My rosemary apple cider tofu is a flavor-packed main dish that's perfect for everything from holiday celebrations to weeknight dinners! Made with pan-fried tofu simmered in a sweet and savory sauce made with cider, brown sugar, and rosemary, this recipe will make a tofu lover out of anyone. The best part: this easy dish comes together in about thirty minutes!
Tofu is one of my favorite ingredients to center a delicious plant-based meal around. I absolutely love the stuff and generally serve it for dinner several times a week. So it makes perfect sense for me to create a holiday main dish with tofu as the star ingredient! I've actually done that already, with my brown sugar glazed tofu. But for Thanksgiving I was hoping for something with more fall vibes. That's how this apple cider tofu came to be!
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I also love cooking with apple cider, particularly during the autumn, but usually I feature it in sweet recipes, like my vegan apple cider doughnuts, or my vegan apple cider muffins. Well guess what? Apple cider is also delicious when added to savory recipes, and it pairs up wonderfully with flavors like ginger and fresh rosemary, both of which are included in this dish.
This recipe is perfect for holiday dinners, and about as easy as a holiday main dish can be. It's so easy, in fact, that I predict you'll want to make this for non-holiday dinners as well.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Apple cider. Not to be confused with apple cider vinegar. If you use apple cider vinegar, the dish will taste terrible. Depending on where you're located, apple cider may go by a different name, such as cloudy apple juice.
- Brown sugar. Use organic brown sugar to keep the recipe vegan. Conventional brown sugar is processed with animal bone char in some areas.
- Spices. You'll need a bit of ground ginger and nutmeg.
- Salt.
- Vegan butter. This can be purchased at most grocery stores, right near the regular butter in the refrigerated section. Vegetable oil can be substituted if vegan butter isn't available.
- Tofu. The recipe calls for super-firm tofu, and while you could technically get away with subbing a softer variety, I don't recommend it. Super-firm is the best variety for holding it's shape as it simmers in the apple cider sauce.
- Shallots.
- Garlic.
- Apple. You can use just about any type of apple, so go with your fave! I like this dish with Gala or Granny Smith, but it's really a matter of personal preference.
- Fresh rosemary. Fresh rosemary is key! I don't recommend substituting dried.
- Cold water.
- Cornstarch. You'll be using this to thicken the sauce at the end of cooking.
- Black pepper.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Mix your sauce ingredients: apple cider, brown sugar, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
Step 2: Pan-fry your tofu slices. Melt some vegan butter in a skillet and cook them for a few minutes on each side. Take them out of the skillet when they're done.
Step 3: Add a bit more butter to the skillet if needed, then add sliced shallots. Cook the shallots for a few minutes, just until they start to brown.
Step 4: Now add your minced garlic. Sauté it briefly, making sure to stir it constantly to prevent it from browining.
Step 5: Add apple slices, your rosemary sprig (the whole thing!), and the apple cider mixture to the skillet. Simmer everything for about ten minutes, or until the liquid reduces by about half.
Step 6: To make your thickener, stir a bit of cold water and cornstarch together, then add it to the skillet. Add your tofu back to the skillet. Stir everything up (gently!) and bring the liquid back to a simmer. Remove it from heat once it starts to bubble and thicken.
Step 7: Remove the rosemary sprig from the pot and season your apple cider tofu with some salt and pepper. If you're making this for a special dinner and have some extra rosemary, you can add a sprig or two back to the dish as a garnish.
Your apple cider tofu is ready to enjoy!
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover rosemary apple cider tofu will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about three days. You can reheat it in the microwave, or in a skillet on the stove. Add a splash of water if the sauce has dried up too much.
Frequently Asked Questions
It sure is!
Not if you're using super-firm tofu, as specified in the recipe. If you're substituting a softer variety (which I don't actually recommend), then definitely press it. You can learn how by reading my guide on how to press tofu.
Perhaps! I haven't tested the recipe using apple juice. Apple juice is generally sweeter than apple cider, so keep that in mind, and consider adjusting the recipe accordingly, such as by omitting the brown sugar and/or adding a splash of apple cider vinegar.
What to Serve with Rosemary Apple Cider Tofu
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📖 Recipe
Rosemary Apple Cider Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 cup apple cider (not apple cider vinegar, See Note 1)
- 2 tablespoons organic brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter (plus more if needed)
- 1 (16 ounce/454 gram) package super-firm tofu, sliced into thin squares or rectangles (about ¼ inch thick)
- ½ cup thinly sliced shallots (about one medium shallot)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 (4-inch) sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Stir the apple cider, brown sugar, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together in a small container.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Push the butter around to evenly coat the bottom of the skillet, then add the tofu slices in an even layer. Cook the tofu for about eight minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through, until they're golden brown on both sides. Transfer the tofu to a plate when done.
- Turn up the heat to medium-high. You can add a bit more butter to the skillet at this point if it seems dry. Add the shallot and sauté it for about five minutes, until soft and just beginning to brown.
- Push the shallot to the side and add the minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté the garlic for about one minute, stirring constantly, until it becomes very fragrant.
- Add the apple, rosemary sprig, and the apple cider mixture to the skillet. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat and let everything cook at a low simmer. Gently stir everything occasionally. Let the mixture simmer for about ten minutes, until the liquid reduces by about half.
- While the mixture simmers, stir the cornstarch and cold water together in a small container. Add the cornstarch mixture to the skillet, give the mixture a quick stir, then return the tofu to the skillet. Bring the liquid back to a simmer. It should thicken slightly. Once this occurs, you can remove it from heat.
- Remove the rosemary sprig from the skillet, then season the tofu with additional salt to taste, along with some black pepper.
- Serve.
Notes
- In some areas this apple cider is referred to as cloudy apple juice.
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Minor point but in instruction #6 it should be "mixture" not "tofu" that is simmering.
I have added this very intriguing recipe to my idea list.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy the dish!!