Are you in need of ideas for easy tofu recipes? You’ve come to the right place! Tofu is a versatile ingredient, nutrient–dense, and rich in plant–based protein.
Take your pick from these easy and quick dinner recipes: from fried, marinated, baked, and grilled tofu to pasta, curries, and stir-fried tofu.
We hope you’ll get as excited about tofu as we are – and get inspired to cook tofu in new ways!
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Tofu in 15 minutes
If you’re looking for super quick and easy tofu recipes, these 15-minute meals are perfect. These tofu recipes are made tasty with simple ingredients and easy cooking techniques, but you’ll still enjoy a delicious and flavor–packed meal.
1. Easy air fryer tofu
We start this tofu list with one of the easiest ways to make tofu tasty and perfectly chewy: air frying.
Try this 15-minute air fryer recipe with tips and ideas to serve it as a dinner.
2. Quick and fried tofu
Pan-fried tofu is delicious, flavorful, and perfect as a salad topping and protein addition to your meal.
Here’s a simple cooking method that makes fried tofu taste great and feel as good in your mouth. This recipe is ready in 15 minutes.
3. No-egg tofu salad
Try this vegan egg salad if you want a great, quick, fulfilling vegan lunch or snack idea.
Made with tofu, vegan mayo, and herbs, it’s great on a sandwich or on its own.
4. Tofu salad
This is the perfect springtime and summertime dish.
Tofu’s remarkable ability to get flavorful and crunchy makes it the ideal protein choice for this salad with fresh veggies and tahini sauce.
5. Lemon Tofu
Pan-fried tofu with lemon sauce is an easy, weeknight–friendly recipe prepared in just 15 mins.
Simply fry the tofu in a pan with little olive oil and coat it in a quick lemon sauce.
6. Tofu Cream Cheese
This tofu cream cheese is made with five simple ingredients, and it’s smooth, velvety, and perfect as a starter, dip, or spread in a sandwich.
Eat it as is, or blend it with roasted eggplant, steamed artichokes, or caramelized onions for a creamy and delicious sauce or spread.
7. Spinach Pesto with tofu
Make a deliciously smooth and creamy pesto sauce with spinach, tofu, garlic, and olive oil. It’s a great match for pasta, especially if you want a nut–free recipe.
You’ll get a protein–rich and vitamin–packed pesto, all in a creamy and smooth sauce.
8. Tofu in Pizzaiola Sauce
If you love marinara sauce, you will love this tofu in pizzaiola sauce!
Fry tofu slices in a pan, add tomato sauce and fresh herbs, and serve with greens and toasted bread.
9. Tofu scramble with veggies
Get a healthy start to your day with this 5-minute tofu scramble recipe.
It’s an easy and healthy breakfast idea with plenty of plant–based protein.
Tofu in 30 minutes
With these 30-minute tofu meals, you can enjoy tasty sauces and creamy textures that upgrade tofu in new ways.
10. Marinated tofu
This a quick and tasty recipe ready in 30 minutes and a great pairing with rice, noodles, and salad.
This marinated tofu is a good beginner tofu recipe as it adds charred and jerky-like protein to your meal.
11. Orange tofu
This easy orange tofu dish is one of the best alternatives to orange chicken.
We use crispy oven-baked tofu and red bell pepper coated in a sticky, sweet, and orange sauce.
12. Tofu curry
Making an excellent tofu curry is easy when you use this Indian spice mix.
Here we’ll show you how to put this meal together in about 30 minutes, with simple ingredients and a creamy result.
13. Tofu soup
This tofu soup is quick, tasty, and light. You can make it in just 20 minutes with simple ingredients and seasonal veggies.
It’s an Asian–inspired soup that you can serve as dinner or an appetizer.
14. Tofu meatballs
With these vegetarian meatballs, you can have meatballs without the meat.
This recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients and Italian seasoning – it’s great with pasta and in a sub sandwich.
15. Fried Tofu with mushrooms
Pan-fried tofu with mushrooms is a quick and delicious recipe for weeknights and last-minute dinners.
It’s ready in 25 minutes and is excellent when paired with pasta, couscous, or rice.
16. Easy Tofu pasta (bolognese-style)
Tofu pasta is a delicious vegan recipe with tasty crumbled tofu and a rich tomato sauce.
This is tofu bolognese that you can serve as a quick, easy, and nutritious meal in about 30 minutes.
17. Kung pao tofu
Our kung pao tofu is a stir-fried recipe with a piquant, sweet, savory flavor blend and a sticky and chewy texture.
Get plenty of plant-based protein and crispy veggies with this quick weeknight meal.
18. Kale salad with tofu
Tofu is an excellent protein source for salads and grain bowls.
Try this marinated kale and quinoa salad with fresh veggies and fried tofu; it’s great for autumn and winter.
19. Grilled tofu
You can make this protein-packed recipe in 10 minutes on a grill pan or grill and season with your favorite sauces and condiments.
It’s delicious in a Buddha bowl, with noodles, pasta, and in sandwiches.
20. Thai Red Curry
Creamy, slightly spicy, and aromatic, here is an Asian-inspired dinner idea with tofu.
Mix the curry paste with creamy coconut milk and add tofu, eggplant, peas, and bell pepper for a tasty, veggie-packed meal.
