This protein-packed Japanese Tofu Steak is healthy, and quick! It's the perfect dish for when you don't have much time but don't want to resort to take-out!
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This crispy tofu steak recipe is super simple and makes tofu the star of the show! Learn how to make a savory, delightful vegan dinner with just a few ingredients.
Why You Will Love Japanese Tofu Steak
Protein-packed, healthy, and quick! This is a perfect dish to make when you’re busy or in a rush but still want to stay on track and be healthy rather than order take-out. It only took me about 15 minutes to make this plus the time it takes to cook the rice.
You are going to love this recipe because it’s a fantastic way to use up any leftover tofu you might have. I had some tofu to use after making tofu ice cream. After using the tofu to make a sweet dish, I thought I would use the leftovers to make it into something savory as well, which is why I made this Japanese Tofu Steak.
What Is Tofu Steak?
Tofu steak describes cooking extra-firm tofu on the stove just like you would a large cut of meat. It is usually a large piece of tofu that you cook all at once, but you could also use tofu that you cut up into cubes.
It is called tofu steak because it is large enough to resemble beef or pork steak.
Ingredients Needed To Make Tofu Steak Dinner
All you need to make a crispy tofu steak is some extra-firm tofu and some oil to fry it in. I created a delightful sauce that I drizzled on top of the tofu. The result is a crispy tofu steak with a bit of sweetness to it.
Then, I made it a complete meal with some veggies and rice. Here is a bit more information about the ingredients I used:
- Tofu: Use extra-firm tofu in as large of a piece as you can. In order for it to be a tofu steak, it should be a large piece of it, but small bite-sized pieces won’t change the taste of it.
- Soy Sauce: If you are gluten-free, use coconut aminos instead. You won’t need any additional salt if you use soy sauce.
- Mirin: This makes the sauce taste sweeter. If you don’t think it is sweet enough, add a bit more or even use your favorite type of sweetener, like honey.
- Bok Choy: This is really healthy for your gut since it is high in fibre. You can substitute your favorite type of vegetable for the bok choy.
- Rice: Either white or brown rice will be fine as a side dish for the tofu.
Optional Ways To Season Tofu Steak
If you are going to make my sauce, you don’t need to add any additional seasoning to the tofu. In fact, you might not want to because then the flavours will compete with the sweet soy sauce drizzle.
Always remember to match the tofu seasoning to the other flavours in the dish. If you are making a curry, add curry seasonings.
If you want to season the tofu steak, don’t use the sauce on top of it, and add some red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to it before you pan-fry it.
How To Press Tofu
The easiest way to press tofu is with a tofu press. The goal is to extract as much liquid out of the tofu as possible so that it fries up nicely and crispy.
If you don’t have a tofu press, you can use two plates. Place the block of tofu in between two dinner plates. Let it sit between them for about 10 minutes. This will drain extra liquid from the tofu.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tofu Steak
How can I save time and make this dinner even quicker?
The most time-consuming part of this recipe is the rice. The cooking time for the rice can easily be cut down if you pre-cook the rice on the weekend, freeze it and just re-heat it; this is something I often do to save time when I’m working during the week.
Is tofu healthy?
Yes, it is very good for you. It’s an excellent source of protein and contains all 9 amino acids. It also has iron, calcium, and vitamin B1.
How do you store leftover tofu steak?
Store leftover tofu steak in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
Is this recipe vegan?
Yes, this is a completely plant-based meal.
Which is better – brown or white rice?
This is completely up to you. Both types of rice are excellent sources of fibre and carbohydrates. Brown rice has a bit more fibre and antioxidants so people tend to want to eat more of it.
Why do I have to press firm tofu?
You must press the tofu if you want to fry or grill it. There is a lot of liquid in tofu and if you don’t remove this liquid by pressing it, you might have a soggy mess in the frying pan.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Soy sauce is not a gluten-free ingredient. If you need a completely gluten-free meal, use liquid aminos instead of soy sauce.
If you loved this recipe for tofu steak, make sure to take a look at some of these other tofu recipes:
- Agedashi Tofu
- Hiyayakko Cold Tofu
- Mashed Tofu Salad
- Scrambled Tofu Iri Dofu
- Miratashi Dango With Silken Tofu
Stay Connected
Hope you like this tofu steak recipe. If you liked the recipe, please rate it and leave a comment below. Also, don’t forget to follow me onYoutube,Pinterest,Facebook,Twitter,andInstagram. This way you keep up to date with all the latest happenings on Chopstick Chronicles. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #ChopstickChronicles so I can see your wonderful creations!
This post’s photos are updated on 26th September 2016. I did not have brown rice so I served with white rice.
Easy Crispy Japanese Tofu Steak
This protein-packed Japanese Tofu Steak is healthy, and quick! It’s the perfect dish for when you don’t have much time but don’t want to resort to take-out!
Course: Main Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes minutes
Total Time 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 118kcal
Author: Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles
Rate this recipe
4.91 from 11 votes
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Ingredients
- 150 g firm tofu *1
- 1 bunch bok choy or any of your favourite veggies
- 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil *3
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp mirin
- 1 cup cooked rice *2
Metric – US Customary
Instructions
Wrap the tofu in a paper towel and place it on a plate with another plate on top of the tofu to drain the excess water. Leave for about 10 minutes.
In the meantime, wash the bok choy and cook it in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes.
Drain the bok choy and serve it on a plate with the brown rice.
Heat some oil in a pan on high heat and cook the tofu until browned on both sides.
Pour the sauce over the tofu in the pan until the sauce has reduced/evaporated a little.
Serve the tofu on top of the rice and bok choy and drizzle the extra sauce on top.
Notes
*1 Firm tofu is more suitable than silken tofu for this recipe.
*2 I served with rice, but it can be served with any grains of your choice.
*3 I personally use sesame seeds oil for aroma.
Nutrition
Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 522mg | Potassium: 96mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0g | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.7mg
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