Chinese Five Spice Braised Tofu

This Chinese Five Spice Braised Tofu is made with only 5 simple ingredients, but brings BIG flavor! Serve it with sushi, grain bowls, summer rolls, and more.

Ah, tofu. Some people love it, some people…don’t. I’m definitely in the former category here, and unless you’re avoiding soy for allergy reasons (and not false health claims), I think you should be too.

The best thing about tofu, besides that it’s a great source of plant protein? It’s a blank vessel. Which means you can infuse it with just about any flavor that you’d like! Today we’re going the asian-inspired route with some Chinese Five-Spice Braised Tofu.

Most of the time I buy plain ol’ Extra Firm Tofu from the store and season it myself, but every once in a while I buy one of those pre-flavored packs – you know, for convenience. I came across a particular “Braised Tofu” in my store a little over a year ago, and have been hooked ever since! Once I looked at the package ingredients and realized how simple they were, I knew I had to try to recreate it myself.

This Braised Tofu has simple steps, but definitely delivers big flavor. All you need is one pan and 5 ingredients to make it!

So, shall we?

Step One: Press & Cut Your Tofu

You’ll need one block of either Extra Firm or Super Firm tofu for this recipe. If you’re using Extra Firm (left), you’ll need to press your tofu for about 30 minutes or so to get all of the extra liquid out. Super Firm or “High Protein” tofu (right) is pre-pressed, so if you get that you can skip this step (Yay!)

Regardless, you’ll want to create 4 even blocks of tofu for this recipe – I like to cut each block in half lengthwise, and then in half again once more.

Step Two: Marinate

To”braise” a food means to fry it, then simmer in sauce in a closed container. Today we’re skipping the frying aspect – mostly because my beloved store-bought tofu wasn’t fried either. Don’t worry though, we’ll still be simmering our tofu in a mouth-watering marinade that’s surprisingly simple!

Simply combine some Vegetable Broth, Tamari, Coconut Sugar, and Chinese Five Spice blend together in the bottom of a large, oven-safe pot. Carefully place the tofu in the marinade, then cover and let sit for 30 minutes.

Step Three: Simmer

Now we’ll pop that pot onto the stove and bring our tofu + marinade to a simmer, while covered. You’ll want to flip the tofu every five minutes so each side cooks evenly – I’d recommend using a firm spatula or some kitchen tongs to do this. If you don’t have much room in your pot, remove one piece of tofu while flipping the other three for an easier time 😉

While your tofu simmers, pre-heat your oven to 350F. We’re going to use almost every last drop of the marinade, and the final step of flavor infusion takes place in the oven.

Step Four: Bake

Okay, so I know what you’re thinking. You already simmered and marinated the tofu, so do you actually have to cook it in the oven now too?

Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: Yes, because this last step in the oven is the key to ultimate flavor infusion! The tofu will absorb even more of the sweet/salty/savory/totally yummy marinade, and it will get nicely browned and slightly crispy on top. And who doesn’t love some good Crispy Tofu?!

It only takes about 15-20 minutes, and I promise – you’ll be thanking me in the next step, which is…

Enjoy!

Make a plate (or bowl), sit back, and relax! Your Braised Tofu is ready to eat (or in my house, devoured). As this process is a little time consuming, I like to double or triple the recipe so I can have leftovers. They’ll keep in your fridge for up to one week, or you can freeze the tofu for up to two months. Pro-Tip: if you have any leftover marinade, save it and use as a yummy sauce!

Ways to Serve Braised Tofu:

• In Sushi Rolls (or Bowls!)
• In Buddha Bowls or Grain Bowls
• Inside of these Summer Rolls
• …or over plain ol’ rice! It’s just as delicious 😉

If you’re looking for more Asian-inspired recipes, you’ll also love this Crunchy Asian Slaw, this Vegan Miso Soup, and these Orange Tofu Buddha Bowls!

Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂

Print