My spicy braised tofu recipe will blow you away! Braising your tofu is just about the easiest, quickest way to infuse it with maximum flavor. Serve that tofu with some peppers and rice, and you've got an absolutely delicious vegan meal that can be on the table in record time!
People often ask me how to make tofu taste good. The answer isn't all that simple, since there are a handful of methods. For crispy, restaurant-style tofu, I'll usually recommend fried tofu. For intensely flavorful tofu, I'll refer folks to one of my baked tofu recipes, like my lemon and herb baked tofu or Italian baked tofu.
Today I'm sharing another method that I think you'll love for infusing your tofu with flavor: braising it!
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Braising is a method of cooking where you briefly sauté your food, then simmer it in a little bit of super flavorful sauce. You've probably heard of folks cooking meat this way, but it works great for tofu as well, resulting in tofu with great texture and amazing flavor.
Braised tofu is just as flavorful as baked tofu if you ask me, but whereas with baking your tofu will generally need to spend a minimum of thirty minutes in the oven, braising can be done super quickly.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Soy sauce. Substitute gluten-free tamari or liquid aminos if needed.
- Water.
- Brown sugar. Use organic brown sugar to keep the recipe vegan. Non-organic sugars are sometimes processed using animal bone char.
- Sriracha sauce. Sriracha contains sugar, so it may not be vegan! I've linked to a vegan brand that I like in the recipe card.
- Toasted sesame oil. Most grocery stores sell this in the international foods aisle.
- Tofu. I like this recipe best with super-firm tofu. You can also use extra-firm tofu, but you'll need to press it first. Confused about all the varieties of tofu? Read my comprehensive guide to tofu.
- Vegetable oil. Any neutral high-heat oil will work! Peanut oil, corn oil, canola oil, and coconut oil are all fine options.
- Red bell pepper. I've included this to make the recipe into a well rounded meal. But you can leave it out if you'd like.
- Garlic.
- Scallions. You might know them as green onions.
- Toasted sesame seeds.
- Rice. Pairing this tofu up with rice is a great way to make it into a main dish, but you can skip the rice if you'd like, or swap it out with something else like quinoa or noodles.
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!
Start by mixing your sauce. Stir together soy sauce, water, brown sugar, sriracha, and sesame oil.
Pan-fry your tofu next. Heat some oil in a skillet, then add tofu triangles. Cook them for a few minutes on each side, then remove them from the skillet.
Tip: The recipe instructs you to cut your tofu into triangles, but you can certainly cut it into cubes, strips, or slabs if you prefer!
Raise the heat a bit and add sliced bell peppers. Cook the peppers for a few minutes, just until they're starting to soften.
Add some minced garlic and just the white parts of your scallions. Cook them for about thirty seconds, stirring constantly to prevent them from burning.
Add the tofu back to the skillet, then carefully pour the sauce over the tofu.
Simmer the tofu and peppers in the sauce. The tofu will suck up all that delicious flavor while this happens.
Now take the skillet off of heat and stir in the green parts of your scallions.
Sprinkle your braised tofu with some toasted sesame seeds.
Your spicy braised tofu is ready to enjoy!
Variations & Serving Ideas
- For a milder version of this dish, reduce the amount of sriracha sauce or skip it completely.
- Add your favorite veggies! Broccoli, snap peas, asparagus, carrots, and cabbage would all make delicious additions and can be added at the same time as the red bell pepper. If you're adding a lot of veggies, consider increasing the amount of sauce by 50% or so.
- Try serving this dish over my coconut rice. The richness will go really well with the sweet and spicy flavors of the tofu.
- Skip the rice and serve the tofu and peppers on a sandwich.
Leftovers & Reheating
Braised tofu will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about three days, or in the freezer for about three months.
This dish is best reheated in the microwave. Place it in a microwave-safe bowl, cover it with a wet paper towel, and microwave it in one minute increments until hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
This dish has a medium level of spice to it. For a milder version, lower the amount of sriracha. For extra heat, use extra sriracha or add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
It can be, if you use gluten-free tamari or liquid aminos instead of soy sauce.
You can! Use a really good nonstick cooking surface to prevent the tofu from sticking, and add a tablespoon or two of water when cooking the bell peppers. The sesame oil is in there for flavor, but can be omitted if necessary.
More Easy Tofu Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Spicy Braised Tofu
Ingredients
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons organic brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 (16 ounce/454 gram) package super-firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 scallions, green and white parts separated and chopped
- Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- Stir the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, sriracha sauce, and sesame oil together in a small bowl or container.
- Cut the block of tofu into triangles. To do this, first slice it length-wise into slabs of slightly less than ½ inch. Cut each slab in half to make two squares, then cut each square on a diagonal.
- Coat the bottom of a large nonstick skillet with the oil and place it over medium heat. Give the oil a minute to heat up, then add the tofu triangles in a single layer.
- Cook the tofu for about five minutes on each side, until the pieces are golden brown. Remove the tofu from the skillet and transfer it to a plate when done.
- Raise the heat to medium high and add the bell pepper to the skillet. Cook the pepper for about two minutes, stirring constantly, until the pieces are tender crisp and have brightened in color a bit.
- Push the pepper pieces to the side and add the garlic and white parts of your scallions to the space you just made. Sauté the aromatics for about thirty seconds, stirring constantly, until it becomes very fragrant.
- Lower the heat to medium. Return the tofu to the skillet. Carefully pour the sauce mixture over the tofu and stir everything together. Let the tofu and peppers simmer until most of the sauce has evaporated or been absorbed by the tofu.
- Remove the skillet from heat. Stir the green parts of the scallions in with the tofu and top it with sesame seeds.
- Serve with rice.
Notes
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