21. Sesame noodles
Grilled tofu makes a perfect protein addition to these creamy sesame noodles.
Paired with fresh mango, cucumber, and a peanut butter tahini sauce, you will be satiated and content for hours after eating it.
Sunday dinner with tofu
Perfect for romantic dinners, special occasions, or dinners with friends. These tofu meals with simple ingredients cater to all eaters as they’re packed with flavors, vegan and vegetarian-friendly, and inviting.
22. Tofu Cacciatore
This tofu cacciatore is based on Italy’s original chicken cacciatore (hunter-style chicken).
It’s baked tofu with olives, fresh herbs, and a rich tomato sauce, best served with focaccia bread and sauteed spinach.
23. Baked and steamed tofu “fish.”
You can make this simple meal in 30 minutes in the oven with slices of tofu, nori sheets, lemon, capers, and olives.
Serve this Italian-style tofu as a fish replacement, and try a new and flavor-packed way of eating tofu.
24. Spinach tofu cutlets
These spinach cutlets with tofu are juicy, tender, and made with simple ingredients.
Mix all ingredients in a food processor, shape them into cutlets, and bake them for over 20 minutes.
25. Stir fry tofu
Better than Asian takeaway, this tofu stir fry with noodles or rice is easy, pan-fried, and will please everyone around your table.
It’s ready in about 40 minutes, and you can serve it with sesame seeds, chili oil, or a side of miso soup.
26. Braised tofu
Similar to stir fry, this braised tofu is tangy, slightly sweet, and with jerky–like tofu slices.
Serve with sauteed leafy greens, rice, or noodles for a balanced, Asian-inspired dinner.
27. Vegan carbonara with tofu
Make this carbonara sauce with carrot, chickpea flour, and cubes of tofu or tempeh bacon.
It’s a great alternative to the traditional carbonara, but without eggs and bacon, and it delivers a salty and creamy flavor.
28. Buddha bowl
Grilled tofu sizzles with a smoky aroma, adding plant–based protein to this wholesome Buddha bowl.
Serve the tofu in this colorful bowl with crisp veggies, quick pickled onions, and brown rice, it’s a beautiful and nourishing meal.
29. Tofu butter chicken
Hand-torn pieces of tofu in a rich Indian–spiced yogurt marinade, this vegan butter chicken is a delightful meal.
Paired with rice or naan bread, this is one of our favorite tofu recipes, period!
30. Tofu platter with chimichurri sauce
Chimichurri sauce is a fantastic drizzle for tofu, grilled veggies, and barbecues.
Learn how to make an easy chimichurri; it only takes five minutes and seven simple ingredients.
Do I need to press tofu?
Based on our testing, pressing tofu before cooking has no (or negligible) impact on the final result.
All you need to do is take the tofu out of its package, drain the water, and pat it dry with a towel. Then cook it according to the recipe instructions.
However, you can press tofu if you want to change its texture. If you like a firmer, tougher, drier tofu, feel free to press it. To make it even chewier, you can freeze, thaw, and press it.
What to serve with tofu
These easy tofu meals go well with white rice, toasted bread, or noodles. Make it a complete meal by adding extra vegetables to your meal with a side dish or green salad:
- 25 vegetable side dishes (salads, roasted vegetables, easy veggie sides, etc.)
- 12 delicious artichoke recipes (steamed, braised, blended, baked artichoke, etc.)
- 20 easy zucchini recipes (pasta, soup, sides, salad, appetizer with zucchini, etc.)
- 45 easy salad recipes (pasta salads, fresh salads, roasted vegetable salads, etc.)
- 25 best easy appetizers (dips, mezze ideas, nibbles, bread-based starters, etc.)
For many more easy and quick tofu meals, make sure to check out our Tofu Recipes Page!
30 easy tofu recipes
Ingredients
- 9 ounces firm tofu (a tofu block around that size, not a problem if it's a little more or less)
- ¾ cup unsweetened plant milk soy, oats, cashew
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- 2 twists black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon black salt optional for an eggy flavor. Add more for more eggy taste.
Serving suggestions (totally optional)
- 1 ripe avocado
- 2 thick slices bread toasted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil optional to drizzle on top
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chives, or green onions finely chopped
Instructions
- Crumble the tofu with your hands and put it in a non-stick pan on medium-high heat.
- Add the unsweetened plant milk. The milk will make the scrambled tofu softer and moist, similar to scrambled eggs
- Add the turmeric powder to give the scrambled tofu a yellow color. Season with salt, black pepper, and optionally with black salt or Kala namak, a rock salt that tastes like egg.
- Cook on medium-high heat until the pan is dry. It should take about 5 minutes.
Serving suggestion
- We like to serve scrambled tofu on toasted bread. Add some avocado slices on the bread, scrambled tofu on top, some freshly chopped parsley, chives, or green onions. Then you can add some roasted tomatoes and roasted portobello mushrooms on the side, and a drizzle of olive oil to make it a complete and fulfilling breakfast.
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Notes
Nutrition
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Where are the recipes. I don’t see any one of them.
Hi Jeff, thanks for commenting. This blog post is a compilation of our best tofu recipes – you just have to click on the recipe(s) you like th best, and you’ll be directed to them. I hope that helps! Cheers, Nico
Loved it!!