How to Flavor Tofu... thanks!?

Question

I want to put more tofu in my diet. I need some more protene since I'm happily prego (and vegetarian) and I've read that tofu's a good way to do it (that and sunflower seeds ). Buttt... I have a problem... I don't know how to flavor it! I was looking at the grocery store for maranades but I didn't really see anything that struck my fancy. Spices help! I heard you could also scramble it up and make faux-eggs with some seasonings and such. Wonder how ya do that?! Thanks so much for any help, WE appreciate it!

Answer 1

Fast and Easy Tofu Lo-Mein
Submitted by: Dasibelle

Photo by: Allrecipes "This easy-to make recipe is very inexpensive. I made it for my boyfriend's family and his mother is Filipino! They loved it! You can really mix in a lot of different ingredients to spice it up or make it your own. Try different Ramen noodle flavors."
Original recipe yield: 4 servings.
Prep Time:5 MinutesCook Time:25 MinutesReady In:30 MinutesServings:4 (change)

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INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 ounce) package extra firm tofu
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (3 ounce) packages Oriental flavored ramen noodles
1 (16 ounce) package frozen stir-fry vegetables
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon soy sauce, or to taste

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DIRECTIONS:
Press tofu between paper towels to remove some of the water; cut in to bite size cubes. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, and fry until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
Meanwhile bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add noodles from ramen packages, reserving the seasoning envelopes. Boil for about 2 minutes, just until the noodles break apart. Drain.
Add the stir-fry vegetables to the pan with the tofu, and season with the ramen noodle seasoning packet. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender, but not mushy. Add noodles, and stir to blend. Season with soy sauce to taste and serve.




Hot and Spicy Tofu
Submitted by: RITALINCINDY
"Firm tofu, bell pepper, and red onion, all quickly stir fried in a sweet and sour sauce. A word of caution - this is VERY spicy! If you like milder dishes, decrease the amount of pepper flakes or omit them altogether."
Original recipe yield: 4 servings.
Prep Time:10 MinutesCook Time:12 MinutesReady In:22 MinutesServings:4 (change)

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INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 pound firm tofu, cubed
1 red onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green chile pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 cup hot water
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

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DIRECTIONS:
Heat peanut oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Toss the tofu into the oil, and cook until browned on all sides. Once browned, toss in onion, bell pepper, chile pepper, and garlic; cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the hot water, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes. Pour over tofu and vegetables, toss to coat, and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens slightly.



Baked Tofu Spinach Wrap
Submitted by: VikiM
"These are quick, simple and tasty! My husband, who previously hated tofu (although this was deli style tofu), loved them and asked for more."
Original recipe yield: 2 wraps.
Prep Time:3 MinutesCook Time:2 MinutesReady In:5 MinutesServings:2 (change)

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INGREDIENTS:
2 (10 inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 (7.5 ounce) package hickory flavor baked tofu
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1 tablespoon Ranch dressing
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste

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DIRECTIONS:
Place the tortillas side by side on a paper plate. Slice tofu, and place slices down the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle cheese over the tofu. Cover with a damp paper towel, and heat in the microwave for about 45 seconds, or until cheese is melted.
Pile some spinach onto each tortilla, and pour on some Ranch dressing. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, roll tortillas around the filling, and eat.



Summer Tofu and Corn Pasta
Submitted by: Kasimira C. Verdi
"Very tasty and savory."
Original recipe yield: 8 servings.
Prep Time:20 MinutesCook Time:25 MinutesReady In:45 MinutesServings:8 (change)

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INGREDIENTS:
1 pound spinach farfalle pasta
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 (8 ounce) packages firm silken tofu, drained and diced
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons Old Bay® Seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 ears fresh sweet white corn, cut from the cob
1/3 cup nutritional yeast

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DIRECTIONS:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 13 to 15 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and stir in the tofu. Mix in honey and Dijon mustard. Season with dry mustard, 1 teaspoon Old Bay® Seasoning, kosher salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until tofu is thoroughly coated.
Mix corn into the saucepan. Season with remaining Old Bay® Seasoning and nutritional yeast. Cook until heated through. Allow to cool about 5 minutes before serving over the cooked pasta.



