Welcome to our tofu celebration with 30 recipes that prove this plant-based powerhouse can do it all.

For more plant-based meals, try our lentil recipes, chickpea recipes, and protein dinner ideas.

Best Tofu Recipes.

If you’re new to tofu or unsure where to begin, donโ€™t worryโ€”weโ€™ve been there. And if you’re already a tofu enthusiast, you’re going to love these easy recipes.

Our roundup gathers 30 of our best and most loved tofu recipes, from Italian, American, Greek, Indian, Chinese, and every cuisine in between ๐Ÿฅณ.

Over the past five years, Louise and I have cooked our way through more than 40 tofu recipes always exploring how this humble soy block can transform into something crave-worthy.

Tofu has been a reliable protein-companion when we cook vegetarian meals. We have tried (almost) everything; crispy, creamy, grilled, sautรฉed, baked, and even blended.

Whether you’re looking for light dinners, a high-protein breakfast, or something delicious to meal prep, these recipes adapt to every cooking level and taste.

Our goal is to make tofu approachable, exciting, and delicious. So grab a block, heat up your pan, and letโ€™s get cooking.

Air fryer tofu.

Air Fryer Tofu

Air fryer tofu is a tasty and healthy alternative to meat. Youโ€™ll love its chewy texture, crispy exterior, and tender and juicy core.

Itโ€™s perfect for adding to salads, bowls, stir-fries, stews, and curries, or dip it in your favorite dipping sauce.

BBQ Tofu recipe.

BBQ Tofu

This BBQ tofu is the most delicious meat-free alternative. A bold, smokey homemade BBQ sauce hugs crisp and chewy tofu bites perfectly.

The tofu is baked until chewy, meaty, and packed with flavor.

Fried tofu recipe.

Fried Tofu

I donโ€™t know about you guys, but for Louise and I fried tofu is something we make at the last minute โฑ๏ธ when we want to add more protein to a meal.

These fried tofu bites offer a soft and most core and a crispy, tasty coating. An easy protein solution to weekday meals.

Tofu curry recipe.

Tofu Curry

We developed this tofu curry recipe to be ready in less than 30 minutes, in one pot, without pressing or cooking the tofu.

But if you like chewier tofu pieces you can pre-cook it before adding it to the curry.

Marinated tofu with lemon slices and a silver fork.

Marinated Tofu

When it comes to vegetarian protein, you canโ€™t beat big chunks of marinated tofu. Itโ€™s ready in 30 minutes and you can add it to most meals.

You guys, this recipe is so simple and your tofu has never tasted this good, I promise!

Baked tofu on salad with vegetables

Baked Tofu

Our baked tofu recipe helps you transform a block of firm tofu into mouthwatering high-protein tofu chunks.

While baked tofu is tasty on its own, we recommend serving it with a sauce to drizzle on top or for dipping.

Grilled tofu and silver fork

Grilled Tofu

With its smokey and slightly charred exterior and tender interior, grilled tofu is a versatile, and nutritious alternative to traditional grilled meats.

It’s excellent for summer, BBQ, and 4th of July celebrations.

vegan egg salad with tofu in a sandwich

Vegan Egg Salad

Vegan egg salad offers a creamy eggy texture and rich yet fresh flavor. 

Itโ€™s packed with protein and is excellent for sandwiches, wraps, or as a dip with bread.

lemon tofu on a white plate

Lemon Tofu

Lemon tofu is an easy, everyday recipe you can make in 20 minutes with simple ingredients.

First, we fry the tofu in a pan with olive oil, then coat it in a quick lemon and black pepper sauce.

Tofu salad with tahini sauce in a bowl.

Tofu Salad

Tofu salad is an excellent plant-based meal for those trying reduce their meat intake.

I add crispy fried tofu to a fresh green salad with a lemon tahini sauce. Itโ€™s a 20-minute meal that will make you feel great.

Marinated tofu with lemon slices and a silver fork.

Tofu Cream Cheese

This tofu cream cheese is made with five simple ingredients. It’s smooth and perfect as a starter, dip, or spread in a sandwich.

It’s also an excellent dairy-free cream cheese and it’s ready in five minutes.

Tofu soup with mushrooms, broccoli, and peas.

