Here’s a tasty selection of silken tofu recipes, including soups, pastas, pizzas, and desserts, and more. Discover the versatility of this variety of tofu. Bonus — it’s shelf stable.
Silken tofu is available in 14- to 16-ounce tubs or 12.3 ounce aseptic cartons. I like to keep a few of the latter on hand at all times, as they’re shelf stable. They can be kept in the pantry for quite a long time — up to a year. Look for a best-used-by-date on the carton.
Silken tofu is ideal for: Soft and smooth, silken tofu ideal to puree and use as a base for soups, dips, and sauces. It also makes wonderfully creamy dessert puddings and pie fillings.
It’s not suited for: This type of tofu isn’t the best for stir-fries or nuggets, as it’s quite delicate and tends to fall apart in these kinds of preparations.
The most widely available brand is Mori-nu. Silken tofu most widely comes in firm and extra-firm (which aren’t very different from one another). There are a few other variations as well, which you can see at Mori-nu. Here you see what a shelf-stable 12.3-ounce carton of extra-firm looks like.
Nasoya offers a tub variety of silken tofu which, like other types of tub tofu, needs to be refrigerated and used by a date specified on the container.
Savory recipes
Creamy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes: It’s easy to make creamy vegan scalloped potatoes by using silken tofu instead of a flour-thickened dairy sauce. It’s a dish of pure comfort!
Vegetable Tofu Scramble with Lots of Variations: For vegans, the breakfast and brunch repertoire wouldn’t be complete without a great basic vegetable tofu scramble. This one gives you the option of using the tub variety of firm tofu, or silken tofu.
Asian Noodle Soup with Tofu, Greens, & Shiitake Mushrooms: When you want to warm up quickly, here’s an Asian noodle soup that’s ready from start to finish in 30 minutes or less. Filled with greens, tofu, and shiitake mushrooms, it’s a lively first course.
Gingery Miso-Mushroom Soup: Featuring plenty of silken tofu, here’s a light yet satisfying way to warm up most any time of year. And it’s vegan, unlike miso soup served in Japanese restaurants.
New England Vegan Clam Chowder: This vegan chowder is a creamy, plant-based version of the classic New England soup. Filled with potatoes, corn, and carrots, the protein is provided by plant-based seafood alternatives or baked tofu.
Silken Tofu and Cauliflower Alfredo: This vegan Alfredo pasta is proof positive of the versatility of this beloved cruciferous vegetable, but what’s even more convincing is the creamy texture.
Vegan Stroganoff with Seitan and Mushrooms: In this delectable and easy recipe, traditional beef Stroganoff goes plant-based with seitan. Silken tofu is used instead of heavy cream and butter.
Super-Easy Vegan Macaroni and Cheese: This easy vegan macaroni and cheese recipe is the ultimate comfort food. Using pureed silken tofu as a base makes it creamy and deceptively rich-tasting.
Lasagna-Like Vegan Pasta Casserole: Here’s an easy casserole that has all the great flavors of lasagna with less hassle. You can guess what stands in for the traditional ricotta cheese!
Spinach and Olive Pizza: Pizza is one of those things that actually requires ideas more than exact recipes. This tasty vegan spinach and olive pizza is a case in point. Silken tofu is the secret ingredient for the white pizza variation.
Vegan Sausage and Peppers Pizza: Here’s another pizza that can be made white (with silken tofu) or red (with marinara sauce), and both are fantastic!
Roasted Red Pepper Dip: Roasted red pepper dip is an easy vegan appetizer you can make in a flash, using just 5 ingredients.
Sweet recipes
Sweet noodle kugel: The Jewish classic is made dairy free with silken tofu standing in for ricotta or farmer’s cheese, but it’s just as luscious as the original. Though sweet, this dish is usually served as part of a meal, especially at holidays, rather than as a dessert.
Vegan Chocolate Mousse Pie: Silken tofu is the secret to this vegan chocolate mousse pie —it has just the right consistency to create a smooth and creamy texture.
Silken Tofu and Avocado Chocolate Mousse: This luscious and easy silken tofu chocolate mousse and avocado chocolate pudding is a mash-up of two contemporary classics.
Easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie: Thanksgiving dinner without pumpkin pie is hard to imagine. But you need not wait for a holiday to enjoy this easy silken tofu-based vegan pumpkin pie, which offers an option to use butternut squash.
Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Hint of Chocolate: Here’s another silken tofu-based vegan pumpkin cheesecake that treats your taste buds to a subtle chocolate burst with each bite.
Vegan Sweet Potato Pie: A dessert that brightens everyday or special occasion fall / winter meals. Silken tofu is the perfect base for the pie filling, setting up beautifully when baked.
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