Coconut Curry Tofu
Submitted by: Kathy Collins
"My vegetarian daughter-in-law gave me this recipe for a creamy coconut milk, spicy curry, and ginger tofu dish! I serve it over rice."
Original recipe yield: 6 servings.
Prep Time:25 MinutesCook Time:15 MinutesReady In:40 MinutesServings:6 (change)

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INGREDIENTS:
2 bunches green onions
1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
1/4 cup soy sauce, divided
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chile paste
1 pound firm tofu, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
4 cups chopped bok choy
salt to taste

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DIRECTIONS:
Remove white parts of green onions, and finely chop. Chop greens into 2 inch pieces.
In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, mix coconut milk, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, curry powder, ginger, and chile paste. Bring to a boil.
Stir tofu, tomatoes, yellow pepper, mushrooms, and finely chopped green onions into the skillet. Cover, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in basil and bok choy. Season with salt and remaining soy sauce. Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender but crisp. Garnish with remaining green onion.




The Most Awesome Smoothie You'll Ever Make
Submitted by: Ang
"I make this smoothie every morning for breakfast for me and my boyfriend. It's rich in vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, omega-3 fats, monounsaturated fats, soy protein, and so much more! (Use natural peanut butter to eliminate partially hydrogenated fats.)"
Original recipe yield: 6 cups.
Prep Time:15 MinutesReady In:15 MinutesServings:6 (change)

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INGREDIENTS:
1 banana
1/2 apple
1 kiwi, peeled
1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup tofu
3 tablespoons unsalted natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons aloe vera juice
2 tablespoons flaxseed oil
1 teaspoon barley grass powder (optional)

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DIRECTIONS:
In a blender, combine banana, apple, kiwi, mixed berries and orange juice. Blend until smooth. Add soy milk, yogurt, tofu, peanut butter, aloe vera juice, flaxseed oil, and barley grass powder. Blend again until well blended. Pour into glasses and serve.



Raspberry Banana Tofu Shake
Submitted by: Stephanie
"This is very delicious!"
Original recipe yield: 4 servings.
Prep Time:15 MinutesReady In:15 MinutesServings:4 (change)

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INGREDIENTS:
1 (12 ounce) package firm silken tofu
1 cup fat free soy milk
1 banana
1 cup raspberries
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate

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DIRECTIONS:
In a blender, mix tofu, soy milk, banana, raspberries, and orange juice concentrate. Blend until smooth.



Tofu Lasagna
Submitted by: Michelle

Photo by: ISLANDGIRL05 "Good for people who aren't reluctant to try tofu. After this lasagna you and your guests will love it!"
Original recipe yield: 6 to 8 servings.
Prep Time:20 MinutesCook Time:35 MinutesReady In:55 MinutesServings:7 (change)

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INGREDIENTS:
1/2 (12 ounce) package uncooked lasagna noodles
1 (12 ounce) package firm tofu, crumbled
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup spaghetti sauce
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

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DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a medium bowl combine tofu, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, milk, spaghetti sauce, parsley and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Spread a layer in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Layer lasagna noodles with the sauce mixture, ending with sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes.



Easy Chocolate Tofu Pie
Submitted by: Siobhan Connally

Photo by: mammak "A dead ringer for a chocolate cream pie, only without the dairy."
Original recipe yield: 8 servings.
Prep Time:15 MinutesCook Time:25 MinutesReady In:40 MinutesServings:8 (change)

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INGREDIENTS:
1 pound silken tofu
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

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DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Blend tofu with an electric mixer or in a food processor until smooth. Blend in cocoa, sugar, vanilla and vinegar. Pour into prepared crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.



Hope you like there are tons more at allrecipes.com

Answer 2

My wife is a vegetarian and I have cooked a lot of tofu for her. Usually, I just fry in a pan with a little olive oil and some spices(Oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper) Sometimes I add vegetables like peppers and onions. The great thing about tofu is it takes on the flavor of whatever you add to it.

My most creative tofu moment was making tofu parmesan. Treat the tofu like you would eggplant or even meat; bread it and cook it. You can bake it or fry it if you want. Then layer it in an oven tray with sauce and mozzarella. My wife loves that dish.

