What does Tofu taste like?

Cassi_Eats_Apples
Cassi_Eats_Apples Posts: 235
in Food and Nutrition
I've never had it and I'm nervous to try it since I'm trying to phase out meat because it makes my stomach angry at me.
What does it taste like?
And what is the texture like? If it mushy like an egg or more firm like chicken? Also are some brands better then others?

Tell me all about tofu!
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Replies

  • Routerninja
    Routerninja Posts: 201
    It can taste like whatever you want it to taste like, Tofu is a flavor sponge.

    You want the egg white consistency? Get silken tofu. You want something more substantial? Get some firm tofu, squeeze some of the moisture out with some paper towels and a small weight and marinate it in whatever you would use on beef or chicken then pan fry it. Or deep fry it until its nice and crispy.

    The possibilities are endless with Tofu.
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
    crap
  • lucasriggs
    lucasriggs Posts: 131
    Depends on whether you fry it or boil it. Boiled tofu taste awfully bland, but when you marinate and fry it..it tastes delicious.
  • krisiepoo
    krisiepoo Posts: 710 Member
    depends what you cook it with :) I personally love it, but it's more of a texture thing vs a flavor thing for people.

    If you have a trader joes nearby, they have precooked and preflavored tofu. it's a good place to start
  • a_stronger_steph
    a_stronger_steph Posts: 434 Member
    Tofu's crazy versatile. It can be mushy or firm depending on what kind you buy. If you're cooking a stir fry or something like that, dry getting extra firm tofu and dry-frying it before you marinate (technique found here: http://melissaraydavis.hubpages.com/hub/How_to_Cook_Tofu_Like_the_Pros) - it gives a great texture. You can also try baked tofu (look up some recipes - you'll want to marinate it first!), which can get nice and crisp/firm on the outside and a bit more soft on the inside.

    You can also use silken tofu to give your smoothies some extra protein. I've also made it into dessert-style dips, like chocolate-chip cookie dough dop, but it can be an acquired taste in something that doesn't have strong flavours.

    Finally, my absolute favourite tofu is a pre-marinated "gourmet" type that has a texture completely different from anything you can buy in a little tub. Even my skeptical carnivorous friends love it. The kind I buy is this kind: http://www.yingyingsoyfood.ca/products.html, but it seems to be a fairly local Ontario thing, so if you're from somewhere else, check out some local markets in your area and see if there's anything similar!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Now I want miso soup...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    On it's own it really doesn't taste like anything at all...pretty much flavorless. Like someone else said, it's basically a flavor sponge and will take on the flavor of whatever you're cooking it in/with. It's usually more of a texture issue with most people. Even the firm stuff is mushy.
  • craftybirdy
    craftybirdy Posts: 53
    I like to marinate it in some low-sodium soy sauce, garlic and whatever spices I have laying around for about 10 min. Then I bake it in the oven for 45 min at about 350 degrees flipping them every 15 min or so. Tastes amazing and great on salads or just as a snack.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    Raw tofu is gross. The texture can change depending on how you cook it. You can make a scramble to make it have an egg type texture, you can fry to make it crispy (my favorite) and bake it or bread it. It's very versatile. I rec firm or extra firm tofu for cooking. You will need to press water out of tofu usually before cooking it, not with extra firm. You can get tofu at walmart even.
  • PinkCupcakes84
    PinkCupcakes84 Posts: 235 Member
    Nasty
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    If you're purchasing your tofu in the U.S. then it tastes like a kitchen sponge
  • CynthiaT60
    CynthiaT60 Posts: 1,280 Member
    The texture can be vastly improved by pressing it. You put slices of tofu in a clean kitchen towel and put a weight on the towel (like a pan filled with water). Maybe an hour or so, while you're doing something else. The mushiness goes away. Then you can marinate it or whatever.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,020 Member
    Now I want miso soup...
    So this. I always ask for extra tofu in miso soup.

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  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    Tofu doesn't taste like much of anything. The closest thing I can think of to the taste is egg whites. But it takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with, especially sauces. It's sort of like a blank slate on which to showcase other flavors.

    As far as the texture, that depends very much on which tofu you buy, and how you cook it. It comes in different textures from silky (kinda like cream chease or greek yogurt) to extra firm. I prefer to buy extra firm, cut it in strips, dry them really well with paper towels, bread them lightly with corn starch, and pan fry them. This makes it crispy on the outside and soft inside. I don't put it in sauce until I'm ready to eat it, so it doesn't get soggy.