Tofu Soup

Tofu soup combines a flavorful broth with crisp vegetables and bite-sized tofu pieces. Itโ€™s a wonderful dinner recipe, ready in about 30 minutes

Now, for those of you with a big hunger (like myself ๐Ÿ™‹๐Ÿปโ€โ™‚๏ธ) we recommend adding noodles or a ramen-style soft-boiled egg. SO good!

Tofu scramble on bread with vegetables

Tofu Scramble

Youโ€™ll love tofu scramble because itโ€™s easy, protein-rich, and versatile.

While we often make this recipe a replacement for scrambled eggs, its use goes way beyond that.

tofu with pizzaiola sauce

Italian Tofu Pizzaiola

Tofu with Italian pizzaiola sauce is a simple yet delicious pan-fried tofu recipe ready in 20 minutes.

Itโ€™s a perfect weeknight dinner. We make it with pantry staples such as tomato puree, and dried oregano; the whole family will love it.

Orange tofu on rice

Orange Tofu

Youโ€™ll love our orange tofu recipe because itโ€™s easy to put together, with simple ingredients, in less than 30 minutes.

Thanks to the sticky orange glaze that perfectly coats the crispy tofu, every bite packs a ton of flavor.

tofu mushroom recipe

Mushroom Tofu

Our tofu mushroom recipe is the plant-based version of a famous Italian dish called mushroom scaloppini.

It’s a one-skillet tofu meal ready in 20 minutes.

Creamy marry me tofu pasta.

Tofu Pasta

Our tofu pasta in creamy sun-dried tomato marry me sauce is an easy high-protein recipe bursting with Tuscan flavors and ready in less than 30 minutes.

Vegan Breakfast Burrito with lime and sour cream

Tofu Breakfast Burrito

This vegan breakfast burrito recipe combines our tofu scramble with delicious Mexican ingredients.

You can make this recipe in about 15 minutes, and itโ€™s excellent for meal prep as you can keep it in the fridge for days.

Tofu tikka masala with rice and yogurt.

Tofu Tikka Masala

Tofu tikka masalaย is a delicious Indian-inspired dish with tasty tofu bites cooked in a rich, creamy, and aromatic sauce.

The spices we use repeat in other recipes, you can keep them in your pantry for ages.

Kung pao tofu with rice in a white bowl.

Kung Pao Tofu

Ourย kung pao tofuย is an easyย stir-fry recipeย with a sweet and sour flavor and a perfectly chewy texture.

Make this Chinese-inspired dish inย less than 30 minutesย and get plenty ofย plantโ€“basedย proteinย and fresh veggies

tofu meatballs in marinara sauce

Tofu Meatballs

Tofu meatballs are a quick, tasty, and nutritious alternative to meat-based meatballs, as they are packed with flavor and protein.

You can make them withย pantry staples in 3 easy steps

Navratan korma with tofu cubes on a white plate.

Navratan Korma

I never knew this combination of flavors would work so well together.

This Tofu recipe isย such a comforting one; itโ€™s rich, creamy, mildly spicy, andย veggie-packed. It has it all.

high protein tofu cacciatore in a skillet.

Tofu Cacciatore

Tofu cacciatore is inspired by my Italian grandmaโ€™s chicken cacciatore and is the ultimate vegetarian comfort meal.

You can easily make this protein-rich dinner at home in about 30 minutes with Italian herbs, tender tofu, and a rich tomato sauce.

Vegan fish with lemon and cherry tomatoes

Vegan Fish

This vegan fish recipe is excellent for anย original and delicious dinnerย with family and friends.ย Itโ€™s packed with Mediterranean flavors, and everyone will love tofu served this way.

Thai Red Curry with rice and spoon

Thai Red Curry

Creamy and filled to the brim with vegetables, thisย Thaiย redย curryย is aย weeknightย dinnerย favorite.

It takes 30 minutesย to prepare and will make your kitchen smell incredible with theย fragrant spices of sunny Thailand.

Tofu stir fry in a bowl with rice.

Tofu Stir Fry

Whip up this ridiculously tastyย 30-minute tofu stir fry: mix in your fave veggies, drizzle our magic sauce, and done: better-than-takeout! ๐Ÿœ๐Ÿฅข

Itโ€™s seriously one of theย best stir-fried tofu dishesย youโ€™ll ever try. And itโ€™s SO easy!

braised tofu with bok choy on a plate.