Answer 3

I take extra firm tofu and drain it overnight.
When it is good and dry, I then cut it into 1/2-1 inch cubes and soak it in a marinade of Soy Sauce & some seasoning.
I allow it to soak at least 30 minutes.
I then heat some oil in a wok and add the entire contents of the marinade bowl (Tofu & sauce)
I sautee it until the sides are golden brown and crispy.
I remove it from heat and let them drain on a few folded paper towels.
Finally, I sitr-fry some veggies, add the tofu to the wok, add some Asian sauce, and serve over rice.

Answer 4

Like several others have mentioned already...tofu takes the flavor of whatever spice, marinade, etc you soak it in. Also if you live near a whole foods market you should check out their tofu section...they have quite a variety of flavoured tofus, flavoured and baked tofu, they have marinated and baked tofu strips that you can use in salads or sandwiches.

Also, you can buy the soft silken tofu and use it in fruit smoothies.

One other way to increase protein intake would be increase your dairy intake...provided you use dairy products in your diet.

Flavoured soy milk is another option.

Hope this helps :)

Answer 5

Well, if you check around you can usually find tofu that is already flavoured (like teriyaki etc.) but I've found it's still pretty bland. I would suggest just adding it to stuff you already love, like a stir fry, or soup. One way I like eating it the most is getting the very firm stuff, slicing it into about 1/2 inch cubes or rectangles and making a batter to dip them in. Then just fry them and eat them with sweet and sour sauce - very good! I even ate it as a teenager (when I was more picky lol).

I've tried scrambling it before too but really wasn't impressed and I've since started eating eggs again. I remember it involved using the soft kind, some curry powder, possibly soy milk and salt and pepper. Curry powder is definitely a great spice to use to jazz anything up. But I would suggest buying tofu/veggie dogs and hamburgers and the like. If you're worried about them tasting like meat, it's never really spot-on AND you can say that it actually tastes like the ingredients NOT meat. I remember being worried and conflicted about that before I tried a veggie hotdog. There are so many different kinds out there you'll be sure to find one you like, and they're normally enriched with all sorts of vitamins vegetarians need like b12. Also, if you have a store (in Canada it's called the Bulk Barn) that sells barrels of grains, cereals etc. -you can usually find something called "vegetable protein". It's dehydrated and you can either get it in basically the shape of chicken nuggets, or tiny bits of it which sort of resemble ground beef. I find them a bit tastier and you can add it to just about anything. If you're making spaghetti, you can reconstitute the dehydrated stuff and fry it with some onion to add to your sauce. Or add it to casseroles etc. This might be a better option for you as I've heard that a lot of soy really isn't good for pregnant women and it's already in so much of what we eat (esp. vegetarians). I would talk to your doctor about it if you're worried. I began eating eggs (after a good 10-15 yrs of not doing so) b/c of this. It was the biggest challenge of my life but I just wanted better health and some normalcy with the way I eat. And I realised that commercial eggs aren't fertilized... but to each his/her own. I definitely understand the reasons not to.

Here's an article about the negative side of soy:

http://www.mothering.com/articles/growing_child/food/soy_story.html

Answer 6

One recipe I really love is one my mother used to feed to me all the time.
1 block of firm tofu
3-4 sliced green onions
ginger powder
garlic powder or fresh grated ginger
black pepper
chili oil
soy sauce

Cube tofu, add sliced green onion, then add ginger, pepper, lastly add soy sauce to taste.
Very easy anyone could do it.
P.S. You dont have to use both the chili oil and pepper either will add enough heat if you want.

Answer 7

tofu picks up the flavor of what its cooked with so anything to season, allspice works good or soy sauce for a stir fry . sweat and sour sauce but cook on low too many to list

Answer 8

You can cook and marinade tofu like you do meat. Sometimes I use soy sauce, ginger, garlic, cilantro, green onions etc....sometimes italian dressing...olive oil....maple syrup, terriyaki....it's really easy. You can bake it, fry it, stirfry it....whatever you want. Leasa makes a good sturdy vegi tofu.

Answer 9

A plant is a plant or part of a flower used as food

Answer 10

Both are good for you, each fruit/vegetable has different vitamins. Thus as more variety, as better. Vegetables have generally less sugar than fruits.

Answer 11

tofu tacos!

get the taco seasoning and fry the tofu with it....takes just like a beef taco!