If you’ve never had tofu or tried out some basic tofu recipes, it can be pretty intimidating. The meat substitute looks like it could turn into some kind of science fiction mutant at any moment, and its color is pretty “blah.”
However, tofu is actually extremely versatile, and you can do almost anything to it, including dessert. It pairs great with Asian flavors or simply seared in a pan, so we threw together a list of recipes that will stop you from wasting any more time shying away from it.
Tofu Salad Sandwich
Photo by Caitlin Johnson
There’s chicken salad, tuna salad, and egg salad, but where’s the fun vegan option? Have no fear because this tofu salad sandwich packs in plenty of creamy crunch and can be completely customized to whatever vegetables you want to add.
With all of the vegetables, spices, and thick slices of bread, you’ll forget you’re even eating tofu.
Korean Bibimbap
Photo by Marlee Johnson
You could travel to Michigan to hit up this amazing Korean restaurant, or you could head into your kitchen and make your own bibimbap, which translates to “mixed rice.”
When you throw a few drops of teriyaki sauce on the tofu, it goes from that mushy blob that once made you cringe to a great and crispy source of protein.
Vegan Chocolate Pudding
Photo by Katherine Baker
Most people think that veganism means no more dessert, but look, we have 24 recipes that pass the vegan test.
Just like these recipes, this four-ingredient chocolate pudding will have you second guessing whether or not there’s even tofu in the bowl. The recipe makes three to four servings, but odds are, you’ll eat the whole batch by yourself.
Healthy Miso Soup
Photo by Judy Holtz
Soup seems like a laborious dinner, but this miso soup takes only 20 minutes to whip up, meaning you’ll have more time to read up on the six things every college vegan should know or hit up Trader Joe’s with this vegan shopping list.
Tofu Pancakes
Photo by Kelda Baljon
This recipe is not vegan, unless you have an egg substitute – like Just Scramble – on hand. Still, it only takes three ingredients to put a spin on basic pancakes, so you can make breakfast fun again.
These pancakes are so versatile, so you can stick to the classic maple syrup, throw an egg on top, or even make this colossal breakfast chocolate sundae.
One-Pot Tofu Pasta
Photo by Rachel Lee
As a college student, you’re probably not equipped with cabinets of the finest cookware or tons of time, so any one-pot meal that takes only 15 minutes is the perfect solution to the problem.
Just throw in the tofu, pasta, vegetables, and a few add-in flavors you probably already have on hand, and you’ve got yourself a meal before you head to the library for an all-nighter. Make sure to save some room for these study snacks though.
Vegan Chocolate Silk Pie
Photo by Katherine Baker
Here we go again with the vegan desserts because the fact that you can get protein from a pie is probably the best news you’ll hear all day.
The only thing better than the classic chocolate silk pie is this version with a Speculoos crust because cookie butter might be better than Nutella. What’s makes this recipe the best? You don’t even have to touch the oven and you don’t have to wait hours for it to set. It’s ready instantly.