Braised Tofu

This is aย tender,ย jerkyย braised tofu recipe with aย mildly sweet,ย and deliciousย Asian-inspired sauce.

Itโ€™s an easyย 30-minute dinner ideaย with plenty ofย plant-based protein, veggies,ย and an excellent combination of flavors.

Vegan carbonara.

Vegan Carbonara

Ourย vegan carbonaraย is a simple recipe that can be made inย 15 minutes. The taste of our carbonara sauce is (almost) similarย to the taste of an Italian carbonara recipe.

We use smoked tofu for this recipe for the best results.

buddha protein bowl with peanut sauce and fresh vegetables.

Buddha Bowl

Prepare for aย proteinโ€“packed Buddha bowlย withย colorful vegetables,ย nourishing whole grains, and tofu.

It is an excellent way to packย nourishing ingredientsย into one flavorful dish.

Vegan Butter Chicken in a white plate

Tofu Butter Chicken

Endlessly creamy, and perfectly spiced, this vegan butter chicken is one of the best ways to combine tofu and Indian cooking.

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 push it. You can freeze, thaw, and press it to make it chewier.

What to serve with tofu

If you tried these tofu recipes or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a ๐ŸŒŸ star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!

Best Tofu Recipes.

30 easy tofu recipes

5 from 10 votes
These 30 tofu recipes include baked and fried tofu, salads, best sauces to serve with tofu, soup, curry, and more.
This tofu scramble is easy to make with a few ingredients, excellent for breakfast, lunch or a quick dinner.
Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 6 minutes
Servings: 2 to 3 people
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Main Course
Cuisine: International

Ingredients 

  • 9 ounces firm tofu (a tofu block around that size, not a problem if it's a little more or less)
  • ยพ cup unsweetened plant milk soy, oats, cashew
  • ยผ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • 2 twists black pepper
  • ยผ 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.
    tofu crumbled on a pan
  • Add the unsweetened plant milk.
    The milk will make the scrambled tofu softer and moist, similar to scrambled eggs
    plant milk added to the crumbled tofu
  • 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.
    tofu scramble in a pan
  • Cook on medium-high heat until the pan is dry. It should take about 5 minutes.
    tofu scramble in a pan

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.
    Tofu scramble with bread and avocado

Video

Easy Tofu Scramble in 5 minutes

Notes

Nutritional information is for the scrambled tofu only, without the serving suggestion.
STORAGE:
Make ahead:ย tofu scramble is an excellent recipe for meal prep because it keeps well in the fridge for several days.
Feel free to make a double batch and keep the leftover for a quick lunch or dinner.
Refrigerator:ย transfer leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat: warm it in the microwave for 2 minutes or on a pan with unsweetened non-dairy milk.
Freezer:ย transfer it to a freezer-friendly container and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Thaw it in the microwave, in the fridge overnight, or in a pan with a dash of unsweetened plant milk.

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Potassium: 104mg, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 241IU, Vitamin B6: 1mg, Vitamin C: 4mg, Vitamin E: 2mg, Vitamin K: 2ยตg, Calcium: 246mg, Folate: 19ยตg, Iron: 2mg, Manganese: 1mg, Magnesium: 2mg, Zinc: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or mention @theplantbasedschool on Instagram. We love hearing from you โญ๏ธ ๐Ÿ’š.


Nico and Louise in front of the Consolazione church in Todi

Hi! We are Nico & Louise

Weโ€™re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) ๐ŸŒฟโœจ.

Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.

5 from 10 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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8 Comments

  1. I was excited for so many tofu recipes but thst quickly turned to disappointment seeing the majority of the recipes call for soy sauce. Being gluten-free soy sauce isn’t an option. Gluten-free soy sauce often has an odd taste. I’d love if you had a suggestion for soy sauce in some of these recipes.

    1. Hi LJ,

      Each recipe on this list contains a section with substitutions where you will always see suggestions for soy sauce alternatives, often including tamari sauce or coconut aminos.

  2. Hi there!
    Me and my hubby is interested in plant based- diet. Iโ€™m excited to try all your recipes.

    1. That’s fantastic, Amm – we’re so happy you are here.

      Let us know if you have questions and any comments along the way. Happy cooking!

      Kindest, Louise

    1. 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