How to Cook Smoked Tofu

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: November 15, 2021

If you'd like to add protein and rich flavor to your meals, include smoked tofu. Buy it at the grocery or local health foods store. Then cut the smoked tofu into bites and sauté it in a little vegetable oil. Mix in rice and vegetables for a complete stir-fried rice meal or stir in mushrooms and greens. Spoon the smoked tofu and vegetable mixture over sourdough toast for a light meal. You can also fry the smoked tofu with sweet potatoes and broccoli to make a great breakfast hash.

Ingredients

Smoked Tofu Stir-Fried Rice

2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, divided
¹⁄₂ pound (230 g) smoked tofu, cut into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) pieces
1 small yellow onion, cut into ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) pieces
6 scallions, white and green parts separated, both parts thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon (6 g) minced fresh ginger
4 cups (1 kg) cooked short-grain brown rice
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce
1/2 cup (75 g) sweet peas

Makes 4 servings

Spinach and Smoked Tofu Tahini Toasts

2 slices sourdough bread
2 cups (60 g) baby spinach
1 cup (110 g) mushrooms, chopped
1 inch (2.5 cm) olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
3 ¹⁄₂ ounces (99 g) smoked tofu, diced
2 tablespoons (30 ml) tahini
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1½ tablespoons (12.5 g) pine nuts, toasted
Paprika to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Makes 2 toasts

Smoked Tofu and Vegetable Hash

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 large red onion, minced
2 sweet potatoes, diced
1 1/4 cups (225 g) broccoli, roughly chopped
4 cups (200 g) spring greens, shredded
¹⁄₂ pound (230 g) smoked tofu, cut into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) pieces
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon (6 g) mushroom ketchup
1 tablespoon (17 g) tomato ketchup or purée
³⁄₄ cup (180 ml) vegetable stock or water

Makes 4 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Smoked Tofu Stir-Fried Rice

1
Sauté the smoked tofu for 3 minutes. Pour 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the vegetable oil into a wok or large skillet and turn the burner to high. When the oil shimmers, stir in the smoked tofu pieces. Stir and sauté the smoked tofu until it's golden brown on all sides. Scoop the tofu onto a plate and set it aside.^{[1]
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2
Sauté the onion, carrots, and whites of the scallions for 5 minutes. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vegetable oil into the wok or skillet. Stir in the chopped onion, carrots, and scallions. Stir and cook the vegetables until they're slightly soft.^{[2]
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3
Stir in and sauté the garlic and ginger for 1 minute. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon (6 g) of minced fresh ginger to the wok or skillet. Stir the mixture just until you can smell the garlic and ginger.^{[3]
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4
Stir in and fry the rice and scallion greens for 3 minutes. Scoop 4 cups (1 kg) of cooked short-grain brown rice and the scallion greens into the wok or skillet. Stir and cook the fried rice over high heat until the rice turns golden and slightly crispy.^{[4]
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- Try to use cold cooked rice for the best results.
5
Make a well in the center of the rice and pour in the 4 beaten eggs. Use a spoon to scoop the rice away from the middle of the wok or skillet. Move the rice to the sides so you can pour the beaten eggs in the center.^{[5]
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6
Stir and cook the eggs for 1 minute. Keep the burner on high and let the eggs cook in the middle of the pan until they're softly cooked. Stir the eggs, but keep them in the center.^{[6]
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7
Mix the eggs into the rice and cook for 1 minute. Use a spatula or large spoon to stir the cooked eggs into the rice. Keep stirring as you cook the mixture.^{[7]
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8
Stir in the smoked tofu, soy sauce, peas, and cook it for 1 more minute. Add the sautéed smoked tofu into fried rice along with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of soy sauce and 1/2 cup (75 g) of sweet peas. Continue to stir and cook the fried rice over high heat for 1 minute.^{[8]
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9
Serve the smoked tofu fried rice. Turn off the burner and divide the fried rice among 4 serving bowls. Garnish the fried rice with extra scallion greens and enjoy the fried rice immediately.^{[9]
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- Store the leftovers in an airtight container. Refrigerate and use them within 2 to 3 days.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Creating Spinach and Smoked Tofu Tahini Toasts

1
Stir together the tahini and lemon juice. Measure 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of tahini into a small bowl. Squeeze half of a lemon and pour the juice into the bowl. Stir the mixture until it's combined and thin. Set the sauce aside.^{[10]
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- If the mixture is too thick to drizzle from a spoon, stir in a few drops of water to thin it.
2
Sauté the baby spinach and onions for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour 1 inch (2.5 cm) of olive oil into a skillet and turn the burner on to medium. Stir in 2 cups (60 g) of baby spinach and 1 cup (110 g) of chopped mushrooms. Cook the vegetables until the spinach wilts and the mushrooms soften a little.^{[11]
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3
Stir in the smoked tofu, garlic, salt, and pepper. Dice 3 ¹⁄₂ ounces (99 g) of smoked tofu into ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) pieces and stir it into the skillet along with 1 clove of minced garlic. Add salt and pepper according to your taste.^{[12]
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4
Cook the smoked tofu mixture for 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir the tofu as it heats. Cook the mixture until the garlic becomes fragrant.^{[13]
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5
Toast the sourdough bread. Put 2 slices of sourdough bread in a toaster and heat them until they're as crisp and golden as you like.^{[14]
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6
Assemble the tahini tofu toasts. Place the toast on serving plates and spoon a little tahini lemon sauce over the bread. Spread half of the smoked tofu mixture on each toast and sprinkle both with the toasted pine nuts. Garnish the toasts with a sprinkle of paprika and serve them immediately.^{[15]
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- Avoid storing the tahini tofu toasts because the bread will become soggy as it's stored.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Frying Smoked Tofu and Vegetable Hash

1
Sauté the red onion for 5 to 7 minutes over medium heat. Pour 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil into a large skillet. Once the oil shimmers, stir in 1 large minced onion and cook it until it softens.^{[16]
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2
Boil 2 diced sweet potatoes in salted water for 2 minutes. Fill a large pot of water 3/4 full with water. Add a few pinches of salt and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the diced sweet potatoes to the water and boil them until they soften a little.^{[17]
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3
Boil the broccoli and greens with the sweet potatoes for 2 more minutes. Add 1 1/4 cups (225 g) of roughly chopped broccoli and 4 cups (200 g) of shredded spring greens. Boil all of the vegetables for 2 more minutes so the sweet potatoes are completely tender. Turn off the burner.^{[18]
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4
Drain the vegetables and transfer them to the skillet. Place a colander in the sink and drain the vegetables into it. Spoon the vegetables into the skillet with the onion.^{[19]
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5
Stir in the smoked tofu, garlic, vegetable stock, and ketchup. Dice ¹⁄₂ pound (230 g) of smoked tofu into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) pieces and add them to the skillet along with 1 finely chopped clove of garlic. Pour in the vegetable stock or water and stir in the mushroom and tomato ketchup.^{[20]
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6
Stir and fry the hash for 10 to 15 minutes. Cook the hash and stir it every few minutes. The vegetables will absorb the stock and the tofu will become crusty and browned once the hash is cooked.^{[21]
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7
Serve the smoked tofu and vegetable hash immediately. Consider topping the hash with poached or fried eggs. Garnish the hash with a little fresh parsley. While you can store leftover hash in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it will become soft or soggy as it's stored.^{[22]
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