How to make tofu (that doesn't suck): Recipes and tips for frying, baking, cooking

When I became a vegetarian and wanted to cook tofu, my dad (a seasoned tofu pro) gave me this advice – forget trying to make it taste exactly like meat.

Besides the texture, the gripe most people have with tofu is the taste. It’s either too bland or it's trying too hard (and failing) to be meat. But instead of looking for an exact substitute, a more fruitful mission is to embrace the uniqueness of tofu and find a flavor that works for you.

I’m a firm believer in taking your time with tofu – if you’re a hater, chances are you just haven’t figured out how to cook it right.

How to make tofu

Firm, extra firm, silken – there’s a lot of tofu categories to sift through at the grocery store. Knowing how you want to cook will help you choose the right kind. Here are the best ways to use common types, according to Bon Appetit:

• Soft block tofu: Versatile and can be pureed or fried

• Medium block tofu: Crumbles easily, should be baked to make sure it doesn’t fall apart

• Firm/Extra-firm block tofu: Keeps shape under pressure, best for stir-fries

• Soft silken: Creamy with a pudding-like consistency. Good to be blended into salad dressings, desserts, and more.

• Firm silken: Creamy but holds its shape, best in chunky soups

It may take a little time to figure out which type of tofu you like best – some like large slabs of tofu while others prefer the texture in bite-sized increments.

How to freeze, thaw and press tofu

If the texture of tofu weirds you out, try freezing and pressing your tofu. Freezing changes the texture completely. Because it’s mostly water, the protein structures expand as the ice becomes water and then become spongey when thawed, according to Food Network. The result is a more elastic and chewy texture that easily absorbs sauces and marinades.

Pressing removes any excess moisture so you can cook up a dry, crispy tofu. You don’t need a tofu press to do this either – all you need are two containers, a dinner plate and something heavy, like a can, a skillet or a book.

Sandwich the tofu between two containers and place it on the dinner plate. Use your hands to apply even pressure on top of the container to squeeze out extra liquid and then leave your heavy object pressing down for 20 minutes. The liquid will drain from the tofu and pool onto the plate.

How to season your tofu

Flavoring your tofu is important because the natural taste is fairly bland – you have a blank canvas.

If you do want to mimic the taste of meat, using smoked paprika and marinating in liquid smoke is a good option.

Garlic, onion powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper are also great seasonings to incorporate. Soy sauce is also used with tofu and nutritional yeast can add a cheesy flavor and crunch.

Pressed tofu soaks up marinades easily. You can create a marinade from scratch or use your favorite sauce. Try these 6 marinades – Cilantro Lime, BBQ, Teriyaki, Balsamic, Fajita or Peanut Sauce – from Food with Feeling, or this soy sauce-based marinade from Jessica in the Kitchen.

How to fry tofu

Cornstarch is your best friend when it comes to frying up crispy tofu – it’s a binding agent that creates a crunchy crust. Pan-frying is the easiest way to get it crispy. Keep these tips in mind when frying up your tofu:

• Don’t overcrowd the pan when cooking, which will steam the tofu instead of crisping

• Cook tofu on medium heat to prevent burning

• Don’t cook it too long, which will cause the tofu to become dry and tough

When you’re done pan frying, try thickening your favorite sauce over heat and covering the tofu in it.

You can also throw it in the air fryer to get a similarly crispy texture or bake it for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Step-by-step video: How to make tofu crispy without a press

Tofu recipes to try

Shred your tofu

One of my favorite ways to make tofu is to shred it.

I know what I said about trying to mimic meat, but shredding your tofu and adding some barbecue sauce is as good a substitute for a pulled pork or chicken sandwich as any. All you need is a cheese grater and an oven.

Check out this recipe from the blog It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken.

Use it on a sandwich 

Cutting your tofu into slabs is another popular method – many vegans and vegetarians use it as the protein source on sandwiches by pressing, marinating, and then baking or frying their tofu slice.

Try this copycat fish fillet recipe, this BBQ tofu sandwich recipe or this one from Veggies Don’t Bite, which involves a marinade made of soy sauce, liquid smoke, maple syrup and lime juice.

Crumble it up

Soft and medium block tofu is easily crumbled, which can make for a great substitute for ground beef recipes.

Try this tofu ground beef recipe, seasoned with chili powder, garlic, onion, smoked paprika and nutritional yeast. Or if you’re vegan and missing eggs, try this tofu scramble from Nora Cooks.

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Contributing: Maryal Miller Carter

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to cook tofu: From baked to crispy, recipes you'll actually love