Do you have a goal to eat healthier this year? And, you prefer it to be easy?
Maybe you’d like to eat more plant-based foods and less meat.
Have you recently picked up some tofu at the store and then said “Now, what the heck can I make with this?” Yay, let’s do it!
Tofu can be intimidating if you’ve never made anything with it and are new to it. It’s hard to know exactly what to do with the stuff!
I 100% understand! I felt the same way, which prevented me from trying it for the longest time.
Once I did, I learned that it’s pretty simple to prepare, and you can make some really delicious meals with it! I make it all the time now. I throw it on top of salads, make sandwiches, toss it with pasta, or stir-fry it with some fresh veggies. My hope is that you’ll try some of these ideas and discover that you love these healthy tofu recipes too!
Protein on a plant-based diet is important to understand. We all need protein in our diet. And, there’s no shortage of plant-based protein options! One of the best sources of protein on a plant-based, vegan diet is beans, which include soybeans and tofu. (1)
Here I’m sharing 7 delicious tofu recipes that are healthy and easy so you can make them in your own kitchen.
But first, let’s talk a little bit about tofu.
What is Tofu?
Tofu is made from soybeans that are curdled and pressed into blocks.
Tofu is a great source of plant protein, making it a perfect addition to a healthy diet! Tofu also is a plant source of iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, and zinc. Yay, healthy benefits! We love those. According to the Nutrition Source at Harvard, soy can safely be consumed several times a week!
How To Select your Tofu
When you’re shopping for tofu, first consider your recipe. For a stir-fry or noodle recipe, you’ll want a firm or extra firm tofu. It’ll hold its shape the best and is perfect for these types of meals that are tossed with a yummy sauce!
If you’re looking to create a creamy sauce with tofu, that’s when you’ll buy soft, or silken tofu. Silken tofu blends nicely into a pasta sauce, smoothie, or even a cream pie recipe. Or, as you’ll see below, in a tofu “egg” salad! It’s much softer and lends itself perfectly to these types of dishes.
How & why To Press Tofu
If you’re using firm or extra firm tofu you’ll need to press the excess water out of the tofu.
To do this, remove the tofu from the packaging and place it on a paper towel and plate. Top it with another paper towel and then a cutting board. Then, place a couple of heavy objects such as books or a heavy pot on top of the cutting board. You can also use a dishcloth instead of paper towels. I use a few thick cookbooks and they do the trick. The cutting board just tends to keep it all straight and level.
The following tofu recipes that are healthy and easy are great for lunch, dinner, and even some leftovers! After the recipes, I include a simple way to bake tofu in case you’d like to just whip some up to toss on a salad, but not in a recipe.
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7 Tofu Delicious Recipes That Are Healthy and Easy
VEGAN BLT SANDWICH WITH AQUAFABA MAYO
Photo by: Ania / Lazy Cat Kitchen
These BLT sandwiches are incredible! Lazy Cat Kitchen makes them with “bacon tofu”. To make the bacon tofu, you’ll marinate slices of tofu in a mixture of maple syrup, liquid smoke, tamari, and tomato paste. Doesn’t that sound good? The finished bacon tofu is insanely savory and delicious! You will not miss the actual bacon, and you certainly won’t miss the dangerous saturated fat in actual bacon.
Photo by: Julie / Simple Veganista
Egg Salad is one of my favorite meals and I’ve definitely missed them on my plant-based journey. So, as you could imagine, finding ‘egg-less’ egg salad was a wonderful discovery! I’ve tried many recipes and this one is my absolute favorite by Julie from Simple Veganista.
She uses soft tofu (Silken) as the star here and creates a creamy, squishy egg salad that I just LOVE! This egg salad has the addition of kala namak, better known as ‘black salt’. It’s easily available online or in some stores. I recently bought mine at the local whole foods. This is a kiln-fired rock salt used in South Asia with a sulfurous, pungent smell.
