Tofu for people who don’t like tofu

Put off by the soy protein’s texture or taste? Try silken as your gateway into tofu.

Hey there, and welcome back to Cool Beans! Today in our venture through the basics of delicious, Earth-friendly eating we’re getting into the “meat” of the matter. It’s time for tofu. As a complete, cheap, and neutral protein, this soy-based ingredient is a plant-based staple. But it’s also kinda divisive. Some folks are turned off by tofu’s taste or texture. While there are several techniques for maximizing the flavor and feel of your ’fu, there’s actually a much easier route to embracing the soy protein. Instead of using it to replace meat, use it to replace dairy.  

Tofu is made from soybean milk that’s boiled and curdled in a process that resembles cheesemaking. The image that likely jumps to mind when you think “tofu” is block tofu, which presses those curdles into soft, medium-firm, and firm varieties. In Western recipes, it’s typically used as a substitute for meat, à la the tofu nugget. Today, though, we’re talking about silken tofu, which is not pressed and therefore has a much higher moisture content, a silky smooth appearance, and a custardlike consistency that lends itself to dishes where creaminess is the goal, from smoothies and sauces to dips and desserts. It’s a nutritious workhorse that requires basically zero prep, comes in many shelf-stable varieties, and deffo deserves a spot in your pantry.

The review: A chocolate pudding free of dairy but full of surprises

Tofu pudding, with berries on top. Credit: Gabriella Vigoreaux

Tofu puddings, made with custardy soft tofu, are a common street food in China and Southeast Asia where they are often topped with a ladle of warm ginger syrup. If eating straight soy is not your thing, you can still use it to make creamy and luxurious desserts without the use of dairy products. The proof is in the pudding, specifically this chocolate pudding with cinnamon and chile from Mark Bittman at The New York Times.

I’m not exaggerating when I say this dessert (snack? breakfast?) takes only 10 minutes to make. The only real “work”—if you can call it that—is making a quick simple syrup from sugar and water and melting chocolate in the microwave. The rest happens in a blender: Add silken tofu, melted dark chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, and chile powder; blitz until smooth. The 30 minutes I had to wait while it chilled in the fridge was probably the hardest part. 

Check out the full dairy-free pudding recipe at The New York Times

A traditional pudding is a cooked, custardy mixture of milk or cream, sugar, and some starch to thicken the mix. I’ll admit that I had some serious doubts this tofu version—which was very thin at room temp—would set up the same way without any thickeners, dairy fat, or a leg up from a stand mixer. I was wrong: The texture set into a velvety smooth pudding, with a rich and chocolatey flavor that has a little kick from the spices. 

Silken tofu has earned a place on my baking shelf, but its utility goes well beyond dessert. You can also use it instead of block tofu to make silky scrambles, creamy smoothies, and dairy/mayo-free sauces. To really test the limits of this soy protein, I decided to use it as a 1:1 replacement for the dairy in one of my all-time favorite cream-based pasta sauces.

The recipe: Creamy pasta sauce, hold the cream 

I don’t buy heavy cream much, but if you see it in my fridge it’s because I’m making a pasta sauce like penne alla vodka. A lot of dairy-free versions of these luxe carb mainstays use alts like coconut milk and cashew cream, but I’ve never found one that doesn’t alter the flavor more than I’d like it to. Silken tofu, however, delivers a ridiculous level of creaminess, with zero effect on the overall flavor. 

Take this plant-based version of vodka sauce, which is typically made with a healthy dose of heavy cream. My version replaces the dairy with silken tofu, but tastes just as rich as the real deal. In place of Parmesan, I added miso paste for an umami boost and some nutritional yeast for added “cheesy” flavor

A carb-tastic creamy favorite. Credit: Gabriella Vigoreaux

Miso-Vodka Pasta

Yield: 4 servings