    There's a trick to getting tofu crispy without burning it, so if you know any vegetarians who like tofu, you might ask them for a restaurant recommendation where tofu is done well, and try it there first.
  • Eastern_Echo23
    Eastern_Echo23 Posts: 198 Member
    Tofu doesn't have much flavor. It in fact taste like soy. however, Tofu is good for cooking because it absorbs whatever seasoning or sauces you put with it. I like to fry it in my stir-fry dinners or with pasta. It gives it a nice chewy texture and the taste is blended in with the rest of your dish. So you don't really know that it is there.

    Some brands (Tufan here in Germany), make pre-marinated tofu's. I prefer the basil and curry flavors depending on what it is i am cooking. However, natur tofu is just fine. Don't need to be nervous, i like it and eat it several times a week!
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    I used to slice it and eat in on bread with mustard. It taste best perhaps in a stir fry or soup.
  • kia_runs
    kia_runs Posts: 77 Member
    As mentioned above, tofu takes the taste of what you cook it with. I have pressed out the water in firm tofu and used it as ground beef for veggie lasgna and pasta sauces. I have also used firm tofu and made "chicken fingers" and buffalo style fingers. I would give it a try. A package at Trader Joe's is about $3-4, won't break the bank.

    You can coat it with flour, pan fry it and and add to stir fry in place of meat. Very versatile. I also make tofu scramble for nreakfast with onions, spinach and mushrooms.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    It's a couple of bucks. Buy it. Eat it. And draw your own conclusions.
  • starznholes
    starznholes Posts: 170 Member
    Tastes like plastic.

    I enjoy it in Hot & Sour Soup and Miso, but that's all I can handle.
  • SJKirk51912
    SJKirk51912 Posts: 176 Member
    I accidentally tried it once at a chinese buffet. It tasted like chicken to me, just slightly chewier. I was ok with it until I learned it wasn't chicken and then my head had a problem with it...
  • elsie0o0
    elsie0o0 Posts: 59 Member
    IBy itself it's bland and it's texture is depending on what type of tofu-firm or soft. If you remove some of the liquid it's pretty stable.
  • oddreys
    oddreys Posts: 6
    Being an Asian it is often I get to eat tofus so they taste like nothing but cupboard. Well it is really bland in taste but if you cook it well it can turn out tasty. Depending on the tofu you get at your local grocery store, the taste differs.
  • rivka_m
    rivka_m Posts: 1,007 Member
    You absolutely have to flavor it, don't try eating it plain. It's too bland.

    My favorite is tofu scramble. Nice and easy, use whatever veggies you have. You can leave out nutritional yeast if you don't have any, but it really makes the dish so much better.

    http://www.theppk.com/2008/10/scrambled-tofu/
  • IzzyBooNZ1
    IzzyBooNZ1 Posts: 1,289 Member
    I am wanting to try tofu and have never purchased it . How do I choose what one to buy? How do I know what makes one brand of tofu bettter than the other, or are they pretty much the same - aside from what I have read here about some being firmer than others?
  • JoeyFrappuccino
    JoeyFrappuccino Posts: 88 Member
    I would disagree with tofu being flavorless, the taste is very subtle but it is there, kind of like white rice. Of course it's better cooked but I used to eat it straight and it's not bad if you don't mind the texture. I often freeze it before cooking with it though, it gives it a rougher sort of texture that's hard to describe but feels more natural. It's not as moist and dense as it is otherwise and it absorbs flavor much better, although it might not be as versatile as it would be fresh. As for taste, though, I never marinate it or season it or anything, I just pan fry it (tofu is fatty enough to not need oil) and add it to whatever dish I'm making. The taste goes well with many foods without the need for additional seasonings, so you don't need to be a great cook to use it.
  • whovian67
    whovian67 Posts: 608 Member
    Whatever you cook it with....mine tastes like garlic, ginger, & liquid aminos (soy flavor) & chilies....Thai food rocks !
  • CMB1979
    CMB1979 Posts: 588 Member
    You can also blend it with chocolate or fruit to make a protein shake or do the same and freeze it in a pie crust.
  • liznotyet
    liznotyet Posts: 402 Member
    best vegan chocolate pie: google Alton Brown's recipe - basically a container of soft tofu drained, blended with melted chocolate chips and poured into a graham cracker crust. great on ramp to tofu cooking. Cubed firm tofu goes great into curries, stews and soups. It is made with soy and some bodies get gas and bloat from it, so go slow.
  • SomethingorWhat
    SomethingorWhat Posts: 1
    I'm wondering if I Tofu can be used as a substitute for hard cheese. Would it melt over my sauteed veggies and taste like cheese?
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,010 Member
    No, tofu will not melt over your veggies or taste like cheese.
    There are dairy-free soy-based cheeses available but I haven't really tried them. I believe Daiya is a brand people like.

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