Shredded Tofu

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Shredded Tofu is great way to make a block of tofu super delicious! Just shred it with a grater, soak it in broth, and then cook off the liquid. You'll have high protein shreds great as a taco filling, burritos, and sandwiches.

Hey Internet, ready for more tofu recipes? We've got some new ways to work with super firm tofu (or pressed tofu) that's great as meal prep for the week. 

This new tofu recipe uses grated tofu to pack it full of flavor fast. Normally, you'd need a pretty long marinated to impart a flavor in to a block of tofu. But by evenly breaking up the tofu, you in increase the surface area of the tofu. This allows the liquid to flavor the tofu faster. 

Plus, once your liquid has cooked off, it leaves even more flavor behind! Cooking the tofu in the marinade is a trick we learned from one of our soy curls recipes. Our Soy Curl Bacon cooks IN the marinade, which really gives a very flavorful taste.

We've been going hard with the tofu recipes lately, with our Tofu Mousse and Tofu Steak being our recent additions. It's hard to ignore tofu; a really cheap compared to many other meat replacements. And it's super flexible too. 

It can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. We promise some of our next recipes will focus on other vegan ingredients. We just really want to fill out or Vegan Tofu Recipes post some more!

But for right now, let's focus on these golden brown shreds which have so much flavor and a unique texture. You can season them in almost any way you can find a vegan substitution for flavor. 

Better Than Bouillon has amazing vegan chicken and vegan beef bouillon paste that works great with this recipe (it is also very economical and lasts for a long time in the fridge). These also this vegan pork bouillon if you want a more pulled-pork flavor to your tofu. And there are so many other creative ways to make marinades that you could bring to this recipe. 

These shreds are great used in some corn or flour tortillas for tofu tacos, placed in tofu wraps, or in these Tofu Quesadillas we just made (or put them in our Sheet Pan Quesadilla which is basically a party-size quesadilla baked on a baking sheet!). They could also be good in our Vegan Taco Salad or you could top tortilla chips with it, some black beans and veggies, and add our Nut-Free Vegan Queso. Get creative with this great recipe!

Why You'll Love These Tofu Shreds

• Super Flavorful: With all the spices concentrated into the tofu, you'll be loving these most amazing tender sherds. It's the perfect way to add more plant based protein to your diet and a great alternative to meat (not to mention cheaper and better macros!).
• Easily Customizable: Anything that can be used as a marinade can be used to make your own unique version of this shredded tofu recipe. Liquid smoke, maple syrup, soy sauce, lime juice, bbq sauce are all great places to start, or you can stick with the recipe because it's delish, if we do say so ourselves.
• Meal Prep for the Week: Add everything to a resealable container and you have a protein for your lunches for the rest of the week. Add it to rice bowls or wraps for an easy meal. Make a large batch for the whole family!

Ingredients

Pick up these simple ingredients the next time you're at a grocery store. See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredients, instructions, and accurate nutrition info (to the best of my ability; please consult your physician or healthcare professional if you have specific dietary needs or need to meet a certain daily value of any nutrient). I give substitutions for the ingredients in the section below this one, so most people can still make this recipe!

• 1 Block Super Firm Tofu: I’m talking about the kind in the vacuum-sealed plastic, not a tub full of water. I recommend the super firm tofu if you can find it. I can usually find it in grocery stores such as Trader Joe’s, supermarkets, Asian markets, and even Costco on occasion.
• 2 Cups Broth OR 1.5 to 2 Tablespoons Bouillon Paste and 2 Cups Hot Water: Choose from a variety of broths and bouillons to get the flavor profile you want. Chicken, beef, pork, even a basic vegetable broth can do wonders for this recipe! For this particular recipe, we used the Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base and hot water.
• 2 Teaspoons Chili Powder 
• 2-3 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
• 0.5 Teaspoon Ground Cumin: You can also use cumin seeds if you have a spice grinder. 
• 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder, Optional
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Substitutions

• Tofu: You could use extra firm tofu instead, but you'll need to remove the excess moisture. A block of extra-firm tofu is slightly more wet than a block of super firm. Some plates and a heavy object (and a few layers of paper towels or tea towels) or a tofu press can help you with that! There are types of tofu out there that don't use soy! The most commonly available type is chickpea based, often made with chickpea flour. It is also known as Burmese tofu. There are also ones made out of split peas.
• Broth: You could use water instead, but you'll miss out on so much flavor! If you end up doing that, make sure to add salt to compensate for the lack of broth. 
• Spices: Use your favorite spices in this recipe!
• Olive Oil: If you have a really good non-stick pan, you can skip the oil all together. Just make sure to keep a close eye on it when all the water evaporates.

How to Make Shredded Tofu

1. Shred the Tofu: Grab a large bowl and place a box grater in it (use the large side of a cheese grater). Remove the super-firm tofu from it's packaging and then shred it using the large holes of a box grater. Be careful not to injure yourself during this process. You can crumble the ends of the super firm tofu by hand to be safe.
2. Soak the Tofu: Prepare your broth and then add it to the bowl. Let the tofu soak for at least 10 minutes.
3. Cook the Tofu: In a large nonstick skillet or frying pan, add the tofu and liquid and then cook on medium-high heat. Cook until all the water evaporates. Then add the oil and spices. Brown the the tofu to desired color.
4. Serve: Remove the pan from heat and then add it to your meal or let it cool and store it in an airtight container for later.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Great Vegan Recipes

• Crispy Tofu
• Pan Seared Tofu Steak
• Vegan Taco Soup With Soy Curls
• Butter Bean Stew (Vegan)
• Vegan Stuffed Shells
• Tofu Meatballs

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