The ultimate roundup of unique uses for the soy-food staple, tofu! Ingenious ways to use the plant-based protein that go beyond traditional stir-frys or meat substitutions.
It’s April, so you know what that means! It’s NATIONAL SOY FOODS MONTH!
Y’all know I love my soy foods. Edamame, tempeh, and of course my favorite, House Foods tofu! It’s just so versatile, high in plant-based protein, and has perfect texture. Last year, we celebrated this awesome food month by debunking some soy ‘myths’.
Sometimes soy gets a bad rap in the health world. There’s a lot of misinformation about how it affects the body, when the truth is, it’s very nutritious! Not only is it good for you, but it also has so many different uses….especially House Foods tofu.
Today, I am sharing 10 Tofu Hacks You NEED to Try. That’s right. Ten unique ways to use tofu for something out of the ordinary…something unique! Tofu is much more than just soy-bean curd; it’s a myriad of possibilities in the kitchen.
Put it in a pie
As I did with my Low-Fat Vegan Chocolate Pudding Pie Tart, soft varieties of tofu make for a great pie filling! When blended up in a food processor with other ingredients, you get a creamy, dreamy, mousse like substance that takes on the flavor of whatever you’ve paired it with. Perfect for creating a healthy, low-cal, high protein cream pie!
Scramble it
Going vegan but think you’ll miss eggs? Never fear! Tofu is the perfect alternative to eggs in your breakfast scramble. Crumble it up and fry in a pan with your favorite veggies (maybe some nutritional yeast?) and you’ll have a hearty protein rich meal that satisfies any egg craving. See this recipe for an example.
Dunk it as a dip
As with the pie filling, blending tofu with savory ingredients can yield a creamy dip! Think ranch, caesar, or a cream-cheese based dip, but much lighter and healthier! I regularly make two different dips with tofu…Thai Basil Peanut Dip and Low-Fat Vegan Caesar Dressing Dip.
Puree it into pudding
My low-fat Vegan Chocolate Pudding proves that tofu can work as a dessert just as well as it can in a savory flavor profile. Only 3 simply ingredients are needed to whip up a childhood classic with my recipe. Get ready to enter luxuriously smooth, chocolate heaven!
Bake it into bars
Substitute tofu for eggs, yogurt, oil, or even BUTTER in some baked goods! It adds the moistness that those ingredients bring to a baked good except with a much lower calorie content and, of course, added protein. Your baked goods will be just as tasty and enjoyable but much healthier and less rich. See this recipe for an example.
Serve it as a sauce
There’s nothing like a creamy sauce, am I right?! Well similarly to pudding and filling, sauces can be made with tofu right in the food processor. Try my 3 Ingredient Low-Fat Vegan Alfredo Sauce to discover how creamy sauces do not need dairy to be delicious.
Blend it in a smoothie
Forget protein powder! Tofu adds thickness, creaminess, AND protein to a smoothie when blended with your other mix-ins. No to mention you can’t taste it at all. Who needs icky tasting, chalky textured protein powder when you can have a smooth, creamy smoothie made with tofu? See this recipe for an example.
Crumble it into chili
Tofu makes an EXCELLENT meat replacement in chili or soup! It’s easily crumbled into a meaty texture and takes far less time to cook than meat does. Not need to worry about undercooking it either. Add a block to your next crock pot of chili and you’ll see how it nicely takes on the flavor of the other ingredients you’ve added. See this recipe for an example.
Make NO-chicken nuggets
Tofu comes in again for a win in the meat substitution game! Consider pressing firm tofu to remove the water, coating with your favorite crumb topping, and baking in the oven on a high temperature. Easy enough, right? And the result will be delicious chicken nugget-like bites that are totally meat-free. Vegan chicken nugget lovers can rejoice! See this recipe for an example.
Sprinkle it like cheese
As I’ve said many times above, tofu takes on the flavor of whatever you cook with or marinade it in. This makes it perfect for taking on the taste of your favorite cheeses! It’s crumbly texture is most similar to that of feta cheese, so with a little marinading magic, you can use tofu as a high protein, low-fat alternative. See this recipe for an example.
At this point, you’re starting to think…”is there anything tofu CAN’T be substituted for?” Well I am here to tell you the list is pretty small. Tofu is the ULTIMATE healthy food substitution you can make in your day-to-day life. It works in sweet, savory, and every sort of recipe in between. I think once you try a few of these ideas yourself you’ll fall in love with cooking (or baking) with tofu just as much as I have. Let me know if you give any of these suggestions a go!
Did you know it was National Soy Month?
What’s your favorite soy food?
Which way do you most want to try using tofu in?
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28 responses to “10 Tofu Hacks You Need to Try”
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I had no idea there was a month for this! I never eat tofu, but Im feeling inspired by all the creative ways you can use it! Doubt my boyfriend would be too happy if I made us a tofu dish for dinner hah. He gags at the thought, unfortunately! .
Haha! To each their own! I personally LOVE tofu!
Love this. I have tried tofu in all these variations except scrambled. I can’t believe I have never tried the most basic use of it. I will have to remedy this immediately
Thanks Patrick! Definitely try it scrambled!!
Oh boy, I didn’t know that it was National Soy month; I really like soymilk; my favorite is probably still almond milk, but also I think the best thing here to try (even if you didn’t like tofu) would be the pie, because you probably couldn’t even detect it. One time I made a scramble with it; it was definitely different from a regular egg scramble, but it wasn’t bad either.
You will love all these amazing recipes, girl!! Let me know if you try any!
Okay I realize it’s a super versatile food and all with lots of potential, but honestly if I am eating tofu I probably won’t get much past hack #1 because hack #1 is just too yummy!! 🙂
Haha…totally agree!! That’s my FAVE way to use it!
I have tried all of these except baking it into bars. Now I’m going to have to try it in my protein bars recipe. Thanks!
Thanks girl! Definitely give it a try!!
I`m not a big fan of tofu, but you make it sound so tasty 🙂
Thanks girl! I think you’ll find you like it after trying some of these!!
ooo i love these ideas Kayla! Tofu gets such a bad rep sometimes, but who knew that it being kind of flavorless could be a good thing! Checking out the smoothie recipe now 🙂
Thanks girl! Let me know what you think!!
Sorry – Kaila!!
No worries! 😉
i love tofu but havent tried it in so many ways you mentioned above! gots to be more adventurous.
So many great uses for tofu!
LOVE your tofu hacks! I eat it often, but I usually just serve it in a stirfry–BORING! Would love to try baking it or adding to a smoothie. Great suggestions 🙂 Thanks for sharing and happy Soy Foods Month!
Thanks so much Charlotte! Glad you stopped by!!
Thanks for sharing on the What’s for dinner link up!!
Thanks Helen!
What a great list, Kaila! I’m vegan but I have to admit that I never thought of using tofu in smoothies or baked into bars!! I’m actually going to feature you (again) in tomorrow’s Friday Favorites linky party, so make sure to head over there as soon as the party starts: http://be-alice.blogspot.com/2017/04/friday-favorites-week-368.html
Happy Thursday!!
*Maisy
Thanks Maisy! I will definitely stop by!
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I needed that! As a vegetarian, I am crazy about tofu and constantly looking for ways to improve my tofu skills 🙂