Christmas is a great time for joy and celebrations. Good food forms a key aspect of the merry making. Tofu is one ingredient that goes into many different types of recipe and adds a special touch to many conventional dishes. It is a versatile and easy-to-use soy-based bean curd that blends well with a lot of recipes to create new dishes to satiate our appetite at the holiday season. Here are 25 finest tofu recipe ideas to light up the Christmas season.
Tofu Green Curry Recipe:
This is a recipe that makes use of tofu instead of any kind of meat to create a flavour-rich green curry. It is a popular vegetarian dish that is also well provided with protein. The tofu used is in the roasted form. Some of the other key ingredients in this curry are onion, olive oil, garlic cloves, cauliflower, coconut milk and mint. Once the curry is ready, it is garnished with a lime wedge and served with cucumber flavoured with herbs.
Tofu scramble :
Scrambled eggs have been an inevitable item on the breakfast tables in most part so the world. However, we can have an interesting variation by replacing the egg with tofu. The dish can be further enhanced by adding various ingredients like bell pepper, spinach and red onion. Seasonings like garlic and turmeric can be also included to create a hearty breakfast menu.
Vegetable Curry Noodles:
The word curry is always a temptation for many, because of the blend of flavors- spicy, sweet and sour. It can be a stand-alone dish without any kind of meat going into it. When we also have noodles as part of it, the taste is amazing. The whole dish is enriched by coconut milk with tofu, red curry paste, some boiled egg and vegetables like carrots. The item takes only about 20 minutes to prepare and is tasty as well as filling.
Tofu based – Vegan crestless Asparagus Quiche :
This vegan quiche is so delicious and soft it will melt in your mouth. It is a good mix of protein for the tofu and vegetables. It is quite easy to prepare as well. Tofu is added in a mashed form to soy milk and flour, along with flaxseeds, and dill. The mix is take nina baking dish and topped with asparagus before being baked for 20 min. The quiche makes a favourite Christmas dish.
Ham And Cheese Fried Tofu (Abura-Age) Pockets:
This is a tofu rich recipe that tastes marvelous. These are the ham and cheese fried tofu pockets. Deep fried Tofu slices are the key ingredients. These delicious tofu pockets can be used in miss soups, noodle soups. To add more substance, fried pockets are stuffed with cabbage, ham and cheese. Then these are fried to make them crispy. They are served with mayonnaise and soy sauce to lend it a further fabulous taste.
Almond crusted baked tofu Nuggets :
The chicken nuggets are favourite times of all, especially children. But here we have tofu in place of chicken to provide a healthier alternative. The tofu is coated with a breading, which in turn has ingredients like almonds, flour, egg and yeast. The sauce for dipping is composed of avocado, Greek yogurt, garlic, pepper and lime. All in all these nuggets make a delicious bite.
BBQ Avocado smoked Tofu Toast:
These are tasty and simple snack items which are totally vegan. The avocado content ensures that the item has a special taste and is rich in healthy fats. To prepare this snack, you need to marinade tofu and zucchini slices along with soy sauce, garlic and smoked paprika in powder form. Avocado, tofu and zucchini, and sliced almonds are placed on a toast, and served with a BBQ sauce.
Tofu (Chicken) Noodle soup:
Chicken noodle soup is a traditional Chinese food item that anyone can enjoy on a cold evening or when you are down with a severe cold. However, for someone who is a vegetarian or a vegan, the same effect can be achieved by substituting the chicken with specially prepared tofu that is firm. Apart from this key change other ingredients of the traditional soup can all be the same like carrots, spring onion, pasta and the like.
Honey Sriracha Tofu:
This is a sweet and spicy bite with tofu content and has a lightly fried outside. This is a mild flavored snack that will please anyone not used earlier to tofu based food. It is a honey-laced sriracha blend with classic Chinese flavor. What makes it attractive is that the outside is quite crispy while it is soft as silk inside. It is a fine combination that would make it a great introduction to tofu-based dishes for those uninitiated.
Hiyayakko (Chilled Silken Tofu):
This is one of the simplest and most classic recipes that are tofu based. It is Japanese in origin and has an interesting tradition. ‘Hiya’ means cold. This dish is served best in chilled condition. This item has five ingredients. These are silken tofu, fresh ginger and soy sauce, scallions and flakes of bonito. It’s a very refreshing food item for the holiday season.
Tofu Breakfast Tacos:
There is a general feeling that tacos are right for a lunch or a dinner meal. But we can create a great breakfast meal by scrambling tofu with yeast, garlic and onion in powder form, and turmeric. The other ingredients are taco seasoning along with cherry tomatoes and spinach. The taco shells are made of whole-wheat. The final touch comes through the cilantro seasoning. The final product is a wholesome and protein-rich breakfast.
Crispy baked Garlic Tofu:
Tofu that is baked to a crispy form and served with a traditional Chinese garlic sauce, makes a great dish. To prepare this soy sauce, onion powder, brown sugar, and sriracha are taken in a saucepan, and cornstarch and water added to that. Tofu is added after the sauce has thickened. It is usually served with brown rice or broccoli and can be a healthy dinner option.
