25 Ways to Use Tofu That Aren’t ‘Chewy and Bland’

Tofu can be used to make everything from katsu cutlets to cheesecake to scallops

Arabella Breck
Published in
3 min readJun 16, 2020

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A since-deleted tweet from Bloomberg Asia

Let’s get something out of the way right now; tofu far from “white, chewy and bland.” Before even discussing the myriad of ways that this incredible ingredient can be used, it is important to acknowledge the long and complex history of tofu, that goes far beyond the ingredients popularization within vegan and vegetarian circles. The history behind tofu shows “that while meat-alternatives are often portrayed as strange newfangled treats for crunchy Americans, they are actually just the latest iteration of two millennia of multicultural innovation.”

Tofu experts, like chef and author of Asian Tofu: Discover the Best, Make Your Own, and Cook It at Home Andrea Nguyen, say that any “tofu-hating” and “tofu-bashing” really comes from a lack of knowledge about how to use this amazing ingredient with a side of racism and xenophobia.

The key to making tofu shine is taking the time to learn how to use it, like you should with basically any ingredient. The first step in preparing a good tofu dish is obtaining good tofu, and the best quality tofu you can get is tofu that is made fresh locally or made in your own home (it is easier than you think!). You should also know that there is a vast…

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Arabella Breck
Tenderly

queer writer + editor from the southwest, living in the midwest.