Let’s face it: Meat is expensive! One of the easiest ways to lower your grocery bill is to cut out meat, at least some of the time. It’s not that there aren’t ways to save on meat–there are–but ultimately even meat bought on sale or in bulk is still pretty darn expensive when you consider the alternatives.
Tofu is one of those weird foods that seems to scare people away, but I think it just has a bad rap. It’s relatively cheap, healthy, and full of protein, and, provide it is prepared well, seriously delicious. The problem is that when it’s not prepared well it tends to be little more than a lump of bland, tasteless mush.
It took me a long time to figure out how to cook tofu. The secret is taking the time to press out all the excess moisture. Once you’ve done that, you can cook it and it will actually hold it’s shape and have a great texture when you eat it.
Pressing tofu is very easy. You just need a lot of paper towels and a big stack of plates. Wrap the tofu with several layers of paper towel (go around at least 10 times!), then place the lump of wrapped tofu on one plate, and place a stack of plates on top to weight it down. (Use the wall to stabilize the plates!) Let sit for about a half-hour.
Once your tofu is sufficiently squished, remove the plates and unwrap the paper towels, then cut the tofu into slices, cubes, or sticks (depending on your preference–I like cubes because they leave more surface area for the sauce!)
Adding flavor is important, and the possibilities are almost endless. In this case I literally just opened up my fridge, grabbed the first condiments I spotted–ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, hot sauce, & honey–and mixed them together, but I have also had great results with soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, & BBQ sauce. The key is flavor–the more the better!
Once you’ve decided on your flavor, liberally coat the tofu with the sauce, then spread out on a foil covered pan. 
Roast at 400 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes, stirring once during cooking. Serve plain or over salad, pasta, or rice. Delicious warm or cold!
So what do you think? Are you ready to try tofu? Do you already eat it & love it? Still not convinced?
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Tristan August 13, 2011 at 3:25 pm
I dunno… I’m still not convinced by it. My SIL is a pescitarian, so I sent her this recipe. I told her if she makes it, I’ll try it
Brittany August 13, 2011 at 3:37 pm
Pressing tofu is a new techinque I will be trying, thanks for sharing! Looks yummy!
heather August 13, 2011 at 4:51 pm
I will be trying this in my future, that tofu looks so crispy and delicious!!!
Jessica Washburn August 13, 2011 at 7:59 pm
Hi Ruth, No, I don’t like tofu, but I think I’d try it if you prepared it for me. You actually make it look good!
So I’ve decided to stop blogging, I’m hoping I’ll have more time to keep up with my favorite blogs. Do you know of anyone who’s had their blogs printed into books? If so let me know, I’m trying to decided who to use. I’ll keep them as scrapbooks I guess. xoxo, Jess
Tracey August 13, 2011 at 11:51 pm
My friend Jen made your Banana Bread recipe (with tofu) and I tried it and as it turned out I loved it! I may have to give this one a try! Thank you for this recipe!
Melony August 14, 2011 at 1:22 am
I’m willing to try just about anything and if it means that I can feed my family of 6 for less out-of-pocket…..then they will be none the wiser! Thanks for taking the “scary” out of tofu, Ruth! LOVE your blog! : )
Naly August 14, 2011 at 5:23 am
Ruth,
First off, I love the picture of you! Tofu, actually tastes very good…yes…if prepared correctly. I’ve never done it the way you have, but you can eat Tofu in many ways. I like my tofu with vegetables. Broccoli, Tofu seasoned with oyster sauce is delicious! Try it!
Ruth August 16, 2011 at 8:39 am
That does sound good! Thanks for the tip.
Michelle August 15, 2011 at 2:52 am
Looks great! I love flavored tofu.
Bohemian Hijabi August 15, 2011 at 2:18 pm
Thanks for the recipe! I am not vegetarian, but sort of “flexitarian” I guess, depending on my mood. I have had some awesome tofu dishes from Whole Foods, but failed miserably when I tried to recreate them.
Karen in NC August 15, 2011 at 5:25 pm
What was the firmness of the tofu you used? Extra firm?
Ruth August 16, 2011 at 8:36 am
I believe it was extra firm or firm, yes.
Tessa B. August 18, 2011 at 1:42 am
Great ideas! I have been trying to like tofu for a while. I know that pound for pound it is the cheapest protein around, and it’s so good for you!!! Even I, the adventurous eater in the family, have had issues finding appetizing ways to eat it. Thank you for sharing! This looks tasty!
Sue H August 19, 2011 at 5:12 am
Thank you for your defence of tofu. As a vegetarian it’s a staple in my house. I used to press it with the paper towels, but now I don’t bother with them. I just slice the block in half horizontally, lay it between 2 plates and weight it with a cast iron dutch oven for about half an hour. Then I pour off the water that was pressed out. Works fine and saves on paper towels.
Chrissy August 19, 2011 at 9:23 pm
MM, Going to try this, I love Tofu, but never tried it that way before!
Look forward to stumping my husband on “name this food” hahaha!
Samantha August 22, 2011 at 12:01 am
Made this for the family tonight. W enjoyed it. The kids didn’t like the way seasoned it because it was way too spicy for them. Otherwise it was a big hit
MeggieB August 22, 2011 at 1:02 am
I love tofu but never think to buy/make it. I’ll have to try this…my husband and son aren’t picky at all and I bet we’ll all like it.
Kerry September 30, 2011 at 12:07 am
I never knew about pressing the tofu so I am very excited to try it now! My husband and I aren’t vegetarians, but we do like to eat healthy and eat a few vetegarian and vegan meals throughout the week. I just found a new barbeque sauce recipe so I can’t wait to see how it turns out with the tofu cubes! Thanks for the tips and the cooking method!!