Whether you're totally meat-free or just go vegetarian a day or two a week, there's a lot to love about tofu. It's a perfect blank canvas, and we're not referring just to its beige color. Whether you use creamy, silken tofu for salad dressings and desserts (it's very blend-able) or firm and extra-firm varieties for stir-fries, sautés, and grilled dishes, we've got 31 awesome flavor combinations to doctor up your tofu.
Silken tofu was made for the blender. It has a consistency similar to very soft ricotta cheese or yogurt, making it a perfect emulsifier for dressings, vinaigrettes, and sauces. Try these flavor combinations and dress your salads in tofu.
Toasted sesame oil is potent stuff. If the dressing is too thick, thin it out with a neutral oil, like canola or vegetable.
Sorrel has a potent astringency, like lemons. It's very delicate, which means it blends easily. Just a drizzle of rice vinegar is all you need. The honey helps keep it all in balance.
When fresh herbs are in season, use them! A hit of lemon zest will seal the deal.
This may seem like a cultural collision, but trust us: The sweet sherry and umami-packed soy are a match made in heaven. Round out the dressing with silken tofu and olive oil.
Be sure the avocado is ripe, or it won't blend together as easily.
The roasted shallots turn sweet, and are a nice match for the pungent peppercorns.
A little hot, a little tart, a little juicy.
Consider this a DIY ranch.
Taste the chiles before blending them in—they can be spicier than you'd think! Add a little of the smoky adobo sauce for extra kick.
Blend silken tofu with some choice sweeteners and add-ins, and you've got insta-pudding.
Adzukis are frequently used in desserts. Add a little coconut sugar, too, if you like things extra-sweet.
Top with chocolate shavings or chunks of dark chocolate.
Use the dried lavender very sparingly, or it'll taste like soap. Add the chia seeds in after blending, and let the pudding sit in the fridge overnight for even better texture.
A teaspoon or two of chamomile buds can go right into the blender along with the rest of the ingredients. Alternately, tear open a chamomile tea bag and use that.
For an icy-cold treat, freeze the blueberries first.
Be sure to press and drain out as much liquid as possible before cooking the tofu. It will better absorb the flavors, and get crispy, not soggy. These ideas are for marinades, seasonings, and sauces.
The sugar will help the tofu caramelize in the pan.
Dredge the tofu in egg and then this cheesy mixture before baking or pan-frying. Extra-crispy!
Simmer the tofu in the tomatoes, and add fresh basil just before serving. Or, pan-fry it and pour the tomatoey sauce over.
This marinade also works well as a sauce—just add a little honey.
Flavor wimps, feel free to sit this one out. (Check out the recipe here to recreate the dish pictured at the top of this page.)
This heady blend of thyme, sesame, and sumac burns easily, so don't cook it over too-high a heat.
Whisk together equal parts tahini and water with a squeeze of lemon, then drizzle over baked tofu.
Clearly, this option is not vegetarian.
Sauté chopped onion, then add tofu and use a spoon to break it up as it cooks. Add in cooked black beans and serve with avocado: You've got a vegan breakfast scramble.
Season the tofu with curry powder, pan-fry, then top with cashews for crunch.
Mix the spices with oil and use to marinate the tofu. Use as much—or as little—cayenne as you'd like.
Bruise the lemongrass stalks with the back end of a knife to really release their fragrance before mixing together this marinade with oil.
Don't use Greek-style or other strained yogurt for this—they'll make the sauce too thick.
Marinate the tofu in this potent mixture before grilling.
Vadouvan is a spice blend that contains dehydrated shallots—double the allium factor by adding fried shallots to the cooked tofu.
Mix together this spicy, garlicky pepper paste and plain yogurt, then spoon over cooked tofu. This would also make a great marinade.
With Korean chile paste, cabbage, garlic, and ginger, your tofu doesn't need much else. Either stir the tofu into a broth fortified with kimchi, use the liquid to marinate it before cooking, or just eat a couple teaspoons alongside your grilled or roasted tofu.