50 Best Vegan Tofu Recipes

Discover the best vegan tofu recipes, plus our top tips for preparing tofu in this inspiring collection! Whether you are a tofu newbie or already a tofu devotee, you're sure to find new and delicious tofu recipes that you'll love!

Table of Contents

• Tofu Pro Tips
• Tofu Basics
• Easy Weeknight Meals
• Tofu Dishes To Impress
• Tofu Desserts

If you told me 10 years ago I would be writing an article about my favorite tofu recipes, I wouldn't have believed you! I used to think tofu was some weird, unpleasant thing, but actually I had no idea what a delicious and versatile ingredient it could be!

All you need to do is learn how best to use tofu to suit your tastes! Trust us, there are some incredibly delicious tofu recipes out there waiting for you to discover them. 

• Tofu can be soft and silky and an incredibly creamy base for vegan desserts.
• It can also be chewy, wonderfully savoury and moreish covered in the right kind of seasonings or marinade.
• And if you coat it in cornstarch or cover it in breadcrumbs you'll get delightfully crispy tofu that keeps you coming back for more!

Before we get to the recipes, I just want to share some of the best tofu tips that we've learnt from our years of experimenting. If you're cooking with tofu for the first time these will be especially helpful! 

Tofu Pro Tips

1. Firstly, what is tofu?

Tofu is made from dried soybeans. First, the soybeans are made into soy milk. The beans are soaked, ground together with water and then cooked. This mixture is then strained to remove the pulp, also known as okara, from the soy milk.

To make tofu, a coagulant is added to make the soy milk curdle and come together. The two most common coagulants used in commercial tofu making are gypsum, also known as calcium sulphate, and nigari, a Japanese salt made from seawater mostly made up of magnesium chloride. You can also easily make tofu at home using just lemon juice or citric acid as a coagulant.

Depending on the type of tofu being made, the coagulated tofu is then strained and pressed before using. So now you know how tofu is made...

2. Choose the right type of tofu for your recipe

An easy newbie mistake is getting the wrong kind of tofu, and it's easy to be confused. 

A common source of confusion is between silken tofu, also known as Japanese style tofu, and regular tofu, aka Chinese style tofu or block tofu. Silken tofu is an unpressed form of tofu with a custard-like, fragile texture, whereas regular, block tofu has been pressed before packing, and has a much firmer texture. 

What is especially confusing is that both silken and regular tofu can come in different grades such as soft, medium or firm. Most silken tofu is packaged in a shelf-stable carton, and so that can be a good way to tell the difference if the outside labelling is unclear (like this one!). 

Because the textures and water content are so different you can’t use silken and regular types of tofu interchangeably in a recipe, without producing quite different and sometimes undesirable results. 

3. Know how to prepare tofu for cooking

Before you cook with your tofu you will want to drain any excess liquid from the packaging.

• For regular tofu, you will often want to press it before using. Pressing makes the texture firmer and removes moisture. You can press tofu in a dedicated tofu press or by wrapping a block of tofu in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, placing it on a plate and then adding a heavy weight such as a saucepan and cans on top. Press for 30 minutes and then pat dry.
• Silken tofu does not need pressing.
• Extra-firm tofu is also ready to use without pressing, but we like to first pat it dry.

You can eat tofu raw, straight from the packaging, but we personally only do this if it is a really tasty smoked or flavoured tofu. 

4. What are the best brands of tofu?

We always prefer to use organic tofu, made from non-GMO soy. It can be a bit more expensive, but nowadays there are some great value own-brand products available in the supermarkets.

We're in the UK and regularly use the Tofoo brand, which does extra-firm tofu that doesn't need to be pressed. For silken tofu, we mostly use Clearspring organic tofu, which is a premium quality tofu made in Japan.

For smoked and flavoured tofu we really like the brands Viana and Taifun, both of which are often available online.

If you are looking for the best value tofu, then take a look in your local Chinese or Asian supermarket, they often have large blocks available for a great price.

Ok, so now you're a tofu pro, let's get cooking!

You’ll find something delicious to try in this list of vegan tofu recipes! We’ve broken it down into four easy sections for you. 

First, we’ll share basic tofu recipes, perfect for beginners. Next, you’ll find ideas for easy weeknight meals that use tofu, followed by some more complex but delicious tofu recipes designed to make an impression! And finally, you’ll be inspired by an amazing array of vegan desserts made with tofu! 

Tofu Basics

In this section, you'll find some great vegan tofu staples and beginner recipes. Tofu is a great source of protein, which makes it an excellent plant-based alternative for meat and eggs.

Easy Weeknight Meals

In this section, you'll find easy tofu recipes that are quick enough to make for a midweek dinner. Many of them are ready in under 30 minutes!

Tofu Dishes To Impress

These tofu recipes are perfect for making at the weekend when you've got more time, or when you want something impressive for special occasions. Share them with friends at a dinner party, or enjoy them as part of a delicious brunch with the family.

Tofu Desserts

I put off making vegan desserts containing tofu for years, as I thought they would taste odd. I was so wrong - tofu makes an amazingly neutral, creamy and nutritious base to many desserts. And these delicious vegan recipes prove it!

Find more vegan dessert ideas with silken tofu here!

p.s. You might also want to check out these other vegan recipe round-ups and plant-based guides!