How to (Properly and Deliciously) Cook Tofu

By Amy Wagner on March 8, 2013

Let’s say that you’re a hungry college student. You may have moved into your own place, far from the nearest dining hall, or maybe you simply want to cook for yourself. I’m going to tell you about a vegetarian and vegan staple that is incredibly versatile and makes for a fantastic meal, whether or not you choose to refrain from meat. It’s… (drumroll, please) …tofu!

Tofu is, simply put, soybean curd. (I’ve even heard it referred to as “soybean cheese.”) It does not have much flavor on its own, which is one of the primary reasons that it lends itself so well to various dishes. Tofu tends to take on the flavor of any seasoning or marinade you could think of to cook it with. Nutritional benefits of tofu include high protein and iron content, low fat content, and low calorie count. And, as I said before, you don’t have to be a non-meat eater to enjoy this delicious food, although it certainly is a fantastic source of protein and other nutrients for those who don’t eat meat.

Photo from Flickr.com courtesy of rick

The first, if not the most important, step in cooking tofu involves “pressing” it. Why does it need to be pressed? Any package of tofu that you will purchase is packed in water, and the texture is such that it soaks this water right up. If you do not adequately press your tofu, it will not take on the flavors of whatever spices or marinades you choose to cook it in, and it simply won’t be as yummy. So, after slicing open the package and draining all of the water out, place the slices of tofu on several layers of paper towel or a thick kitchen towel. You should place more paper towels or another kitchen towel on top. For your final tofu pressing layer, I recommend using textbooks. Leave it like this for anywhere from fifteen minutes to two hours, if you have the time.

Your second task is to either soak your tofu in a marinade of your choice (store-bought, or you can make it yourself). You can throw the marinade and the tofu into the pan individually, as I have done in the past, but it won’t take on the flavor quite as much.

Next (and this might seem like a no-brainer), cook your tofu! I prefer a standard frying pan, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray so that I’m not left prying it out of the pan when dinnertime rolls around. You can also use olive or canola oil; I simply prefer not to. You can cook it until it’s almost charred or make it lightly crispy – it’s your choice!

Once your tofu is cooked, you can transfer it to a plate to cool. If you want vegetables to go along with it, simply turn up the heat and stir-fry them the same way you did with the tofu (minus the pressing, of course).

So there it is: Tofu Cooking 101. Just don’t say you don’t know what to have for dinner tonight!

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