This is tofu for the tofu haters.  Trust me, I was one.

I’ve been turned off by tofu’s spongy, almost squishy texture for years.  After giving up meat and poultry a few years ago I so wanted to enjoy tofu for added variety in my diet. But, alas I couldn’t get over the darn malleable texture.

Then I discovered that tofu could get nice and crispy , and yes delicious.

I thank this impromptu crispy tofu recipe for making my mouth happy and getting me over my fear.

I found soba noodles to be a perfect pairing with the tofu, though brown rice would work well too. To bulk up the nutritional value I added sauteed green beans.

Crispy Tofu Recipe:

This Crispy Tofu recipe serves 2.

Ingredients:

• Extra firm tofu
• Organic green beans, leeks or kale (or whatever vegetables prefer – greens work well)
• 4 oz soba noodles
• 1 clove of garlic

Marinade:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp mustard ( I like spicy brown)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Method:

1. Prepare your tofu by draining between two cloths (or paper towels.) Don’t use a good cloth as the tofu will realease a lot of water. Press down on tofu for a few minutes.
2. Mix marinade ingredients in a big bowl, use a whisk to combine.  Sprinkle with pepper and salt (though it may be salty enough from the soy) to taste.
3. Cut tofu into squares or triangles. Pour marinade over tofu using a reusable container, and let sit for about 15 minutes. (Longer is fine – even overnight works – the flavors will just get stronger.)
4. Prepare soba noodles according to package
5. Heat a cast iron pan or wok wiith 1 tsbp olive oil or cooking spray and one clove of garlic – minced. Place tofu in pan for 15 minutes at medium heat, rotating half way through.  Throw in your vegetables after about 5 minutes.
6. Hint: I turn the heat up very high for the last minute of cooking to get the tofu super crispy
7. Remove from heat and serve over soba noodles.  Optional: 1 tsp of earth balance melted into soba noodles

Eat up! Enjoy the crispy tofu recipe & share your secret for former haters.

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Beth is a Health and Wellness expert who believes sustainability goes hand-in-hand with self care. She’s the girl whipping up kombucha cocktails at parties, and extolling the benefits of canning vegetables to anyone who will listen. View all posts by Beth Funari