how i saute tofu


This is how I saute tofu.   I drain the tofu but never press it, weird, I know.  Then I cut it into small dice and add it to a hot pan with a little canola oil.  I season it during this time.  


 
After about 10 minutes it starts to look like this.  When it gets to the perfect color, I remove it from the pan and let it sit for a few minutes.  This is when it loses it wobbly texture.



You can do anything with it at this point but tonight I made a bbq tofu pizza.  The dough is Trader Joes smeared with some bbq sauce, the sauteed tofu, corn and red peppers.  Bake on a pizza stone for about 20 minutes at 450 degrees.



This is how I saute tofu.  How do you?



30 comments

  1. Oh yum! So do you use a firm tofu? And do you add spices before you fry it?

    I love making vegetarian pizza's from scratch. One of my favourite weekend meals.

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  2. Ok, I have never purchased or cooked tofu before, but maybe I will. I do like it in stirfries.

    Meanwhile it is rainy here. So good for the garden.

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  3. I have always been a little wary of tofu as did not really know how to prepare it best - now I do - thanks Janet! The pizza looked DELISH by the the way. x

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  4. thank god for this post finally. The visual helps. I will give another crack at it.

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  5. Will be trying this with my daughter as she embarks on veggie eating.x

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  6. Good timing, this was our discussion during lunch yesterday.

    Will it melt in my mouth and not in the pan?

    xo jane

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  7. Great post! In hawaii we eat tofu on a regular basis. I also love to sautee it quite like you do and use it as the "meat" in my chili, spaghetti, stir fry, sukiyaki, or what have you, or soaked in a teriyaki sauce on skewers with veggies-grilled..so good!

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  8. I sprinkle cubed tofu with low salt soy sauce and toss to cover, then bake until it's the right color (w/o oil). Love it on salads.

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  9. leah - i use firm tofu and season it in the pan.

    ff - excellent.

    sarah - i also love it baked but this is how i saute it.

    amy - you can call me and i'll talk you through it!

    belinda - pretend you are cooking chicken. be patient and let it brown.

    jane - this is what you talk about at lunch? somehow i don't believe that! it will not melt in the pan, but make sure the pan is pretty hot.

    connie lou - i have never used it in spaghetti!

    louise - i do that too! i honestly prefer baked tofu.

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  10. the few times I have cooked tofu, that is how I did it too. Yours looks so much better though.

    Julie

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  11. Same as you, but I also prefer baked, so I rarely saute it. I never thought of using it in spaghetti either - great idea, though! karin

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  12. Hi Janet,

    What spices do you use? I never thought of using it on pizza!

    Linda

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  13. I've had tofu various ways but someone else cooked and served it to me...your pizza looks delicious!

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  14. I'm half Japanese and grew up in Hawai'i so my love of tofu runs deep. My two favorite ways to eat is straight out the container, diced, with soy sauce and a splash of sesame oil or sauteed with broccoli and seasoned with soy sauce, garlic and sweet chili sauce. Life without love is like tofu without soy sauce!

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  15. julie - i doubt it.

    karin - i thought so too.

    linda - it depends on what i'm making. season it like you would chicken.

    leslie - now you can try it yourself.

    karrina - do you press yours? i don't.

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  16. Am I the only one who thinks bbq sauce on a pizza just aint right?

    Everything else looks yummy though.

    Janet what are you going to fix for me when I finally get out there? Looks like it might be another week as Leo doesnt want to rush the mechanic.(insert eye roll here)

    the D R sis
    j.

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  17. looks delicious! haven't tried sauteing tofu yet, but i'd like to. thanks for the informative post.

    ~molly

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  18. Thank you SO much for this post! I do not eat meat, and I don't know how to prepare tofu. It seemed overwhelming to me, so I'm happy to read that it isn't difficult.

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  19. OK, that pizza looks positively scrumptious! I haven't done much with tofu, but I will buy it already prepared. there is a restaurant here in town that makes a firm tofu saute with sliced bell pepper, onions and mushrooms. They add a splash of some asian sauce and serve it with potatoes o'brien. Really good.

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  20. anon - apparently so!

    birdie blue - good luck.

    marygrace - easy as pie.

    bodeci - now i have never heard that one before but it sounds delish and i'm going to copy it.

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  21. I don't... have never cooked tofu, and I think I've only tasted it once, maybe twice:)- wasn't a fan!

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  22. i love bbq sauce on pizza! and this looks yummy and i am excited to try tofu. someone told me its really important to buy "organic" tofu.

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  23. joan - too bad, cause it's really good when cooked right.

    cricket - i hope you are referring to me b/c i always tell everyone to only buy organic soybeans otherwise they are gmo and you don't want those.

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  24. this recipe I can make it!!!! it´s so easy and delicious for someone like me that doesn´t like (hates) cooking, but this one is something different!!!!!!
    Thank you dear Janet,
    maria cecilia

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  25. I kind of like to deep fry it. Which may defeat the purpose.:)

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  26. I'm an avid tofu eater. But I don't cook it at home. I don't cook meat either. I'm a vegetarian. I can never find in the stores the kind of tofu I can get at a Thai Restaurant. There is the kind that has a coating on the outside and it's really firm...like you get at Pei Wei and there is the kind that is firm but has like a breading on it but it doesn't taste like a breading...it just looks like a breading...so I have no idea. I just know I like it. I just stick to vegetables at home and get my tofu out.

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  27. maria cecilia - you go girl

    lpc - no, no that does not defeat the purpose!
    the purpose is to save animals.

    nita - if i could duplicate the tofu at my favorite thai restaurant i would be in heaven. they've even shown me in the kitchen. they get their woks so hot - my kitchen would burn down.

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  28. I don't know how I missed this post. The pizza looks amazing!

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  29. I'm going to try your method tonight. A friend gave me some Chinese water spinach from his garden, so I'll toss in some red pepper flakes, garlic and teriyaki sauce or rice cooking wine. Salivating just thinking about it!

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