How To Cook Tofu Like the Pros

Who knew that there was so much deliciousness wrapped up in a big white slab of soy? Tofu is the little black dress of vegetarian cooking, it can be included in just about any recipe and if prepared correctly, it's tasty. Tofu's sponge-like consistency means that it absorbs whatever you mix with it.

Start off with a good product if you want a positive end result. Just like any other whole food ingredient, fresh, high quality tofu makes the meal.

When you're preparing it, first drain the water that it's packaged in and cover in a clean dish towel. Weigh down the dish towel with a cutting board and a few cans (or whatever you have on hand) just to remove any excess water that's left. This should take around 15 minutes. When you're cooking with tofu, don't over do it. Tofu isn't like a steak, if you want to be a healthy vegetarian that means eating a variety of protein sources on one plate like nuts, seeds, beans, and tofu. You don't just eat a big slab of tofu for your meal. Give tofu added flavor by allowing this sponge-like food to absorb the flavor that you provide like soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar for an Asian twist or curry, turmeric, and cardamom for Indian flair.

The next step is deciding how to cook your tofu. If you're frying it, drain the marinade, sprinkle with some nutritional yeast, and turn your oil of choice (peanut and canola are good choices) to medium high. Cut the tofu in ½-inch cubes or matchsticks and add to the hot oil. Turn with a fork so that it doesn't stick and drain on a paper towel to remove excess grease. If you're scared of fat, bake the tofu instead. Again slice into ½-inch cubes and drain marinade if you used one. Bake on 400 degrees for 45 minutes to an 1 hour. If you just want a little bit of cooking, steam your tofu for just a few minutes and pair with a crunchier textured ingredient like vegetables.

Here are some great recipes to get you started:

Chinese Five Spice Tofu Atop Seasonal Vegetables

Tis Berry Season! Make a Vegan Blueberry Mousse

Weekday Vegetarian: Smoked Tofu Carbonara

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