I don’t mind tofu, but then again I don’t know much about it either. The extent of my knowledge is that it made by coagulating soy milk (mmm, coagulating just makes you start to salivate, doesn’t it?), a lot of vegetarians use it as a protein source and it’s in delicious hot and sour soup.
Lately, though, I’ve been wanting to incorporate it into some of our meals as a meat alternative (shhhh… no need to tell Hubbs yet! ;)). Friday night Hailey and I were home alone because Hubbs had a meeting in Raleigh, and I was seriously considering picking up Chinese food. But then I decided to save my money and my calories (…for cookies and wine, which were also consumed that evening) and try to cook with tofu by making a new recipe from Eating Well.
Tofu and Broccoli Stir-Fry
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup dry sherry or rice wine
- 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
- 1 14-ounce package extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 6 cups broccoli florets
- 3 tablespoons water
*also recommended- shitake mushroom and scallions, and brown rice to serve it over.
Combine broth, sherry (Sherry, baby!), soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, sugar and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
Cut tofu into 3/4-inch cubes and pat dry, then sprinkle with salt. OR, cheat. I found this pre-cubed organic tofu at Super Target (thank you twitter friends for assuring me they’d have tofu!) for about $3.
Place the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a large bowl. Add the tofu; toss gently to coat.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu; cook, undisturbed, until browned, about 3 minutes. Gently turn and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
Next time I think I’ll let my brown for longer, but it was still crispy enough on the outside.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and ginger; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broccoli and water; cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until tender-crisp, 2 to 4 minutes.
Stir the reserved broth mixture and add to the pan. Cook until the sauce has thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
Return the tofu to the pan; toss to combine with the broccoli and sauce.
Serve with a smile as you think about the money you saved and how much healthier this meal is!
The verdict? I really liked it! It satisfied my Chinese food craving and I loved that the tofu felt crispy on the outside and squishy inside. I realize ‘squishy’ probably just made people NOT want to make it, but I mean it in a good way.
It was also easy to make. By using pre-cubed tofu and pre-cut broccoli, prep time was close to nada. I probably made it more quickly than it would have taken for delivery.
Next time I will
1) crisp the tofu a little longer
2) add more red pepper flakes
3) and mushrooms and scallions
This is a great option for a meatless Monday meal (it’s vegan!)
Makes 4 servings
Per serving: 258 calories; 13 g fat ( 1 g sat , 9 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrates; 7 g added sugars; 14 g protein; 4 g fiber; 544 mg sodium; 539 mg potassium.
Do you cook with tofu?
What is your favorite tofu dish?
Lee says
You should try baking it. It gets much chewier on the outside than when you pan-fry.
Brittany says
See.. I didn’t even know you could bake it! I’ll have to try it- thanks!
Sarah says
I use tofu! My favorite way to use it is to freeze it, thaw it out, then drain it of excess liquid. It’s a great substitute for ground meat!
Brittany says
Oh, what a great idea!
Suzanne says
You’ll probably like the tofu even better if you press it before using it to remove extra moisture. Place sliced tofu (not as easy to do with pre-cubed) on a few folded paper towels, top with a few more paper towels, then cover with a cutting board and put something heavy on top (I use a large dutch oven pot). let it sit for 20 min. this will help the tofu to brown and crisp better.
Brittany says
Another great tip! I’ll use it next time when I’m not being lazy and buying precubed 😉
Danielle @ Long May You Run says
This is one of my go-to recipes! Me and my meat-loving husband could eat it three times a week! I usually coat my tofu with corn meal instead of corn starch. I’m not sure what difference it would make, maybe help it brown a little faster?
This is also a pretty good recipe- http://www.cestlavegan.com/2011/08/quick-noodles-with-kale-tofu/
Obviously, you wouldn’t HAVE to use kale and you can use whatever noodle you’d like. The sauce is tastey too! I think you can get smoked tofu at Trader Joes (not that there’s one anywhere close to N. CLT– boo!).
Brittany says
I know- north CLT needs a WF or Trader Joes! Where can I petition for this?? Thanks for the recipe suggestion- I’m always looking for ways to incorporate kale, too.
Lauren says
I’m off and on with tofu. Sometimes I find myself buying it every week, and then I go months without it. I’m currently in the off period with it. And when I do eat it, I do weird things with it like put in on a pb & j…
Alyssa @ Life of bLyss says
I love tofu stir fry! only… I’m super lazy and crumble it up and it looks disgusting. you’re smarter than I am.
Brittany says
Sometimes disgusting looking food tastes the best, but I’m glad I’m not the only lazy one… or should we say efficient??
Kelli H (Made in Sonoma) says
I like tofu alright but I’ve also heard debates that it’s not the healthiest since there is controversy over soy products. Especially if they are GMO soy.
I think your meal looks great though, and I’d definitely make it myself.
Brittany says
Yeah, I’ve heard some of the controversy to about how too much soy can mess up hormone balance because it acts like estrogen in the body. Have you heard that? That’s why I don’t make soy milk my staple milk, either. But I figure there is no harm in the occasional tofu dish (though Hubbs may disagree- haha)
Kelli H (Made in Sonoma) says
This is what I’ve heard too. It’s also why I don’t make it my staple milk, but I think it’s fine once in a while. Everything in moderation. : )
Tanya @ Vegan Faith says
Looks delish!
Kelly @ Laughter, Strength, and Food says
I am terrified of tofu! I have tried it a few times and each time it had a spongy texture that I just couldn’t get over. I really want to like it and use it in recipes, I’m just nervous because I don’t know what to do with it!
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
This looks great! I love pressing tofu till it’s as dry as it gets and then dipping it in an egg bath and rolling in coconut + breadcrumbs and baking at 400. That’s my go to tofu prep but there are sooo many good options out there!
chelcie @ chelcie's food files says
YUM I love tofu in stir fry’s! this looks delicious!
Karlee @olivewineandfood says
i just made a similar dish last night! i baked tofu marinated with braggs, garlic and salt and pepper with some broccoli drizzled with olive oil and garlic and salt and pepper, and then drizzled some peanut sauce on top of it all! so easy. tofu is a staple in my house.
Christina says
stir-fries are my favorite way to make tofu!
Sarah says
great recipe! I love tofu in stir frys!