It gives egg-less salad a yummy umami egg flavor, and scent! it’s definitely the secret ingredient. I add some crunchy celery to mine, as I love celery but I know everyone doesn’t agree with me on that one. This is perfect on soft bread, in a gluten-free wrap, or on top of a bed of greens. Quick and delicious!
Photo by: Christin / Spicy Southern Kitchen
This tofu is to die for! There’s so much flavor in this recipe, you’ll never doubt tofu again. The best part is that it’s super easy! You probably have everything in your kitchen right now for this tangy, sweet, and spicy sauce. The Hoisin sauce and ginger are my favorite combination.
I could eat that mixture every day! This recipe by Spicy Southern Kitchen is perfect in a stir-fry with broccoli or any of your favorite veggies. Serve with rice or noodles.
Photo by: Chungah / Damn Delicious
I have to admit, this peanut sauce is pretty life-changing. Creamy, salty, and sweet. Everything you love in a sauce! This is the perfect bowl and I eat versions of it every week! Give it a try and you’ll see what I mean. You can easily mix it up with the veggies that you happen to have in your fridge.
It’s an easy way to get lots of veggies into your diet and still super enjoy what you’re eating! (again, hello, peanut sauce)
SHEET PAN CRISPY TERIYAKI TOFU AND BROCCOLI
Photo by: Danae / Recipe Runner
This recipe for Crispy Tofu and Broccoli is a super-duper-easy mainstay recipe in our house! It truly couldn’t be any easier. When you’re short on time but you have a block of tofu and some broccoli (or cauliflower), soy sauce, and a few other ingredients, you’ll be all set. Start the oven and be ready for an easy dinner to be served up shortly. And talk about healthy!
Roasted veggies are one of the healthiest ways to prepare them, especially if you don’t go overboard on the oil. The oven makes them full of caramelized flavor! This is one of my favorite tofu recipes healthy and easy.
This post is all about tofu recipes that are healthy and easy.
Photo by: Sonia & Alex / A Couple Cooks
By adding some special seasonings of cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and smoked paprika, these tacos will be FULL of flavor! Add some thin slices of cabbage, squeezes of fresh lime, pico de gallo, and cilantro and you’ve got yourself a dinner.
You could also make these in a bowl over rice instead of tacos if you desire. We toggle all the time between tacos and bowls! Just depends on what we have on hand and what we’re in the mood for.
Photo by: Losune / Simple Vegan Blog
If you like General Tso’s take-out, then you will LOVE this recipe! It’s so much lighter and healthier than the restaurant version. It’s not deep-fried, and this one is made with light tofu, making this meal a much better choice! The sauce is sweet and tangy with a touch of red pepper flakes if you like a kick.
It’s the perfect replacement for greasy take-out, and it’s EASY! Serve it with white rice as recommended by Simple Vegan Blog, or with your favorite grains. Add any veggies to it that you prefer. Broccoli or bok choy pair really well with it!
Sometimes, I buy some firm tofu and bake it in the oven so I have it ready to toss into any meals. I might add some to a salad, or top a bowl of rice and veggies with it. I like simply having the extra cooked tofu in my fridge as a go-to! My favorite glass containers for the fridge are here. I’m telling you about them because they are the absolute BEST!
Here’s my favorite SIMPLE recipe for baking tofu by Gimmee Some Oven. It’s easy and perfect!
This post is all about tofu recipes that are healthy and easy.
Final Thoughts On Tofu Recipes That Are Healthy and Easy
I hope you found this to be helpful and try all of them! They’re all delicious and you’ll love tofu more and more as you make them. It’s just so nutritious and versatile. Once I started making meals with tofu, I haven’t stopped. Especially if you’re trying to lose weight and eat more healthily, tofu is a super-effective way to go! And, it’s an added bonus that it’s so easy to prepare.
If you need more ideas for dinners, here’s my round-up of favorite vegan Instant Pot recipes! These are the best and I make 2 to 3 of these recipes every week.
For easy peasy breakfast recipes, check out this post. Delicious and healthy breakfast recipes that are QUICK!
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