Pan-seared Tandoori Tofu :
Tofu is a great ingredient to replace meat and that is exactly what we find in an unconventional version of an easy to make, vegetarian tandoori item. The tandoori spice mix is created by making use of ingredients like pepper, cumin, salt, turmeric. Other items added are black pepper, smoked paprika, as well as flakes of red pepper. The tofu slices are coated in the mix prepared earlier and fried in a pan. The dish is usually served along with brown rice or lentils and select vegetables.
Curried tofu scramble with spinach:
If you are looking for a savoury dish to have at breakfast time this special tofu scramble is a good choice. Crumbled tofu is cooked till it turns golden brown in colour. Next, olive oil, onion, garlic, and bell pepper are added. The dish is further seasoned by stirring with cumin, curry powder and coriander. It can be served after garnishing it with spring onions.
Curried Tofu salad:
You may find cold tofu not a very inviting deal, However, when you combine with it salad items like celery, sliced carrots, onions, sliced almonds and raisins, along with a delicious curry sauce, the overall flavour becomes irresistible. The sauce is specially prepared using milk, curry powder, pepper and agave. The salad can be served along with toast or in a wrap.
Tofu and Broccoli With Spicy Oyster Sauce:
This is highly inviting dish of tofu and broccoli has the best features of a standard Chinese stir fry but with a welcome difference. The novel touch is the combination of Korean pepper flakes and sesame oil. That transforms the common oyster sauce into a complex addition. The tofu is creamy and the broccoli florets are tender. The sauce itself is spicy and sour all adding up to a dish that can be a wonderful alternative to traditional salads.
Agedashi Tofu (Deep Fried Silken Tofu With Dashi Broth)
This is a popular tofu based dish which is known as a great Japanese appetizer or starter. Agedashi tofu is tofu cut in the shape of cubes and coated with potato starch. It is then deep fried until it becomes quite crispy. Next, the cubes are placed into a warm broth that is made with dashi, mirin and soy sauce. The blend is then topped with bonito flakes and chopped scallions. Some find the dish so appealing they like to have it everyday.
Green Tea Apple Smoothie With Tofu:
Green tea is a healthy beverage and along with apple smoothie, the taste is superb. Adding tofu to this combination makes the whole thing a wonderfully nourishing and healthy drink. What goes into making the smoothie are some sliced apple, ginger and lemon juice. Altogether, this is a drink that will serve to detox the body as well.
Curry Tofu Autumn Rolls:
The tofu added autumn rolls have a special flavour and are easy to make. The tofu is first scrambled the same way eggs are scrambled. To this, you need to add peanuts and kale. These are next mixed with lime juice, cilantro, scallion, soy sauce and curry powder. The whole item is rolled up as in the ease of a buritto. The delightful rolls are now ready to be enjoyed.
Silken Tofu with Mushroom Sauce:
This is a tofu-based dish that is acknowledged as a wonderful appetizer that will delight any of your guests. Silken tofu pieces are made use of and are served with daikon that is freshly grated. Ginger and sweet Anaheim peppers are also added. Another key element is the shiitake mushroom gravy. The topping is provided by chopped cilantro. The best thing about this item is that it takes only about 20 minutes to prepare.
Healthy Chicken Mapo Tofu:
The usual kind of Mapo tofu is prepared using a lot of oil which is not a sound or healthy option. Overuse of chilis also make things very spicy. But this healthy variation of mapo tofu recipe has things well under control as a very limited quantity of oil is used during preparation. The tobanjan paste and just one jalapeno pepper used keeps the spicy nature also in check. With these modifications, we get a dish that is tasty but low in calories.
Chocolate Tofu Mousse:
The Tofu mousse is a very delicious and healthy dessert fit for any big holiday meal. The mousse can be made fast and the chocolate flavor stands out without being too sweet either. To add a bit of spiciness, cayenne pepper and cinnamon be sprinkled on top. Thus it becomes a nutritious dessert you will easily relish.
Creamy Tofu Ginger Dressing:
This is a tasty and healthy as well as creamy dressing that does not use any dairy products and hence a welcome item for the vegans. Normal mayonnaise or cream is replaced with tofu. It is low in fat content and yet tangy and sweet like the traditional Japanese dressing. This goes well with greens and noodles. It is also put to use as a dipping sauce.
Tofu cacao Nib pancakes:
The usual protein pancakes generally taste rather tame. By making use of tofu as an ingredient, we can achieve a better lasting and equally healthy protein-rich breakfast treat. It is soft and fluffy in texture. The pancakes are made sweeter by the addition of cacao nibs and extract of vanilla. A touch of maple syrup makes it even more enjoyable.
Vegan Mapo Tofu:
As the name indicates this is a dish for the serious vegans as it keeps out any kind of meat or dairy product. The mushroom used is good enough to provide the calories. The tofu provides the protein and is also great on our taste buds.
Tofu is packed with health benefits, being free of gluten and low in calories. The wonderful recipe ideas chosen with care and presented above would provide a rich variety of delicious and mouth-watering dishes to enrich the Christmas fare. What else can you ask for at this time of festivity and joy?
