all the assertive garlic flavor and creamy texture you expect from the condiment. Here, it’s generously slathered on sourdough slices piled high with grilled corn, peppers, and tomatoes.
Tofu Skin Stir-Fry
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
Hardy dried tofu skin sticks mimic the texture of shredded meat in this quick stir-fry. To use them, simply break them into pieces, then soak in hot water until pliable, and finally drain before frying.
Vegan Sloppy Joes
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
F&W’s Justin Chapple puts a plant-based spin on the comfort-food favorite, using boldly seasoned crumbled tofu and tempeh to create a hearty, satisfying sloppy joe filling.
Tofu Bhurji
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
Use medium-firm tofu crumbles for this eggless breakfast scramble from former F&W editor Antara Sinha, which is inspired by Indian anda bhurji. The tofu is a great canvas for the flavors of tomatoes, ginger, and turmeric. A touch of kala namak (black salt) adds a naturally eggy, sulfurous flavor.
Vegan Wild Mushroom Pizza
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
“The garlic crema balances the mushrooms’ earthy flavor, while thinly sliced brussels sprouts add an awesome crunch,” says chef Mary Dumont of these tasty pies. Her crema comes together quickly in the blender using silken tofu and plant-based mayo with garlic, dill, and a combination of vinegars; store-bought pizza dough keeps the prep easy.
Miss Kim’s Fried Tofu
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
“I dare anyone to accuse tofu of being boring after making this sweet-sticky-crunchy-spicy version from Miss Kim in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It’s one of my all-time favorite restaurant dishes,” says former F&W restaurant editor Khushbu Shah. Serve the glazed tofu on its own as an appetizer or with kimchi and rice for a full-on meal.
Crispy Salt-and-Pepper Air Fryer Tofu with Asparagus
Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn
Give tofu a quick soak in a sweet-salty marinade made from soy sauce, brown sugar, and ground Sichuan peppercorns before air-frying it to perfection. Garlicky asparagus is a terrific match — pop it in the air fryer for about six minutes after the tofu is done. The whole thing is ready to eat in less than an hour.
Miso-Tofu Hot Pot with Ramen
This soothing hot pot with cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, and tofu is built on an umami-packed broth of miso, soy sauce, and shiitake dashi. (You’ll want to skip the optional bonito flakes to keep it plant-based.) Soak it up with chewy ramen noodles for a rich, warming meal.
Pon de Ring (Mochi-Tofu Doughnuts)
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
Inspired by pon de ring doughnuts popularized in Japan, these strawberry-laced treats get their chewy, springy texture from silken tofu; mochiko produces their airy, crisp crust. If you prefer lemon, check out the variation with fresh lemon juice.
Spicy Tofu and Zucchini Stew
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
Sommelier Annie Shi’s childhood memories of dishes like soondubu jjigae, the spicy Korean tofu stew, inspired this quick, cozy recipe she now makes for easy weeknight dinners. For a fully vegetarian version, omit the dashi packet and use vegetable bouillon or a rich vegetable or mushroom stock in place of water.
Tahini-Tofu Dip with Chili Crunch
Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall
Chef Stephanie Izard’s cool, creamy dip is incredibly easy to put together — simply roast a head of garlic and whiz it in the food processor with tofu, tahini, tamari, fresh lemon juice, and olive oil. Chili crunch gets swirled on top. Serve it with something crunchy, be it crudités or chips.
Napa Cabbage Pockets with Tofu
Charissa Fay / Food Styling by Nora Singley / Prop Styling by Maeve Sheridan
Chef Zoey Xinyi Gong’s savory stuffed cabbage pockets are filled with crumbled tofu, shiitake mushrooms, Chinese chives, and crisp mung beans. The parcels resemble hong bao, the red envelopes of money families exchange for love and good fortune as a Chinese New Year tradition.
Crispy Fried Tofu
Lucas Allen
Chef Bill Kim soaks tofu planks in a bright marinade with mirin, soy sauce, and fresh citrus juice, then dredges them in rice flour and panko before frying and serving with a homemade plum sauce.
Shaking Tofu
Food writer Andrea Nguyen reimagines the Vietnamese classic Shaking Beef as a vegetarian dish, named for the rapid shaking of the pan during cooking. Ready in about 35 minutes, it features pan-seared tofu served alongside a peppery watercress salad with thinly sliced onion and fresh herbs, finished with a sesame sauce.
Crispy Tofu Bibimbap with Mustard Greens and Zucchini
Con Poulos
Stir-fry mustard greens with ginger and sesame oil, then serve them alongside shiitake mushrooms, zucchini, tofu, and quick-pickled cucumber for cookbook author Michael Natkin’s spicy, satisfying vegan Korean rice bowl.
Chili con Tofu
Sabra Krock
Sponge-like tofu is great for absorbing spicy chili seasonings. Here, it’s paired with hearty canned black beans plus poblano, jalapeño, and red bell pepper in a tomato-based sauce for a flavorful bowl that can be doctored as you wish.
Crispy Tofu Steaks with Ginger Vinaigrette
Eva Kolenko
Panko-encrusted slices of firm tofu are pan-fried until they’re golden and crisp on the outside and tender within. A gingery scallion vinaigrette brings a bold pop of flavor.
Double Drive-Thru Veggie Burgers
David Cicconi
These veggie burgers from pioneering plant-based chef Chloe Coscarelli are paired with a “tangy-sweet vegan take on Thousand Island dressing” made with tofu, ketchup, yellow mustard, agave, garlic, sweet pickle relish, chopped fresh dill, and kosher salt. It can be refrigerated for up to one week.
Caesar Salad with Crispy Tofu Croutons
Stephanie Foley
This Caesar salad speaks to the versatility of tofu. Here, firm tofu is cubed and pan-fried to provide the crunch usually reserved for croutons. Additionally, soft tofu is blended with olive oil, lemon juice, and anchovy to make a terrific Caesar dressing without the standard raw egg yolks.
